Exquisite Magazine got the opportunity to have an interview with Adaeze Onu the creative director of Dexy Creation, a sustainable fashion brand. Let’s read up on her story!
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BRAND
My name is Adaeze Onu. Also known as Dexy, The PushMistress. A graduate of Literature from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
The founder and Creative Director of Dexy Creation which is a sustainable fashion brand that also harbours an Academy; Dexy creation Academy.
Our brand, Dexy Creation is a movement which goes beyond ready-to-wear fashion, every piece has a femininity story which in turn gives individual identity.
This movement extends to transforming Youths and women through skill training and mentorship. Since our inception, over 1000 Youths and women have gained opportunities and economic empowerment.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOUR JOURNEY BEGIN?
My journey began quite early, at 8 to 10 years. While trying to boost my self-esteem, I found solace in sketching fashion pieces and creating decorative art pieces.
Amazingly, I became financially independent that early. During my university days, I harnessed this talent. I was styling my friends and sketching all their unique pieces.
I ventured into fashion design (the sewing section of fashion) when different tailors couldn’t get my sketched designs. My expensive fabric was damaged on different occasions.
I went to get a global standard fashion training, had a few days of internship and Viola! My fashion brand came alive in 2013.
In 2017, I began my journey of transforming other women to financial independence through our Academy, training them from my life experience.
WHAT’S YOUR SIGNATURE STYLE?
Minimalistic, Artistic, up-cycled pieces.
WHO ARE YOUR IDEAL TARGET AUDIENCE?
The upwardly mobile woman whose aim is to have her identity. She is a pacesetter and doesn’t move with the trend. Simple yet classy kind of woman.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BEST MOMENTS AS A DESIGNER?
My first best moment as a designer was when my brand was selected among the 10 fashion brands for a project sponsored by the British Council and Condé Nast College of Fashion London.
Also My first Fashion Runway show at Africa Fashion Week.
And award for impacting youths and women.
Numerous free media features and interviews all add up to the best moments as a designer.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR WORST MOMENTS AS A DESIGNER?
When my staff went home with a customer’s expensive wear and never showed up for days. I didn’t know where he lived, and I didn’t know anyone that knew him, It was really a terrible moment for me and I eventually lost that paying customer of mine.
I learnt great lessons from this, I stopped employing staff without due process and agreements. oh! Before you ask, yes, we eventually located him and got the wears back.
ON A SCALE OF 1-10, WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR RESPONSE FROM CUSTOMER SATISFACTION?
Oh yes! I am always excited when I come across customers’ questions. The satisfactory reviews we get from our customers are the reasons we are still here to date. My customers are my partners, my family, my friends. We have a genuine relationship. I give myself 10+
WHAT MAKES YOUR BRAND DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS?
What makes my brand different is Originality ( nothing beats that ) I create from idea to life, not your regular kind of designs and not your regular kind of fabrics. We are at the moment pushing at manufacturing our fabric. Wait for it!!
Also, we observe an increasingly green and circular economy in our production process, hence the fabric patches in most of our designs.
KINDLY SHARE TIPS FOR STAYING SUCCESSFUL IN THIS BUSINESS
When everything else fails, hold onto PASSION, you need PASSION massively to succeed in the fashion business. When everything discourages you, ranging from the stress to sales to creating designs to finding your target audience to retaining them to tracking your inventory to your workers to even difficult customers, passion massages your strength.
Also, Keep upgrading your knowledge, Keep being relevant, keep finding solutions to people’s problems, embrace emotional intelligence and above all, validate your effort, and be your cheerleader, no one can tell your story better than you.
Find your tribe, and belong to communities that give you a strategy push.
WHAT ADVICE WILL YOU GIVE TO START-UPS THAT HAVE SIMILAR VISIONS AS YOU DO?
Master your Art. Wear excellence as your second name. Understudy other fashion designers in the industry who are doing things differently, model after them and be more innovative.
Get a mentor who sincerely cares about your growth.
Stay consistent, shun unhealthy Competition, embrace collaboration and do YOU.
SHARE 5 FUN FACTS ABOUT YOU
1. I am a perfect multi-tasking Mama. I do a million things at a time yet do not have time for chats. Yes, just give me a call, we are good.
2. I love sightseeing (gets my design inspiration on the move). This is the only way to make me all yours for a day. lol
3. I have directional disorientation. You can find out what this means yourself.
4. Teaching is my blood tonic. Training, Facilitating, Mentoring. Just give me an overdose of these.
5. I prefer to sleep than go out to parties. My alone time means a zillion things to me. I think l need help sometimes 😩
SHARE THE CONTACT DETAIL YOU WISH TO BE MADE PUBLIC
Instagram: dexycreation_academy (skill training )
Instagram: dexy_creation (sustainable Ready to wear pieces)
Instagram: adaeze_dexy_adaeze (your certified Mentor and Coach helping women to position and reposition their brands)
