Ayodeji Alawode is the Managing Director of I. RASA, a clothing line for women.At the beginning he tried his hands on a number of things before discovering a goldmine in this sector. In this interview with Mistura Ayoade , he talks about how it all started, challenges, turning point as well as churning out the latest addition to the label.
WHAT inspired you to go into this line of business?
I am a fashion lover and that was the first thing that motivated me to go into this line of business. I must also say that I am a Nigerian who loves to contribute positively to things that can help to bring out talents , skills and the other things that bring pride to us as a nation.
The major inspiration I have for this brand is the enthusiasm I have for fashion. I have other businesses that I do but I was more passionate about I.RASA. It began as a dream and today it has become a reality through passion, dedication and peseverance.
What are some of the challenges you encountered?
There were a lot of challenges but I just did not allow them to stop me because I knew where I was going. One of the challenges for me was the fact that , it was not easy getting the actual need of the market at the beginning. We had to do a lot of research, a lot of work before we could put all this together and we are still dealing with it.
What are some of the changes that you would like to see in the sector?
It is a very competitive and vibrant sector. However a lot of things still need to be done to make us compete very well with the international market. I would therefore like to see more people using our locally designed Ankara in more creative ways, not just doing the usual. What we are trying to do, is to be able to stand side by side with our competitors in the international markets, creating world class pieces in terms of wears for women.
It is already being done but we need to see more of them, that way there would be more patronage for the fabrics. In addition, it would help to solve some of our unemployment and underemployment problems because more jobs would be created for those in the industry as well motivate young people to come into the sector.
One other fallout from all of this is the fact that more people will more dedicated to their work. One sad truth is that a lot of people are just lazy, the era of dignity of labour, unfortunately is no longer the order of the day
What are the other things that occupy your time?
I have other businesses that I do that occupy my time. I deal with fabrics which is related. The textile sector unfortunately has not been given the attention it deserves.
Let’s talk about the brand. What makes it different from others?
We are an Afro-modern clothing brand and the desire was to create something and different from others. That dream was achieved after a lot of hard work and this made us carve a niche for the brand in the sector.
For now, we cater for only women, the rich, middle class and whatever your status is , there is something that will definitely look perfect on you. I love designs that are unique and this has influenced our designed and our customers are sure of something that will bring out their beauty as well as make them feel inspired. What is unique about the brand is that it will be the first afro modern ready to wear clothing brand, the very first of its kind.
Actually we have few outlet doing similar things but they are not really doing it the way we are coming into the business.
Is there a particular aspect that really sets you apart?
It is also the first Ankara fashion retail store in Nigeria and we have pieces in numbers and you can’t find this just anywhere. This place removes the need to go and buy fabrics and meet a tailor to come up with a design, we have readymade pieces here, and it makes shopping experience easier and convenient.
I would also say that this emerging women’s wear brand creates pieces that are equal parts stylish, functional and timeless. The collection includes jackets, pants, shirts and skirts and each piece expresses the connection of the brand’s Africa influence in terms of tropical prints in floral and wildlife patterned in various exclusive designs of print and fabric in earthly tones and vibrant summer hues all with an Ethnik Twist.
What products and services do you offer?
Like I said, we make ready to wear dresses in Ankara for every woman and they are in categories. This includes skirts, shirts, shorts, long dresses, trousers and T-shirts.