Fashion: Strategies I’m using to grow my design brand — Rabia

You are blessed with a talent for designing fashion products. But to turn your passion into a profitable business is something you need to learn even more. No doubt, doing a business comes with its own risks as you are investing money and time. However, since the demand for fashion items is increasing more than […]

You are blessed with a talent for designing fashion products. But to turn your passion into a profitable business is something you need to learn even more.

No doubt, doing a business comes with its own risks as you are investing money and time. However, since the demand for fashion items is increasing more than ever before, your fashion design business can pick up shortly with your determination to succeed.

There is a huge scope for growth in the fashion industry and business in Nigeria and Rabia Umar Ameen, a 400 level student of Education Biology in Bayero University Kano hopes to tap into that for her clothing line, Pétillant Fleur.

In this encounter with Daily Trust YOUTHVILLE, the 22 year old, Hausa-Fulani girl from Gwale Local government of Kano state explained the strategies she is using to grow her fashion designing brand.

“Ever since I was a kid, I have had a strong passion for designs.

“As such I used to find myself drawing and sketching. I once made a dress for myself, and my mom adored it so much she applauded me and that was what inspired me to go into fashion and design,” she noted.

Rabia who started her business in 2017 said she had been toying with the idea to start officially in 2016, “so I began to advertise the dresses I make on my social media platforms and people started placing their orders. That’s how what I considered to be a hobby transformed into business for me,” she said.

To grow her business brand, the young undergraduate said she has a vision for the advancement of her brand identity but for now has started with making one dress at a time and is consistent in the quality she produces.

She also seized the social media platform to advertise her products but then, Rabia said she ensures that she meets the challenges of production she may face along the line.

The young entrepreneur said in any field one finds himself in, be it a white-collar job, self-owned, one must be willing to put in a lot of sacrifice and a lot and dedication in order to stand out.

Advising other young startups, Rabia said, “It requires a lot of sacrifice and dedication, you have to take yourself to a journey to explore ideas, envisage things and turn your envisions in a piece of fabric.

“Bear in mind that the habit of persistence is a habit of victory and creativity means believing you have greatness to the extent that when one door closes another opens or you can open the already closed door,” she said.

On how she sourced funds for the business, Rabia said when she started she had zero income but the idea of how to start kept flooding, so she started uploading her designs on her social page.

“I began thinking of a way to source capital to start a clothing line, luckily a customer saw an outfit I made for myself which I advertised on my social media platform and she sent me a message that she wanted to purchase the dress for herself and her room mates.

“I named the price for them and within 48 hours she made the payment I made seven outfit of the same design in different colours. That was how I started.”

Rabia who has an employee under her already, noted that the business is very profitable and makes money fast.

She also said she faces a few challenges including the challenge of electricity and unstable market prices of sewing materials.

Still passing encouraging words, Rabia said youth planning to start a new business must go for what interests them and not just the business that could easily get them bored if things go slow.

“I would advise that no matter how tough and rough the journey is, stick to your passion and give it your 100 per cent,” Rabia advised.