‘Women should try to have a source of livelihood’
What inspired you into fashion designing?My mother inspired me into fashion designing because she brought me up to be well dressed. I grew up to love dressing well and elegantly, so from there the interest grew and I started my fashion home. My vision is to have a garment factory where I can make garments […]
What inspired you into fashion designing?
My mother inspired me into fashion designing because she brought me up to be well dressed. I grew up to love dressing well and elegantly, so from there the interest grew and I started my fashion home.
My vision is to have a garment factory where I can make garments or dresses to sell to the public. A factory where I can employ a lot of people with modern industrial machines and largely contribute to the productivity of the country.
You are a home maker and also into fashion designing, what is your take on women and work?
I don’t advise that a woman should just sit at home .She should find something doing to keep herself going because this is a generation in which we shouldn’t depend solely on our men. As partners in marriage, we need to be helpers to our husbands. Therefore women shouldn’t just sit at home but find something doing for a living.
Combining work with home making keeps the body and soul going because a woman who just sits at home keeps thinking negatively. But the one who goes to work and comes back to her house is more productive in the home. She also encourages the children better than sitting at home doing only household chores.
Women should be hardworking, have a source of livelihood, and contribute to the family and the society.
What is your advice on handling business challenges?
There are challenges in running one’s business. Sometimes when you start a business and it seems not to be growing especially after certain years, some get discouraged but there is no need to be, just believe in yourself and of course in God. A lot of people will come to even discourage you but that shouldn’t weigh you down. You should hold on to God. God Almighty who gave you the vision for that business will see you through.
I have had my own challenges running this place. When some people come in initially, they don’t allow me to choose what suits them. By looking at someone as a fashion designer, you will ascertain what kind of outfit will suit that person, but most of the time they argue with you, they just want something whether it suits them or not, probably because they saw it on someone.
But we finally get along as I convince and show them things like materials that will suit their skin at certain time or weather of the year.
Some people cannot differentiate between a fashion house and a tailor’s shop?
The difference between them is that a tailoring shop is a place you just pop in and decide what you want to sew but a fashion home is where you come to for whatever occasion you want to be dressed for. In a fashion home we do custom made and there is creativity. We give you advise on what to wear but a tailoring place just copy what we create. We choose material, advise styles among others.
What are your fashion tips for women?
Women love fashion but I will advise every woman to be as simple and moderate in her dressing as possible. She should look beautiful and elegant and wear certain clothes that cover her body properly as a woman.
As a fashion designer what is trendy amongst women now?
Ladies love fitted gowns, and gowns which make them look elegant and beautiful, fitted old school Kaftans are also in vogue and the older generation prefer a bit loose outfits .
Are women dressing more in western dresses or African fabrics?
Now women are more into traditional dresses for occasions especially our own Ankara. A lot of people like it. The ban on foreign goods years ago also helped in popularizing indigenous fabrics. Local fabrics are selling very well. I love them too.
You received an award on humanitarian work from Rotary International last year?
Yes, I have been contributing to Rotary International for quite some years especially towards widows and orphans. Last year July I was given an award of recognition by Rotary club of Naraguta chapter Jos.
I pay about 15 orphans’ school fees and have been empowering widows and the less privileged particularly in Jos and Shendam in my state Plateau.
With the state of violence amongst the youths today, and other vices, what will you advise parents in raising their children?
The training of a child should not be left solely for the woman because today we find a lot of fathers doing that. Both parents should unite to train their children. When children see them doing things together it helps in their upbringing. We have a lot of delinquent children these days with some going into drugs, parents should love, spend time with them, keep the children busy and be united. Women on their part as mothers should be well schooled on child upbringing and being role models.