Fashion entrepreneur, Oluyeye Toyin is the founder of. In this interview with OLAYINKA LATONA, Toyin speaks on her journey to fashion despite qualifying as a Business Administrator, and the challenges she had to surmount as fashion entrepreneur. Excerpts:

What led you into fashion?

For me, fashion design is a way of expressing my artistic and creativity side.
I have always had passion for fashion and a very deep interest in clothing and textile from a young age. I realised it helps me express and bring my creativity and artistic skills to life by creating designs that are elegantly appealing.
I have also wanted to be an entrepreneur because it would give me the opportunity to builds a successful brand. Also during my teenage years, I usually go for the classes during the holidays. As time went on, I developed a passion in clothing and textile, drafting patterns and dressmaking. Over a period of time, a lot of people were benefitting immensely from my works.

What is your academic background?

I am graduate of Ekiti state University with a Bsc in Public Administration and also have NCE from College of Education Ikere Ekiti.

With a degree in public administration, Are you convinced that your decision to venture into the fashion business has paid off better than formal job?

I strongly believe that I am better off as a fashion designer. You know, like they say success is not determined just by how much you make. I have time for my family. I control my time. I control how much I want to make. As I tell my students, in a good month, you can get a contract at any time. You can just be mentioned on a social media post, and that will give you thousands of followers instantly, and before you know it, your business can skyrocket. That’s one thing with business. You never can say what it will be like when you wake up the next morning.

And to top it all you’re doing what you love, so you can say it’s not work but fun.

How did you get started in the industry?

I have been making clothes since early 2000, but the brand name came into existence in 2014. Excellent Home of Fashion is a female brand that is strongly inspired by passion for creativity and seeks to bring a balance between the African culture and westernisation.

However, overtime I had mastered the skill of fashion designing and decided to turn it into a career because it allows me express my ideas and bring my visions to life. Also, the fact that you have time, you can decide when you want to intensify pressure into marketing to get more clients. You can decide when you have so much on your hands and go slowly for a while to finish those orders. You can also decide when to expand, and when to scale up so there’s so much you can do on your own. However, for paid employment, the salary is fixed, you look to your bosses for promotion, the competition is high, and you never say whether you have the job today or tomorrow. So, those were my fears at the time, and that was why I decided to be self-employed.

What were the challenges you faced as an entrepreneur?
First of all, I’ll say fear was one of the major issues. I was wondering if people would be able to come patronise me. Another thing was understanding how to penetrate the market. Another challenge was funding but with support from friends and family members, I was able to surmount these hurdles.
When it comes to social infrastructure, electricity supply is a major challenge for every business. Oftentimes, we get supplied only for a few hours a day hence we have to rely more on power generator. So, power has always been a major issue. Perhaps another major one to mention was that of being unable to reach out to some government agencies responsible for helping small-scale businesses with funding and other technical advice.

Tell us about your brand?
The name Excellent Home of Fashion is a name or brand that solely tailored to making unique, creative and topnotch designs for women folks.

The brand is built on creativity and the use of quality and sustainable fabrics. It also organises trainings for individuals who has interest and passion in learning the art of dressmaking. This line gave me a chance to have a closer interaction with other aspiring dressmakers and have a sense of fulfillment by impacting knowledge to others.

Whats your brand’s commitment to delivering exceptional designs?

We live in a world hungry for fresh perspectives and groundbreaking concepts, Excellent Home of Fashion has been delivering array of collection that will be remembered for years to come. We are taking the fashion industry by storm and focused on meeting and exceeding our client’s expectations.

What does the future hold for you?

It is the passion to grow my fashion brand and move it to the best height. I am looking at establishing multiple branches across the country and even internationally. Beyond that, my brand is also looking at impacting more people especially youths because fashion design is a skill that gives people the liberty to do what they want to do. I want to continue to train more people and empower the youth in Nigeria because, with the way the economy is going, one line of income is not enough. Getting multiple streams of income will go a long way in ensuring financial stability and means of livelihood for most Nigerians.

What do you think the government should do to support female entrepreneurs in the country?

Government can support female entrepreneurs in many ways . Governments can provide funding through grants, loans, and other financial incentives. They can also use loan guarantee schemes and microfinance to address gender gaps in access to financing.Limited Access to funding is a fundamental challenge that’s familiar to many women entrepreneurs .The government can take proactive steps to bridge this gap by establishing financial programs and incentives that are tailored to women-owned businesses.

This may include offering grants ,low interest loans and venture capital opportunities that are specifically designed to support women-led startups.Additionally, facilitating partnership with financial institutions that promote equitable lending practices can enhance women entrepreneurs access to the capital necessary for business development and growth.

Aside from addressing funding issues,the government can offer comprehensive entrepreneurship training and development programs that are tailored to women entrepreneurs.These programs should center addressing the unique challenges that women owned companies face.They should also equip participants with the skills and knowledge they need to meet and exceed their business goals.By providing women entrepreneurs with access to mentorship,coaching, networking opportunities,the government can foster a business environment where they can better chances of thriving.

Governments can support women-centered organizations that mentor women entrepreneurs and provide networking opportunities. Research suggests that small businesses that receive mentoring early in their development achieve higher revenues and increased business growth.

African attire is beginning to gain global attention and presence. Why do you think so?

African attire is rooted in cultural traditions and have deep historical and symbolic meaning. They are known for their unique and vibrant designs, which incorporate bold prints, bright colours and intricate patterns. These designs stand out and are visually striking, making them appealing to people around the globe. It is gaining popularity among influential celebrities and public figures around the world. Social media has also helped to showcase African designs and reach a global audience. Attire can be worn for status, modesty, adornment, and identification. Wearing attire that look good can boost self-confidence, which can help people move up in life. People who feel confident and have self-respect send a message that they are worthy of respect and should be listened to.

What are your hopes and ambitions for the brand for the future?

To build a healthy and sustainable fashion brand while maintaining its unique identity of fusing African style into contemporary designs in order to reach a global audience.

What type of fabric do you enjoy working with the most and why?

Attire is my favorite fabric I enjoy working with because wearing professional attire can help you feel more confident in your actions and abilities.Moreover dressing well can make you appear more trustworthy and reliable.Which can help you gain the respect of your colleagues and customers.