Several Years after my training, I eventually manned up, left my paid Job and pursued my Passion ........Creative Director Bibi Designs
By Kemi Mobuse - Tuesday, September 12, 2017
I remember the first time I took in, I was overjoyed to a stupor and in my mind, I was already dreaming of holding my baby girl in my arms, combing her hair and buying her beautiful dresses and shoes.Choi!I have even built her a dollhouse in my dream,Hehe!
Fast Forward to three months after, I impatiently awaited the result of the scan, the doctor assured me, the baby is healthy and its a girl! haha! I was overjoyed, I jumped up and down, forgetting that, being a pregnant woman, I was supposed to behave gently! Yimu!
Five Months after, You should have seen me waddling to the market with my equally pregnant bestie, she was even pregnant with twins sef 😆😆😆. The two of us waddled up and down buying everything that we could, she was cautioning me against buying lot of pinks, I agreed, but once her back is turned, I'll quickly add another pink item. 😜😜.
At one point, the money I had on me got exhausted, I wasn't done ohhh, rara! I was still looking for feathered shoes with blings, I carried myself to the atm and withdrew more. Infact, I was very certain that the market itself got tired of me that day, lol!
Gradually, the pregnancy advanced, and at the next scan, the same doctor kept clearing his throat...Haaaaa!Iyanmmi, but Dr, why the throat clearing now? I asked tentatively, He said " Emmmm!Madam, it seems its a boy ohhhh!
I turned my head properly to read his mouth fully, believing my ears were playing their usual tricks, my brain on its own started remembering the large suitcase full of pinks...I said; Sir, please check well abeg! Call Dr Edwards to double check too.
Dr Edwards, took one look at my face, and hightailed it out of the clinic. Dr Doyin kept glancing at me, and said he checked again ohh, Its a boy.....I screamed Hian!!!!!!!! How could you tell me he was a girl?I couldn't even get angry...I just hissed, carried my bag and went to another clinic....the result, was same...Its a bouncing baby boy....Don't ask me what happened to my box of clothes ohhh! Il give you my friends number , you can call to ask her instead. hahaha.
I sha kept two of those clothes for myself, for NO.2, who also turned out to be a cute boy...I sigh in spanish....
So coming across Bibi's designs on Instagram, made me want to try again, but these boys don show me shege. Chai!! I cannot come and resemble giraffe, biko! Let me just keep looking and admiring from afar.😳😳😳😳😳😳
Bibi's designs are sooooo cute for days, that it will make your womb ache. The lady behind the brand is also an inspiration on her own, and I assure you, hers is a story worth reading.....
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: Can we meet you?
Bibi designs: I am Mrs Abimbola Uhuegho
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: What sparked your interest in fashion?
Bibi designs: I will say fashion to me is an inbuilt
interest. I have had passion for fashion right from when I was little. I
remember way back then I used to admire people that love fashion.
Bibi designs: Fashion has always been my first choice...
even when I was an employer of labour... I have worked with various organizations
in d past but during those periods I knew what I wanted to do but didn’t know
how to start...
It was last year I
finally took the bold step; I said bye to my monthly paid job and started
pursuing my dream.
Kemi Mobuse Blog: Can you walk us
through how you started out?
Bibi designs: It all started when I was small... Then, I
usually buy fabrics and sew with needle and thread to make a dress for my
dolls... the interest grew stronger when I travelled abroad where I had training
in designing kids wears. There was not much market for it at that time because online
business was not as rampant as now. But, I never gave up. I started sewing for
my daughters and my sisters’ daughter to advertise my handiwork. My church
members were also my customers back then.
When I moved back
to Nigeria in 2014, Nigerians have not really started embracing made in Nigeria
products as we do now. There was not much business for me then so I went back
to my paid job....
During the time I
was working I was still sewing for people in my church and my estate... I never
let go of my passion at any stage even though I was not making much money
then... I resigned fully to pursue my dream last year and I wished I had taken
that decision earlier but I believe God's time is always the best… God has been
really faithful.
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
Bibi designs: I studied international business management
from Anglia Ruskin university UK... it was during my free time that I took a
part time training in fashion designing ...
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
Bibi designs: Like I mentioned earlier, God has been
faithful... it has been a dream come true. Doing what I love has been one of my
greatest achievements... I love what I
do and I adore seeing children looking lovely in bibi outfits.
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: I noticed a lot of girl’s toddlers cloth on your page, what is
your fascination with making clothes for baby girls?
Bibi designs: I design for both toddlers and women but my
area of expertise is more on children's wears...I do mum and me sometimes too. Aside
having 2 lovely daughters , I think girls are fun when it comes to dressing
them up.
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: I certainly agree 😁😁😁😁
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: does your approach differ when designing menswear compared to women
wear?
Bibi designs: I admire men’s wear too but it has never
been what I like to do. Maybe in future....I might consider that.
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: how do influences from outside of Nigeria find their way into your
work?
Bibi designs: I love to borrow ideas from others designers
especially on international level. I visit their page often and this gives me
an insight of what majority want to see and like. This inspires me to do more
in order to attract my potential customers.
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: what is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started
your company?
Bibi designs: There have been a lot of challenges but none
has been too big for me to handle. Dealing with online business is not an easy
task even though, we sometimes make it look easy....keeping up with people expectations
is challenging... coming up with new ideas and turn it to designs. This
business has taught me how to be humble when dealing with customers.
What I have
learnt since I started this business is: creating great business relationship
with my customers by exceeding their expectations with their orders and this
has really helped us to gain more customers through word of mouth.
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: what advice would you give to young designers?
Bibi designs: My advice to young designers will be; never
give up on your dreams.. keep pushing... consistency and perseverance pays in
the long run... keep doing what you love even though it is not looking good as you would have loved
it to become.. Don’t give up... try try and try again...
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: what would you like to achieve before the end of the year?
Bibi designs: I
will love to be greater than who I am presently business wise.. I want to keep
putting smiles on childrens’ faces... before the end of the year I will love to
expand the business so that, people can come in and buy our ready to wear kids
collections..
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: do you have any rules you live by?
Bibi designs: Yes I have rules and all my staff play by
my rules too.... I love keeping to our deadlines especially for clients
deliveries…
Kemi
Mobuse Blog: Lastly, how can you be contacted?
Bibi designs: We
can be contacted via our phone no/whatsapp 08096687788 Instagram @bibi_designs
1 comments
Good job
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