Q: How would you describe your store and what makes it unique? When did you first start sewing?
Has fashion always been your passion?
What inspires you when making a new creation?
Answer:
At Deeniques By Adenike, we make ready to wear clothes majorly for women. Our focus is the working, classy, and fashion-forward woman who wants to look beautiful in a reasonably pocket-friendly way. We do clean and impeccably finished wears, one that makes you feel regal. My goal is to cater to almost all women’s clothing needs and we are starting with work wears and casuals. We want to clothe women for work, a day at the beach, a dinner, girls night out, and even “Owanbe” events (my Naija peeps can relate). The goal is to always look chic and effortlessly so. As time goes on, we intend to include swimwear and sports wears.
I have always loved dresses and loved to play dress up as a child but I didn’t have a passion for manufacturing clothes from the beginning, lol. In fact, I disposed of off my mother’s sewing machine because I never thought I’d ever learned how to sew or need it. The journey only started for me after I had a delay in getting into the University and there was the need for me to get busy in the meantime. So I decided to go to a nearby tailoring store and while I started to learn, I was intrigued by the whole process, coupled with the exhilarating feeling of creating something beautiful.
I became so intrigued and interested that when I eventually got admission into Adekunle Ajasin University, I told my folks I didn’t want to go but would rather go to a fashion school instead. And I did after I did a lot of convincing and fight of course. Officially, I learned pattern drafting and clothing construction at Nobel Afrik in Maryland, Lagos State in the year 2010. Since then, I haven’t stopped even though I eventually went back to school to get a degree at the University of Ilorin.
There are two ways I make designs: a fabric can inspire a design or an event where I sit down and think what is like to make for a particular occasion. But most times, fabrics inspire the designs. I also always consider color sequencing, fabric pattern placement, the texture of the fabric and one major feature in all my wears is comfort. So when it’s not an official dress, it’s mostly easy-breezy, effortless and classy chic.
Q: As a business owner how has it been managing the financial side and still being creative? How has it been going online – digital?
Has Cashaam helped you grow?
Answer:
A few years down the line, I had to learn the business side of fashion. It wasn’t enough having the skill alone as I needed other skills to effectively run it as a business. So I learned some accounting and bookkeeping skills, as it affects my business and this has helped tremendously. I will in the near future, hire an accountant who would handle this professionally as we grow bigger.
Q: As a business owner how has it been managing the financial side and still being creative? How has it been going online – digital?
Has Cashaam helped you grow?
Answer:
Sincerely, I haven’t taken going online as seriously as I should especially at this age but I’m earnestly working on seeing it happen. Any business that wants to thrive must have an online presence, it’s now inevitable.
Cashaam has helped in this aspect to a large extent because it feels like my personal online store just like I tend to the physical store. Visibility is king and with cashaam, I look forward to bigger and better days.
Q: What do you want to tell others who are looking to take that leap and become new business owners?
Answer:
I would say you can do whatever you set your mind to, equipped with the right and necessary information. If there’s a skill/skills required, please learn them but don’t forget to learn the business side of it and monetize them because it’s what will make it a successful business or not. Information/knowledge is gold but visibility is king. Never forget that.
Cashaam URL: https://cashaam.com/deeniquesbyadenike
Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/deeniques.by.adenike/
