Tell us about yourself and a bit about Joch Lieu Creations
I am Bridget Agba creative director of Jochlieu creations limited a Nigerian brand and I have been in fashion for 6years. Jochlieu is an Afrocentric brand that caters for a distinct set of women who are in the co-operate field but want to stay in touch with their femininity as well as strength. Our pieces are fabricated using the best quality of prints.
When was your first big break?
Our first big break was sort of the way we figured out what our strength were and thereby helping us create a working structure as well as business model. We were approached by a multinational to create a large number of pieces for their staffs, we pulled this off and since then we have done relatively same kinds of production.
Who would you say is your major target market?
Jochlieu target market is 25-55 creative professionals who are within the cooperate circle
Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
My inspiration as a creative director isn’t quite conventional, I am inspired by music colours traffic pressure and loads more. I say this quite often: Be careful how you make me feel it might just turn out to be a masterpiece.
Where is your production and where do you get your materials?
Jochlieu does all her production in Nigeria. Jochlieu mini production hub that carters for jochlieh designs as well as serve as a mini hub for male clothing designers, we source our fabrics both nationally and internationally.
How do you select the materials/fabrics you use and what materials do you find difficult to work with if any?
We hand pick our fabrics with the use of professional fabric testers who endorses the quality of our fabric
What is the one thing about your designs that sets your brand apart from the rest?
Our pieces are fresh and our use of print is absolute making Jochlieu eccentric
What has been your number one challenge?
Jochlieu has had to deal with a number of challenges from our years in the industry and some of which we have been able to eliminate and a few lingering like connecting to a larger number of our audiences and this is presently being reviewed by our PR Company StartUpNow
You recently joined StartUpNow by Wilkings Fadhili, Tell us about that?
Our creative director went through a business development class in METTA Nairobi Kenya where she first interacted with the brand StartupNow and since understanding the scope of the brand saw potentials in being involved with StartupNow
What do you hope to achieve in the StartUpNow?
Looking to achieve brand visibility locally and internationally and so far StartupNow has been effective
What is it about the StartUpNow that made you make the decision to join it?
That was formally one of the challenges I referred to, now I record my designs as a voice note and subsequently listen to them helping to restructure and reinvent the styles after which these pieces are then enhanced by our team of illustrator, also we have a team that focuses on the business aspect with directives from our creative director allowing Jochlieu run effectively
What’s the plan with your brand 5 years down the line?
Presently Jochlieu produces 500-1000 pieces weekly for male designers and we intend to quadruple that, Jochlieu trains in young adults in the art of fashion we working on accreditations for this, Jochlieu intends doubling up on Jochlieu pieces and stocking in shops for nationally and internationally as we already have this in view
What advice would you give to aspiring fashion designers?
One perfection at a time, you might not get it at the first go, keep shooting.
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