Why I opened luxury bridal shop-Yeside Laguda
Recently she launched her luxury bridal store and a ready to wear line at Lekki and it attracted a lot of celebrities. In this interview she spoke about how she ventured into fashion, and fashion generally.
What’s your bridal collection about?
It is two stores in one. The bridal store is called Blush By My Q but the parent company is called My Q Lifestyle. My Q Lifestyle was born out of personal interest for fashion. I used to sow and do fashion but you know how fashion is in Nigeria, how people begin to give you fabric. But what I realized after awhile is that my work and life didn’t balance, it didn’t work. So I decided to do something else which, was to try and go into bridal line because bridal industry pushes fashion industry in Nigeria. When there is a high wedding season you would have lots of work, low wedding season there’s no work. So I decided to go into the industry. It took a whole year but I have been into fashion for about 8 years going to the 9th year. But with bridal I started planning it since January. So what I did was to try franchises to get partnership with people so I cut out the middle man cost from selling luxury and bridal dresses. So it is not just a situation of going to abroad to pick up dresses and sell here, we partner with a lot of bridal stores. For now with the big bridal stores like Vera Wang, I can’t afford to be a partner. So I go through secondary market like a company that own a bridal store in any country, for instance London. I would go to them and tell them what I want to do, tell them my budget and they give me. Eventually I am selling at the prize they would sell as well. So we are just trying to cut out the middle man. We do everything, so Even if you have your dress we have veils, tiaras and traditional our; It is a full bridal store . Then My Q is indigenous dresses like the ankara, the silks, caftan suitable to our climate, whether, people, and women sizes.
Mention some of the brands you deal with.
For bridal dresses I carry Vera Wang, Castogano, Zakosy, St Patrick among others. I have about thirteen designers. The evening dresses are not mine as well but I do have a license with some designer brands.
Do you have any input in the designing of the MY Q?
I produce My Q in Nigeria
Does your bridal cater for both faith?
Modesty cuts cross, once you are modest it doesn’t matter your religion. Modesty is the watch ward, if you are covered and once your Priest would accept you, it is normal.
What’s trending?
Right now, with bridal dresses we are getting more of, bright, wonderful princess dresses.
Do you have any input in the designing of the MY Q?
I produce My Q in Nigeria
Did you go to fashion school?
No I did not; I just like to do things with my hands. I am a builder and a designer. I have a BSC in Environmental Chemistry and an MBA in Strategic Management.
How often do you travel?
I do almost every day for fabrics. I go to India, Vietnam, Paris; I go almost everywhere for fabric. Put me in any soup in anywhere in the world and I am ok.
What kind of fabric do you like to work with?
The blinks; Nigerians like blings, and we like noise.
When did you decide to set up this business?
when I came back from school, 2005 October I started doing it as a hobby, but people kept advising me to do it as a full time job. I really wanted to work, but God had another plan for me.
What stands you out?
Every body sees competition as a bad thing, but I see it as a very good thing. For instance, when we started, to be honest we were sowing rubbish because we know a lot of people who where doing it. When the market got flourishing every body had to do their best, everybody had to be on their toes. But if you want to work, I mean to fulfill yourself so that you will not waste your time, competition is very good. I think it’s the best thing that happen to my business. It makes you work hard because I push myself. I sleep, dream fashion. That’s because I wanted to be better than the next person.
Do you also sow?
No. I don’t know how to sow.
Do you have an idea?
Yes, I do
Do you also cater for men?
I don’t have any plan yet.
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