March 03, (THEWILL)- An all-round creative, Abby Ikomi, who runs House of Irawo, an upscale fashion brand, speaks with IVORY UKONU about the fashion industry, her life journey and some of the things that have shaped her to be who she is.
You recently clocked 55, yet you do not look your age. What is your secret?
God’s grace, I must say. Also, I am one woman who does not joke with her beauty routine. I eat right, take my vitamins, exercise and get enough sleep. I avoid toxic people. Anything that will deprive me of my peace of mind is usually avoided. I also educate myself. Look at my skin. I can’t be doing this business and my skin will be looking dull, you wouldn’t want to buy from me. If you see my dressing room where I put my makeup, some professionals don’t have the things I have there. Then, I read a lot and do research about the things I can do. I drink a lot of greens; I blend different fruits and drinks. Care for yourself. Look after yourself. Nobody else will do it for you.
Looking back at your life in retrospect, is there anything you would have done differently?
Not one thing as I believe that everything, good or bad, works for good to those who love the Lord, according to the Bible which I believe very much in. I can’t thank God enough for how far he has brought me. If I begin to list the many things I am grateful for, the pages of this interview will not be enough to contain them. I mean the things He has done in my life and the lives of my family. I am beyond grateful.
You are inching closer to 60. Are you going to evolve from the old Abby?
I want to get closer to my maker. I already have a personal relationship with him, but I want it to get deeper. I want to be more involved in projecting my craft, which is fashion designing, through which I have made my mark and to reach more milestones with it.
Speaking of your craft, not too long ago, you expanded your business by opening another branch within the same metropolis. Was the old place getting too small?
As a matter of fact, no. You know how it is when you have a vision, where you want to be, how you see yourself, the comfort, ambiance and the things you want to see. I have always had the vision that at some point I would have my own space, strictly for the Irawo brand and our high-end clienteles. That was why we set up this place.
You are now all about your fashion brand, but prior to this you were one of the most sought-after interior decorators, even producing your own furniture. What happened to that part of you?
I shut down the interior company. I wanted to explore other aspects of the creative industry I had interest in. I ran the company for over 10 years, but three years after I ventured into fashion, I shut it down.
But both professions could have thrived side by side
I don’t want to say I have tunnel vision. That will be counterproductive. I didn’t want to be distracted. I wanted to be focused and give it my all. I can’t afford to be distracted. This business is not even where I want it to be yet. I want it to be a global brand. I want people to be able to place orders from anywhere in the world. I am not trying to be a super luxury brand. I want to be affordable and at the same time fashionable. I wear my brand. I represent my brand.
We have not even scratched the surface of what we want to do, we want to be in every corner of the world, exporting everywhere, having shows and exhibitions. We make all our fabrics ourselves. I design the fabrics and I tell my artisans how I want them, the colour and the shape. We have not even started. We have the potential to go further. I have to be different because we incorporate African styles, our culture and modernize them. We don’t do culture appropriation; we will use what we have here and take it over there.
What sparked your interest in fashion designing?
I realised that I had so much more to offer. There is a thing about creative people, if you don’t make use of it, I believe it can slow you down in other ways. The creative part of your brain is bigger and more powerful than any other. I started Irawo Studio when I was 46 years-old. Irawo is eight years-old this year. My first daughter and her siblings at that time wanted something African to wear. They said I should make them something. I went round and later got someone in Ikeja, but the person ended up charging a lot of money. When I sat down and looked at what I got, I was not satisfied. When I travelled to America to see my children, I had to look for a Chinese woman to work on the dresses again. The woman had to redesign it. I gave her instructions on what to do and I ended up paying another round of money. When I got back from the trip, I said no more. I went to the market, bought machines, and got the necessary things needed. That was how I started the fashion business.
What inspires your designs?
I have a lot of ideas in my head. If someone is walking, I could look at the person and visualise the fabric and the style that will look nice on that person. There is an idea in my head how I want the average woman to look. You don’t have to wear the most expensive item and you can still look clean and stylish. It could be a clean nice shirt dress and you wear a trainer with it. At the end of the day, transitioning from wearing something casual in the day can be transformed to an event at night. You could change your shoe, drop your hair, put on more makeup. Such is the image on the profile I want Irawo Studio to have. Being able to transition from casual to looking chic. Those are the things that get me inspired.
What are your brand’s unique selling points?
You see the word ‘unique,’ that is what we are. We are unique, we are different, and we don’t copy anyone. Naturally I am also very creative. So, I don’t need to borrow from anyone or anybody’s design. I am not saying that I am the smartest person. For me, creativity comes naturally and everything I do is all about creativity. Even this entire building, I redesigned it. Every little corner you see, I worked on it with the contractors. When it comes to attention to details, I am always on it.
With so many talents juggling for recognition, how do you manage competition?
I don’t allow myself to dwell so much on competition and that may be because I am too much in my own world. I respect people that have been in the business before me. I learn from them in ways that I can, but I don’t see them as competitors. I see them as masters in the game that I can learn from.
Which project gave you the big break?
I think my big break was when we took part in the Arise Fashion Week. That was it. I just started this business a year before then. I remember some people told me not to do the fashion show that I would mess up and I would be embarrassed. I was asked what I knew about the business and my collection that I should leave the fashion show to those who have been doing it. I got a lot of discouraging words then. However, within a week and half that I was given, I came up with the collection and I had the show. We did very well, my oldest daughter came all the way from her base abroad, and she told me she can’t let me do it all alone. That was really what put us on the map. We were a baby brand then. I am still a baby brand now. We are still learning. I came into the business with nothing but my own passion and my gift. I didn’t go to any school to learn this. It was just me being fashionable, a lot of people doubted that I could do it. They said I can’t just say because I am fashionable I should be able to run the business. But I kept on pushing and I know greater days are ahead.
How much of the efforts you put in the fashion show gave the business a bounce?
The fact that people became aware of us gave me the incentive to continue pushing. So, I was not going to give up. I was motivated to work hard and kept pushing. Now, I can’t say that we are a household name, but a lot of people know us and relate with us. We produce pieces that are of good quality and our clients keep coming back. My phone is always buzzing. Rome was not built in a day, people need to realize that. You just have to put in the effort. For people that are in similar business, keep on pushing, obstacles will come but you will get there. Anything you do in life, if you give up easily, you are not going to get to where you are going.
What are some of the challenges you have faced while running the business and how have you overcome them?
I am yet to overcome the challenges, but by all means business has to go on. If I wasn’t passionate about it, I would have quit a long time ago. Yes it can be quite challenging, I cannot lie. The biggest obstacle that I find for an average Nigerian woman doing her own business is funding. Funding is a major challenge. You can have all the ideas in the world, but if you don’t have the funds to bring the ideas and dreams into being, you will just be stuck. That is one of the issues women are facing. Banks don’t give loans to women. I heard that Access bank is doing that though. I want a financial institution to believe in my dream.
The second challenge is staffing. It is very difficult to get the right people that can carry on with your vision. There are so many challenges in the country. If you believe this person will come and do this thing for you at a particular time, what if they don’t come to work? They will come up with all kinds of excuses.
Electricity is another challenge. We hardly have it and even if it is available, the charges are a lot. If I tell you how much I pay to Eko Electricity Distribution Company every month, it is quite outrageous and I still have to buy diesel. It can be discouraging. If you don’t have a passion for it, you will give up easily. At the end of the day, it is your passion, you are not even focusing on the profitability of the business.
Even if you are discouraged, just move to your place of work, the energy will come. Any time I get to my office, there is usually a burst of energy I feel. I think in the long run, Nigeria is going to get better, we will get there. A few days ago, I was really challenged. The tailors didn’t come and I had somebody that needed to wear aso ebi because we also do bespoke too. She needed it for a function, my tailors didn’t come. I had to call everyone I had on my contact because I needed a tailor. Those are the kind of things that will make you ask yourself why you are doing such business. At times, I tell myself that I am stressing myself at my age with what I do but once you overcome it, you keep moving.
Compared to say 10 years ago, how will you compare Nigeria’s fashion industry today?
I am proud of the industry. I am proudly Nigerian. I am proud to be part of it in every way and I actually know that we are scratching the surface. In a few more years or decades, we would be rubbing shoulders with the bigger fashion brands that we know. We are actually creating a dynasty and making history. Fashion in Nigeria is going to be historical because as Nigerians naturally we are very colorful, we are very fashionable and we believe in making statements. When you add that to creativity and the fact that we are smart, what do you have? You have geniuses and that is what we have in Nigeria.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to venture into fashion designing?
Make sure you follow your passion. Don’t do something because your best friend is doing it. It will cost you a lot. Do not venture into anything because you think it is easier to do. There is no business that is easy. There is no business that is a walk in a park. If you cannot work, the business will not grow.
How are you able to strike a balance between work and family without any suffering?
I have to thank God for that and my husband. I have to really thank God for the kind of husband that I have because he really helped me. He came through for me as much as he was still a busy banker when the kids were young. Where I am stuck, let’s say during production, he will come home on time and fill in the gap, maybe help the kids to do their homework and stuff. And my kids will tell you, mum sacrificed a lot for us. They often say it. Now that they are bigger, they keep sending me gifts. They will say, mum, you did so much, you could have been more, we know that you are a very creative person, we know but you didn’t really focus on yourself.
As much as I had a business to focus on, my primary focus has always been on my family. I don’t joke with my kids. I make sure that they are sorted first. My husband allowed me to be myself. I am not caged. I am like a butterfly, anywhere I go, I bring in my colour. You cannot find me anywhere that is dull, I am for positive vibes, anywhere I see negative vibes, I take my leave immediately. It is not that life has not brought me some challenges. Life has brought me a few challenges, but I am thankful God kept me, it means he still wants to use me for the benefit of people around me. I am so energized because I chose to be that way.
In life, you have to be intentional about everything, what you do, things you wear, people you interact with, if not, you will just lose focus. Also, it is all about respect. Respect your marriage, husband and children. What is the role of the woman in marriage, she has to maintain her home. You must know how to manage your home. You cannot do anything else above your husband. Don’t be confrontational about issues. You are traveling for work related duties, manage your home before going. Put everything in place before leaving. You have to balance it. I was able to balance mine. When my kids were in school in Nigeria, I was picking them up every day unless I am not in Nigeria. You need to make sacrifices, be involved in their daily routine, be in control and give respect.
Why do you think a lot of marriages crash these days even before it starts?
A lot of people give up so easily. Social media is one factor for me. A man will wake up in the morning. Instead of talking to his wife, he will go on social media and be looking at naked girls. Please note, those girls have not had kids, they have undergone body enhancements a lot of times. The man will begin to compare the ladies with his wife. This is a woman who will be there for you and has been there for you. If push comes to shove, she is the only one that will stand. These social media girls will collect money and leave. They have a lot of people they collect from. Some men are so distracted and a lot of women are quite aggrieved. Women in my own generation and that of my mother’s took a lot. They endured a lot. We can’t tell our daughters to take certain things and it still boils down to social media. The young ladies nowadays are more aware of their rights so they will not take certain things. The day that people start respecting one another, things will change. My husband will not deliberately hurt me. He respects me, we respect each other. No matter how crazy in love you are, it will not last for 50 years because of the challenges of life but the respect you have as friends will keep you going. There are no respects in marriages again. Then, you have to pray. It is important to pray. Pray together. Let your children know the importance of prayer. There are many things we have forgotten. People are no more humane. There is no empathy.
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