In Search Of Luxury

It seem there is a protocol those I run into these days do observe. Whenever I see an old friend or a former class mate, they are always quick to ask, ‘How far with MAFABA? ‘What’s up with Fashion?’ or ‘Are you still into Clothing?’ These are some of the few questions they always ask.

I appreciate these questions so much and it has always been one of the driving force that keeps me going.

If I ever stop believing in myself and I feel I can afford to fail myself by accepting defeat through not chasing my dream any longer, I cannot afford to fail those who believe in me. They are the ones that make the dream humanly realistic, visible and within reach. I see them as my employer and I must deliver if I don’t want to ever get sacked.

Even though, forgetting all that has been done; all the efforts that has been put into it, the sacrifices, the times, the hunger to create, the need to satisfy, the road side learning, dropping it all behind and walking out of the door seem to be the best option at times but then, when I think about why I have held on for so long, why I have always believed I can do it, why discouraging words have always been a motivation, the inspiration, how I started the journey, the little achievements, the compliments, the sleepless nights, the various risks, the foreign customers who keep asking for new designs, the home customers who are quick to call me whenever they spot the ‘MAFABA’ apparel on anyone, the passion to make available to people what they want rather than what is available and the words I and Fab always joke around with ‘if you don’t read good, look good’, then I realize I cannot afford to back down, I cannot take the spectator seat and allow others to rule over what I am made to rule, I cannot turn back now, NO! NOT NOW!

There are times I have given up on the dream to pursue other things such as a fat bank balance and a moderate life style but I have learnt that a life worth living is a life worth living well and one that has got everything to do with happiness which comes from a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment and not from the balance of ones bank account nor the measure of the wine in one’s cup.

Being a perfectionist, I always want to get it all right from the start. The vision is to create a globally recognized clothing brand that will place African Fashion on the front line and also bring African designers and fashion entrepreneurs together with a mission to cloth the world starting from Africa and Nigeria the birth place.

Along the line, I opted for luxury. I spent years toiling the international market talking to and visiting manufacturers and designers. Then a renowned consultant talked to me and asked not for my vision nor mission but for the dream I had from the beginning and what I hope to achieve with the brand. Without allowing me say a word, he said “You are already everywhere and your products are already crossing boarders, what else are you looking for? The little things that matters, you have it, so what is it that you want to add to it rather than start all over again?”

On mentioning luxury, he asked “why luxury and what aspect of luxury?” This I will be answering in another post titled “Why Luxury” that will be coming up in couple of days.

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Category : Fashion and Style, HaPpInEsS