Habiba Umar, the quintessential fashion designer

Habiba Umar Dauda is the founder of Beebahs Fashion Collections, a start-up outfit for women in fashion operating in Lagos and its environs.

Habiba was inspired to establish this business in 2016 out of her passion for fashion and designs as well as disappointments she usually encountered from her designers each time she gave them fabrics to sew.

Habiba does not just want to change this for herself but also for others who get poor satisfaction from their designers.

“I have always loved fashion right from time and had a feeling of wearing something that I could proudly say was designed by me. But disappointments, coupled with poor satisfaction I got from tailors each time I entrusted them with my fabrics, was a motivational driving tool that got me on my feet,” Dauda said.

Similarly, the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) graduate was equally pushed into this business by the success of her aunty who is a fashion icon and the support she provided for her towards establishing the business.

“Thank God for my aunt who supported me hugely by enrolling me for an advanced modern fashion school where I upgraded and got more expertise in fashion and designs. She also provided me with industrial machine, weaving machine, a mannequin and other facilities in her already existing tailoring shop,” she said.

The animal scientist-turned-entrepreneur stated that her initial start-up capital was got from her personal savings during her National Youth Service year.

“I got my initial start-up capital from savings I made during my National Youth Service year, which was between N10, 000 and N50,000,” the designer said.

According to her, the money was spent on the purchase of sewing machine and on her enrolment into a fashion school.

Since starting, Habiba’s business has grown, having been recording increase in patronage from family and friends and also a surge in the number of clients who patronise her based on recommendations.

She told Start-Up Digest that she sources her raw materials in local markets across the country.

Speaking on the challenges confronting her business since starting, the young entrepreneur said that poor power supply has remained the major issue confronting her business, noting that the challenge has slowed down her work.

She urged the government to improve on the country’s power supply, stating that stable supply remains the major factor that can ensure the growth of businesses, irrespective of its size, and industrialisation of the country.

Habiba also called on the government to provide more funding options for small businesses and start-up operators in the country.

She noted that the country’s fashion industry can be the hub of African’s fashion if the nation is able to revive its moribund textile industries owing to the vast talents and skilled persons the industry currently possesses.

“We have got the talents, skills and people who are willing to do it. Most of the raw materials we use are imported. So if we can get the textile industries running properly and producing quality products, it will be a major breakthrough for Nigeria,” she said.

When asked some of her expansion plans, Habiba stated that she plans to expand her business and own a fashion showroom within the course of the year.

“I want to a fashion house, where I would be able to employ upcoming fashion designers who are less privileged, thereby reducing the level of unemployment in my community,” she said.

On her advice to other entrepreneurs, she said, “Always believe in yourself, enjoy what you do because if you are not happy in whatever you do, you end up wasting your time. Business is not all about the money; your happiness counts.”

Josephine Okojie