By Florence Amagiya

A Nigerian female entrepreneur and the Founder of Crafties Hobby-Craft Limited, Mrs. Oluseyi Abdullahi, has unveiled fashion-enabled and domiciliary product, ZIPME, which she described as time and money saver mostly for the women, stating that the product helps women to put their fashion sense in order as well as zip up their clothes unaided.

At the launch of the gender-sensitive product recently at Fashion Souk by Eventful at the Harbour Point, Victoria Island in Lagos, she noted that since many women need assistance to zip up their dressing, the revolutionary tool (ZIPME) would enable every woman to do her zip by herself as easy as possible.

Abdullahi, who stated that she has been organising craft workshops and training for over 20 years, added that all her company does is empowering and supporting people in their quest for creative expressions, “hence, Crafties is the hub for creative expressions. I am a crafter, I believe in using hands to make things. Beauty is the watchword; as we encourage the making of beautiful, well finished things.

“Many women need assistance with their zip when dressing up but that is now a thing of the past, as this revolutionary tool is an innovation that enables every woman to do her zip by herself, thereby saving them time and money.”

While narrating to newsmen how she discovered this innovative idea to create the tool, the Crafties Hobby-Craft Limited boss said: “For many years and until recently I could zip up my dress by myself.  However I inadvertently injured my left shoulder while trying to free a zip that was stuck. I was in so much pain and I lost the flexibility I had in the shoulder as a result. I had to rely on my husband to help with my zip for weeks and when he was away, my son could help.

“One day, both of them were away, and I had to leave home with my zipper undone. At my destination, I called on the first woman I saw passing by the car to help me.

“It happened a second time, although I remembered to use a scarf to cover the back of my dress. That was when something sparked in me. I felt there had to be a solution. I like to find solutions to problems; it is how my brain is wired.

“So with my jewelry making skills, which now finds expression in my jewelry line, Zilman Jewelry, at Crafties, I started to try different things until I was satisfied that the accessory would work on every zip we have available in these part of the world.”

Abdullahi told the press that almost all of the materials for the product (ZIPME) were from Crafties in Nigeria, adding that “there are, however, different types of zippers that I knew from my days of running the Fashion House Ruffles. So I kept trying and fine tuning.”

While stating that ZIPME is a gender-sensitive product, as only women wear zippers on the back of their dresses, she hinted that the essence of the ZIPME to women is to give them the freedom to wear dresses with zips and not have to worry about dressing up even when they are alone-that is without any assistance whatsoever.

According to her, “Of serious importance is a group of women who have health conditions of limited flexibility in their limbs. Now, that group can also heave a sigh of relief as they regain their independence as regards dressing up by themselves.

“One of such person who was at the launch of the ZIPME is the author of the book on Scleroderma, Mrs. Elizabeth Ozumba. She expressed her delight at being able to wear dresses with zippers alone. This product is for women everywhere who wear garments with zips at the back.

On the significance of the product to the Nigerian socio-economy and society, Abdullahi noted that irrespective of the fact that it would also encourage local content and foreign exchange, “when one considers the fact that a woman can use the ZIPME in seconds to zip up her dress; the amount of time spent going to meet someone else to devote their time to help to zip is a waste of time that needs to be eradicated.

“What is more, the ZIPME is three in one! It adds to a woman’s wardrobe. She can wear it as a necklace; she can wear it as a belt too!, and she does not need to purchase a similar belt thereby saving money. In the current economic climate, money saving is a necessity. The ZIPME saves both time and money.”