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Amina Adefala is the Head of Design and Chief Executive
Officer of Gidan Nodza, a business
venture that is into the creation of bags and other fashion accessories. Her
business, which was set up in 2004 celebrates and promotes the African identity
in a way that blends with trending fashion. SMEMarkethub, an initiative of GT
Bank, describes Adefala as 'a designer with an eye for meticulous detail and a
vision to provide her customers with unique and well-crafted fashion
accessories'. Products of Gidan Nodza are mostly made of dyed fabrics and
leather to cater to men and women alike. In this interview with UZEZI ADESITE,
she sheds light on her business operations as well as other issues associated
with the fashion industry. Excerpts:
Before Gidan Nodza, were you employed?
No, I was fresh out
of Law school when we started Gidan Nodza.
How long did you nurse the dream of establishing Gidan
Nodza, and when did you finally decide it was time?
I had always dreamt
of having my own business as far back as I can remember but also felt the time
would be right as soon as I left school.
Did you have any kind of training that prepared you for
embarking on your own business?
l had to teach
myself how to make bags.
Bags, wallets,
belts, wrist straps and other accessories/leatherware.
Are they all handcrafted?
Yes, our products
are handcrafted without a 'commercial' automated production line.
What advantages do handcrafted products have over
machine made products and vice versa?
Handcrafted products
are processed with a lot more attention to detail and are flexible enough to
accommodate customization but mechanized production is obviously faster and can
be replicated with a fair amount of fidelity.
So your company has been in business since 2004, what
was the beginning like?
It was a lot of
trial, error, blood, sweat and tears. But I also had quite a lot of help and
support from my family.
What type of challenges do you have to deal with?
Mainly challenges of
sourcing materials, tools, dedicated personnel and finance.
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| Handmade designs by Gidan Nodza |
The Nigerian fashion industry has experienced a lot of
growth over the past two decades, as a result, there are so many entrepreneurs
promoting African fashion and accessories in their own ways. How do you ensure
that your brand stands apart?
One way we try to
stand apart is by having our concept designs fall within our creative control.
For example most of our competitors work using African prints the patterns and
colour of which were conceived and done for and by someone else. At any rate
the prints are everywhere and don't come off as original.
Trends in the fashion industry are constantly changing,
how do you ensure that your products stay current at all time?
We not only are
conscious of the fashion trends but do our best to participate in a way that
contributes in setting the trends as well.
Who is your market and how did you get their attention?
Our target market is
really wide and can be considered to fall within men and women between the
preteen ages to octogenarians so we project ourselves as having everything for
everyone and because our products are functional for any age or purpose we
cover most of the population.
Where can your products be found?
Our products can be
found on our website at www.gidannodza.com and also at
gidannodza.smemarkethub.com. We also stock at Weave & Co, Moorhouse
Gallery, Moorhouse Hotel at 1 Bankole Oki Street Ikoyi Lagos. To see more and
follow Gidan Nodza visit facebook.com/gidannodza; houseofnodza.blogspot.com;
twitter.com/gidanodza; instagram.com/gidannodza.
Although it is gradually changing, there are still a lot
of people who wouldn’t bother so much with Nigerian designers because some of
them deliver goods their clients complain about. Is it that most of these
designers weren’t fully ready to launch, or they don’t care about customer
satisfaction?
Finishing is still
an issue with many Nigerian designers and this goes back to getting the details
right but this is quickly becoming a thing of the past. I have to say though
local patronage is dismal not so much because of quality issues but because
Nigerians haven't gotten past the desire for all things foreign.
As an entrepreneur, why is it important to have or
define your niche market?
It is important
because cultivating your niche is the best way to set yourself apart and
guarantee a followership.
A lot of young people with dreams are hindered
especially because of finance and execution. What advice can you offer them?
Start small but
start. Many people are waiting for a tonne of money but if you manage through
being small you will find people willing to invest in you to help scale up your
operations. There are also many programs that help with funding and mentorship.
What are your five years goals for Gidan Nodza?
Increase our
production capacity, exposure both locally and internationally, build some
aspects of our value chain to bring them under our control, diversify our
product base among others.