Wow!!! Who says you can't make a business with bow ties? May coutures just Did!
By Kemi Mobuse - Wednesday, March 09, 2016
On the lookout for some one doing some very different 'made in Naija' products, a clear departure from the Norm....
KMB happened on some beautiful and intricately designed handmade bow ties, upon more research , we discovered they were the handiwork of beautiful and multi talented aspiring fashion Designer Miss Balogun Temitayo Mary.
We were honoured to get her to sit with us for a brief chat, some excerpt below:
Kemi Mobuse blog: Good Evening May coutures
can we meet you?
May coutures: I'm Balogun Temitayo Mary, Aspiring fashion designer, B.sc Industrial Chemistry. I'm a student of Futa. Studying Mtech.Analytical Chemistry.
Kemi Mobuse blog: What line of business are
you in? And what is it, that you do?
Maycoutures: I make fashion accessories
Kemi Mobuse blog: Fashion accessories like?
May coutures: I specialize in making bowties, pocket
squares, Ankara accessories, Fascinators, hand fans, roses, lapel flowers
Kemi Mobuse blog:
Why this particular choice of accessories, and what inspired it?
May coutures: I think I’ve always loved to do things with
my hands, and make people look good. Looking good is good business, you know?
Way back, immediately after secondary school,
I learnt bead making. I’d seen a lady use bead and said to myself, “I can do
this,” and I’d gone ahead to buy bead making materials: beads, fishing line,
hook…the whole nine yards; everything I need to make my dream of making beads
come alive. But I needed the “know how”. I was just a girl who wanted to make
beads, but who didn’t know how to, exactly. So guess what I did? I approached a
woman in the market – the woman who sold me the materials I needed. She
explained the process – just the basics. I went home and tried and viola! I did
it. I’m still doing it, and it gets better.
On accessories, I began that journey when I
learnt how to make bow ties and pocket squares in my final year in school. A
friend and I had decided to up our entrepreneurial grades and learn other
things we didn’t know. I decided to learn how to make bowties, not for any
special reasons but because it was one of the few things I didn’t know how to
do, on the list of the many options I was confronted with, at the time.
Other things like traditional/ankara
accessories, bridal fascinators, etc. I learnt along the line.
Kemi Mobuse blog: Wow, seems you are a jack
of all trade, and as I can see from your pictures, a good one at that.
May coutures: Thanks
Kemi Mobuse blog: What is the name of your
business?
May coutures: My brand name is May Coutures
Kemi Mobuse blog: Why that choice of
name?
May coutures: May is taken from my name Mary. May is the
short form of Mary. And may as a noun means blossom. That's the origin of the
May.
Then Coutures means fashion clothing line. But the earlier meaning of couture is handmade and needle products. That's how May Coutures is gotten
Then Coutures means fashion clothing line. But the earlier meaning of couture is handmade and needle products. That's how May Coutures is gotten
Kemi Mobuse blog: How has the market
reception been since inception?
May coutures: I'll say it's full of challenges,
possibilities and opportunities.
Kemi Mobuse blog: Worst advice received since
you started is?
Maycoutures: Oh! Don't think I ve received any worst advice.
Kemi Mobuse blog: What about your most
memorable experience business wise?
May coutures: Memorable experience;I sold one of my
handmade bow tie to a student in the Federal University of Technology, and that
fetched me, within a week, a contract to make 60 bow ties, 60 pocket squares and
90 brooches.
Kemi Mobuse blog: Awww , that would have made
you very happy
Maycoutures: Yea... Very very
Kemi Mobuse blog: Any advice for upcoming
entrepreneurs?
May coutures: Advice to upcoming entrepreneurs: I'll say:
trust your craft, admire it, develop it, perfect it, don't stop getting better,
prepare to succeed. And follow your dreams, stay focused, be hardworking and
diligent
Kemi Mobuse blog: How do you want future
clients to contact you
May coutures: They
can contact me on my mail: temitayomarie@gmail.com,
maycoutures@gmail.com
Phone no: 08030793142
Fb: Facebook.com/maycoutures
IG: @maycoutures
Twitter: @maycoutures
Phone no: 08030793142
Fb: Facebook.com/maycoutures
IG: @maycoutures
Twitter: @maycoutures
Kemi Mobuse blog: Thank You for your time
dear
May coutures: Thank you too.
4 comments
Nice one
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
ReplyDeleteNice one dear
ReplyDeleteNice one dear
ReplyDelete