Adaeze Onu is a Certified Business Service Provider, mentor and Fashion Coach. A fashion entrepreneur, the Creative Director at Dexy Creation, who is committed to sustainability, innovation and conscious fashion. Beyond fashion, Adaeze uses her work as a medium of empowerment and to inspire young women. In this interview with GERALDINE AKUTU, she talks about her work and what it takes to be a sustainable force in the fashion industry.
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How is life like as an entrepreneur?
Life as an entrepreneur is ever being evolving, innovative, creative agile and dogged. Being an entrepreneur is synonymous to being a risk taker who is constantly building structure and sustainable measures.
What makes your pieces unique?
First, I am a fashion entrepreneur who believes in being original and authentic in my journey. This is well captured in the story each fashion piece carries. My vision is to see every woman has an identity through our pieces as no two designs are exactly the same. We practice reduce, reuse, and recycle agenda to arrive at the uniqueness.
What are you doing to empower women in the area of fashion?
Women are trained in our Academy; Dexy Creation Academy on how to draft Patterns that align with global standard, how to make garments, how to design, they are mentored to understand business of fashion, sustainability measures in line with SDGs, financial literacy and access to market. We put all these together to empower women to scale their fashion business even after training. We also have a community for them where they can connect and collaborate to do more.
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What is fashion role in talks around sustainability and social impact?
Sustainability in fashion encompasses a wide range of factors, including cutting carbon emissions, addressing overproduction, reducing pollution and waste, supporting biodiversity and ensuring that garment workers are paid a fair wage and have safe working conditions. Sustainability is categorized to three pillars which are the environmental, social and economic sustainability.
What are the challenges of sustainability in fashion?
Some of the challenges of sustainability in fashion is the knowledge gap and the market. Many fashion designers are ignorant of the environmental issues and how their actions contribute to that. And the market is another challenge because majority of the populace barely survive therefore, they prefer fast fashion which is highly affordable to slow fashion which is quality, durable and relatively pricey.
What are you doing as an innovative brand to ensure women voices are amplified?
As an innovative brand who ensures women voices are amplified, we employ more women than men to ensure more inclusiveness of women into the workforce and employment opportunities. We strongly believe in fairness and equity. Our collections share women stories to amplify their voices through fashion. We train and mentor as well. All our agenda is to ensure women voices are heard
What are the areas by which women can play pivotal role in sustainable global development?
Women as life givers are already playing pivotal role in the sustainable development.
However, this role can be harnessed or enhanced by paying forth mentorship.
Women need hand holding to scale through the distractions of life and their emotions.
Women should contribute in nation building through social, environmental, economic and political impact and ensure the mentor girls who would grow into women to sustain this impact
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What drives you to keep pushing when it is tough?
My childhood experience is my driving force, because my family and network of people, very few but highly supportive
What trend do you foresee shaping the future of fashion?
I am a slow fashion advocate. I believe in sustainable and holistic practices, therefore trends in line with recycling, upcycling, reuse and functional wears are shaping the future of fashion.
What do you think need to be changed in the industry?
Fashion industry needs Regulatory board. Many are learning fashion design the wrong way and that needs to be tackled before it gets completely out of hand. Legal rights like Intellectual property right should be firmly constituted and acted upon in Nigerian fashion sector
What advice would you give women wanting to make their business sustainable?
Learn your art well, keep polishing and upgrading it. Go to business school (if you have the money) or some training programs for better knowledge on how to run a business and structuring. Belong to a community that pays attention to you. Lastly, get an active and selfless mentor and ensure you go forth in mentoring or inspiring others.
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