SO! Today… the post title says it all! It has been a while since I posted anything relating to “Fashion Beyond Stitches”. I have been too busy hustling lol! But I thought today would be as good a time as any to post this looooong overdue video… and by long overdue, I mean this interview was done even before fashion talk! But since too many people have been resigning recently (Congratulations if you fall into those shoes :-D), I guess there’s no better time than now to post this video!
I know quite a few people watched my last FBS video on “How I Made My Move from Accounting to Fashion”. If you did not watch it, you can watch it here:
BUT perhaps you were thinking, oh well, it was easy for you, you had no commitments! Now here is a man who also had a GREAT job, with a great salary who had a pregnant wife! If anyone had any reason whatsoever to hesitate, it was him! BUT that did not stop him!
Those who attended Fashion Talk, can tell you this man is brilliant! If you did attend, here is an extra freebie for you?! If you did not, then you need to get that CD if you have not already done so! He is simply amazing and extremely humble despite all the money he is raking in!
A wise person told me just last week that the best time to start a new business is when there is a downturn in the economy. We all know how our economy is so now is a better time than ever to make this move! 😀
Thanks alot for this video. A lot of burning questions answered. Inspiring and very educative.
Thanks once more
Pleasure's all mine!! David Wej is really awesome! And those figures? I am still reeling from them! I am glad he answered a lot of your questions.
Nice and inspiring,but the part I don't like is that he manufactures abroad. What can be done to develop clothing manufacture in Nigeria? We need to create jobs for Nigerians. We can't all be going to Turkey and Asia, ceding the much needed employment to them. I truly would like our Nigerian designers to manufacture at home. Its hard but doable. We just need people who are willingly to invest in setting up and in training for mass manufacture.
Well… it is easier said than done when you are torn between building a brand and being a "humanitarian". He did say he tried to produce here but his tailor simply could not deliver – and that is the reality in this environment. The truth is many who produce abroad do so not because not really because of the lack of infrastructure but more the mindsets of our people.
Like I said a few days ago on Facebook, why stress myself screaming at someone to sew a straight line or someone who just chooses not to show up for work for no reason when I can have a decent night's rest knowing at least I don't have to worry about straight lines. Speak to all designers and that is the same story you get. Why else would others choose to go to Togo or Cotonou to find tailors. At the end of the day, does he provide jobs? Yes he does. On a much larger scale than just "producing" here in Nigeria. And that is what really matters.
Yeah I concur. But I just wonder, are Nigerians especially tailors hard to train? What makes the Naija tailor inferior: Lack of good work ethics? Mediocrity and unwillingness to learn better methods? I know designers always complain. It must be hard. But I will still say we need to invest in training. It is a good thing that good fashion schools are springing up to train designers and patternmakers ( who ideally are not supposed to sew) but attention should also be given to the training of people who do the not-so-glamorous but totally important parts of the job. The machinists, cutter, quality checkers etc. these kind of persons may not be able to afford fashion schools.I know things are easier said than done,especially in this our Nigeria. I will truly love to see our clothing manufacture develop so richer countries can outsource to us too. Not one designer can do this by himself, but through concerted effort and government support. We can borrow a leave from India, set up apparel training hubs ( with industrial machines and equipment oh!) to train production staff and not just designers. May God help us.
Case in point… we set up tests to be conducted for 10 machinists this morning so we can check their work and outsource them to designers who need their services. The test was confirmed for 10am by all participants. It is 12.49pm not and only one person showed up and eventually left because he was "too busy and had jobs pending". This is the reality on ground.
And I am supposed to leave my business hanging whilst waiting to sanitize the industry?!
Re investment in training who will train them?! Sounds good… like I said again , in theory but at whose expense?! All well and good to look at other environments but yet again, we are our own biggest issue and until our mindset changes, we will continue to outsource. That is the fact.
Thank you,thank you and thanks again for this video.This is so inspiring
Pleasure! Pleasure!! Pleasure!!! Joy 😀