In an exclusive interview with Okosun Dennis at the 7th edition of the GTCO Fashion Weekend held in Lagos, Onyinye Emmanuella Ohajianya, founder, “Licious Intimate” shared her beautiful journey into the world of brassiere business, cost implications of getting a bra that gives comfort and why Gen Z’s go “bra-less”.
She revealed those who inspired her and appealed to the government to assist Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in thriving, as the Nigerian business environment is suffocating and sending most SMEs out of business. Excerpt.
Strolling to her stand at the massive hall at the just concluded GTCO Fashion Weekend, at Plot 1, Water Corporation Drive, Oniru Lagos, was a tall decision to establish a conversation with her. With enormous hesitations especially considering the line of business – selling bras – I hadn’t any choice but to break the glass ceilings.
Meeting Onyinye Emmanuella was quite revealing. She gave an insight into her line of business while highlighting the challenges faced as a Nigerian entrepreneur, the difficulty of coping in a saturated business environment where local manufacturers are battling with poor electricity supply, access to soft loans and poor funding, unfriendly business policies, high production costs, lack of government support, and inadequate infrastructure, among other variables.
“My brand is about women and all women. Both the entirely big-busted and extremely small-sized women. Explaining, she said that she deals in a bra that gives maximum comfort to the users rather than making them uncomfortable.
“I deal with a bra that gives people comfort and doesn’t give chest pain or back pain or even shoulder pain. You’re supposed to be comfortable,” she reiterated.
Although in her line of business, money is a factor to consider as most brassiere seems too expensive, she retorted: “I’m not really selling the price. I’m selling comfort. How will you say, at this age, you don’t wear a Bra? She quarried.
Adding that most GenZ’s have a knack for not wearing or abandoning bras nowadays, she affirmed that it’s affecting her business. However, while giving further insight, she added: “Everybody is looking at fashion but l calls them not being exposed or fashionable. Better still, I will call it immorality on the part of young girls who dress without wearing a brassiere. There is nothing moral or decent about you leaving your bubs for everybody to see.
“I’m sorry to say, when we talk about rape, you’ll be like, oh! my God, but when we want to go deeper into this, you will realize that men are moved by what they see, while women are moved by what we feel. You leave your bubs dancing! It’s as if you are inviting someone to come and see what you are selling. It’s immoral and unfortunately, most of these young girls don’t care.
“They have I don’t care attitude. Some adults who are supposed to be caution are looking the other way or even cheer them up. It affects me and my business. However, when it comes to a busty lady, they have no choice. There is nothing sexy to see. When you’re good, you just start dangling around with this Italian soft.
Are you saying directly that we don’t have the expertise in Nigeria to produce some of these bras?
We produce them. I won’t speak for others. I’ll speak for myself. I’ve been in this bra business now for about 10 years. I know my onions. I know what I’m doing. I tried doing something for myself here. But when you look at the cost of the factory; the cost of the manpower, electricity, and others, you realize that it’s cheaper buying outside. I can’t produce my brand here in Nigeria.
Nigeria is really a place where they are not embracing and encouraging you to do your own things. The business environment and government policies are so harsh. At the moment, the government is not encouraging us.
I want you to speak to the government of the day on the areas you need interventions.
The government should consider us, especially startups. Even if they’re not going to give us grants, because of my line of business, they should make the business climate friendly and receptive. There’s nothing we Nigerians cannot do to survive. We overcame COVID. I’m getting a lot of awareness for my brand. I’m getting new people and getting opportunities for myself. Nigerians can achieve greatness with the right support,” Onyinye Emmanuella Ohajianya emphasized.
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