Full name; Grace Abiola Afari
Business name; Gracious Fashion Home
Business services; Fashion & Lifestyle
Business address; 2 Araromi street, Off Iju Waterworks Rd
Business mobile no: 08088506517
How’s life as a fashion designer?
It’s nice being a fashion designer, it brings out creativity. I’ve been making cloths for about 5 years now,
I have passion for it, especially making different styles. When I see people wearing clothes, it inspires me everytime and I feel like making one myself.
I am very happy when children want to celebrate their birthdays and they come here to order. When they wear it, the way they roll, and turn. I like the whole outcome of it.
We prioritize making people look good, make them get exactly what they want.
Handling criticism and rowdy clients.
I handle them patiently, although it is not easy with some of them. But I need patience; to listen to them, the type of style they want, how they want it to be and all that.
Most times you’ll have customers that will criticize you and you won’t be happy about but you will just endure because customers are always right. You have no choice.
What’s your fabric selection process and memorable moments on the job?
I make my selections from material shops at big markets and I select with colors that will match individual outfits. If not this profession, I always had intentions of selling fabrics, different fabrics.
After they bring their clothes, when clients come to pick up their jobs, and they wear it. And they are happy about it. I’m always glad. On an occasion, a man just drove in here and picked a baby gown of purple, said he loves it cos it’s very fine, and pays for it. I was happy that we are making progress.
Most common misconception about Fashion.
Some people like what they see in pictures and they want to see the same outcome, forgetting that they have to bring that same materials. For example if it is lace, you have to bring lace materials not Ankara and normal pattern fabric- otherwise, when you finish sewing you might not get your exact outcome- they will not understand.
Ballgowns and wedding gowns are our favorite fashion trends.
I would love to style Mercy Aigbe, I always like her styles on Instagram.
In 2 years I see it more bigger than this
Relationship with GOD
Without GOD I can’t be here, without GOD I would not have found myself in life. I always put GOD first, every morning when I wake up, I pray, thanking GOD for waking me up. Some people slept and did not wake. Immediately I enter the shop I start praying.
I always put GOD first. Its always very important to put GOD first.
Biggest Lesson Learned
Biggest lessons are many, when some come to sew, they’ll give you part payment then later when they come to collect it, they’ll ask for your account details- in which the money might not enter, but because you dont want to embarass them, you’ll allow them leave, hoping you’ll receive it later. But when they leave, some people are not honest that after they leave, nothing will be said concerning the money again. Most times I prefer telling them ‘I need cash’
What’s your typical day like?
Sometimes you just sit down and start creating something. It is always about creativity. Imagining different styles in your mind.
Work work work. It begins with whipping, or jamming a customer in the early morning for either express or 3 day deadline. Typical day is like work work work
I relax only in the night and Sundays.
I enjoy watching Instagram pages, always watching styles on Instagram, or relaxing on my bed and watching films. I download many American films and watch.
Message to the world
Learn a skilled work, especially, fashion designing goes a long way and there’s no way to ever go broke.
We face a lot of funny challenges such that sometimes you want to give up the job, like ‘I am not doing this work again o’.
But life is striving, no matter how tough it goes, you endure, you socialize.
