When you google the word 'fashionprenuer' it reads- A strong, intelligent, go-getter, and boss who gracefully mixes fashion and entrepreneurship to build an empire for herself. From this definition, it can be said that Ariana Pierce refers to women like Lateefah Akindiran, a Nigerian fashion content creator based in the United Kingdom, whose afrocentric designs echo elegance, vibrance, and vigour.
Lateefah shares with Prime Dazzle, her journey as a content creator and fashion designer.
"Fashion has always been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember...I actually started blogging and creating contents out of friends."
While reflecting on her growth as a content creator, she states "All thanks to Instagram, you can use your follower count and engagements to measure your growth. I try not to let the two impact how I view myself or the contents I create, as I believe slow growth is always better than no growth."
Lateefah describes her styles as 'authentic.' She cares a lot about the narratives her styles convey. She is also keen on revealing her personality through her choice of outfits. "I always tell people it doesn't matter who is wearing the same outfit as me or doing the same thing as me, I'll always find a way to tweak it so it reflects on my personal style."
When first-time viewers or followers come across my page, Teefscorner, I want them to think of me as someone that has style as well as enjoys herself and what she does, because l really do enjoy what I do.
We asked her about her brand, shako the Label, and her debut collection. Here's what she had to say.
Shako is a Yoruba word that means 'Show off.' The inspiration stems from the name. I created Shako to encourage people to show off in outfits made in fabrics that are locally sourced in Nigeria and I also wanted to use my brand to show off the creativity back home.
"Shako is a Yoruba word which means 'Show off.' The inspiration stems from the name. I created Shako to encourage people to show off in outfits made in fabrics that are locally sourced in Nigeria and I also wanted to use my brand to show off the creativity back home.
Our current collection is made from handmade tie-dye fabric, the design process was very nerve-wracking as I had to constantly remind myself that this isn't just for me and I needed to make pieces that an average customer would be able to see, love, and buy it without overthinking it.
Each piece was carefully created to suit the beautiful colours and destinations I feel the
customers would enjoy wearing the styles too.
The restrictions on movement induced by the pandemic posed an obstacle to business owners, in terms of the delivery of goods as services to clients. Lateefah reveals how she overcame this business challenge.
I had to travel back home to Nigeria to oversee the process when the travel restrictions were lifted as I want to be very hands-on with everything that has to do with the brand. One of the most frustrating Issue was the cost to ship everything back to the UK but I was able to do so with the help of my parents. With worldwide shipping, there were a lot of delays but we overcame that by constantly communicating with our customers and reassuring them.
Shako the Label is set to be a household name, as Lateefah persists to use her designs to show off her talent. She sees her brand becoming "Global" in the near future, and shares some witty nuggets for Black women who aspire to become fashionpreneurs.
"They should go for it! Move-In faith and not by fear, but also remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day."