INTRODUCING MAE STYLING: THE NEXT PHASE IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE AFRICAN FASHION INDUSTRY

Putting this article together was much harder than I thought. There were so many things I thought I

Go Figure!

Let me start by saying, this is not one of those, ‘I’ve always loved fashion as a kid’ narratives. Rather this is a narrative inspired by the desire to solve problems and satisfy needs that Dimtang –my partner- and I believe are commonly shared.

In a Nutshell, MAE Styling is a Platform that seeks to showcase the works of some of Africa’s finest Fashion Designers. We intend to create growth for African fashion brands by helping them establish new sales channels (both local and international) while satisfying shoppers need for indigenous fashion items that are unique and affordable. This is a rather fancy way of putting it so let me break it down a little by creating some context.

Dimtang and I have one thing in common, our desire to see small businesses thrive (you can learn more about this by visiting www.fure.com.ng. Plus, if you have been bitten by the entrepreneurship bug, you probably should click on that link and then thank me later). Looking at our local fashion industry, we discovered 2 interesting things:

Most of our local fashion brands do not evolve into big popular names (like Zara or River Island or Next) due to so many different reasons, one of them being poor marketing and branding tactics.

Most of the locally produced fashion items are too expensive especially when compared with their foreign alternatives. So even when one wants to #BuyNaija, the price tag on the item becomes a major deterrent.

Our attempt to, dare I say, play the hero and solve these by led to the birth of MAE STYLING. At MAE this is what we do;

1. We give designers a broader audience, a platform to showcase their works and help them navigate the murky waters of fashion marketing and branding.

2. To customers we provide indigenous fashion that is affordable, and of quality that can compete with that of its foreign counterparts.

So, again, this –our- narrative is one inspired by the desire to solve problems and satisfy needs.

After months of hard work and conversations, careful thought and planning as well as collaborations with the different designers (not forgetting all the squabbles over design and fabric and fist fights over finishing LOL!), we’ve launched the platform with a limited number of fashion pieces specifically targeted at the style-conscious woman looking to stretch her wardrobe budget, and we can only hope that you love these items as much as we do.

Order these and others via:
Instagram: maestyling_
Website: http://maestyling.com/
SMS: 09058632024
Email: info@maestyling.com

Article By: Jennifer Melah