We recently connected with Rosemary Orok Oyo and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rosemary, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
As a young girl in college who was running a ready made clothing business in Nigeria, my dream was to own my clothing brand in other to showcase my culture and creativity but I didn’t know how to start. When I wanted to get my dream dress, it was difficult to find one, I had to personally do some alterations and add more rhinestones just the way I wanted it. This made me realize that there are other women who might also be in need of their dream wedding dress or gown but unable to get one, so I had this vision of becoming a dressmaker. After relocating to the State in 2016 and having my 2nd son, I was bored, so I decided to keep myself busy by learning how to sew through YouTube. After 2 months of learning intensively, I started making basic clothings and accessories like scarves and skirts. My family and friends liked my work and encouraged me to start a business. I made my first sale on Thanksgiving day 2016. In January 2017, I opened my first Etsy store and started selling African print fabrics and handmade basic accessories like headtie, winter scarfs, wraps, and skirts.
The business grew really fast, and in 2021, I launched my bridal line in June.
I really wanted my clients to feel good and comfortable in their personal style. To ensure perfect fit in the custom-made process, I taught myself how to use a software to create sewing patterns for each client. I also learnt how to do bust and hip enhancements in custom-made dresses for clients who wanted to feel comfortable in their body shape.
What really got me excited about the idea of designing dresses was the satisfaction I knew I’ll get from my clients. Everyone wants to look good and feel confident.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Rosemary Orok Oyo is the Creative Director of Teddies Afrique. She has been working in the custom-made tailoring industry for 7 years and in the fashion industry for over 16 years.
Teddies Afrique is a one-stop brand for custom clothings, ready to wear and fabrics. We specialize in bridals, evening gowns, and prom dresses. We offer custom designs using a pattern software to ensure perfect fit for all our clients. We also offer styling services to our clients and generate unique styles using AI. Our competitive edge lies where a client walks into our store and he/she is able to pick a fabric and order custom outfits that suit their personality or lifestyle. We help our clients to feel comfortable. We offer sewing classes to individuals especially for adults with developmental disabilities like Autism. The creative thinking required during sewing encourages the growth of new brain cells. Sewing encourages self-discipline, accomplishments, and instills pride, which boosts mental health. Sewing is a single focus task that reduces the likelihood of negative thoughts and can help fight anxiety.
Teddies Afrique is a brand, bottled-up concept, fueled by passion and creativity, inspired by the careful study of design, tailoring and hospitality. My goal is to disrupt the tailoring industry, bringing a “new wave” culture to the concept of made-to-order clothing.
We solve the problem of low self esteem or lack of confidence to women who have insecurities with their body type or shape by offering body enhancement in custom made dresses. This way, our clients feel comfortable in their personal style and body shape.
As a company, our goal is to become the elite provider of custom hand-tailored wardrobes for men and women. We aim to compete with the top players in the custom-made clothing industry with our unique value offering – design and construct the highest quality garments, perfectly fit, with exceptional service, at a competitive price, one at a time, 100% handmade made in USA.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
During the pandemic, we were busy making facemasks and bonnets. Not just to sell but also donated to a hospital in Germantown and other individuals. Urban One which is the largest Black-owned radio station reached out to us to produced facemasks for all their employees across their 55 stations in the country. That was mind blowing and at the same time, overwhelming but we delivered within the time frame and that really built our reputation.
Also in 2021, I became a leader in Meta (facebook) community for small business ownwers. My business story was published twice by Meta and that gave us a spotlight as a custom made clothing brand located in Maryland.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
I taught myself how to make clothes by watching videos on you tube. I invested alot on fashion illustration and pattern making books. These helped me to learn very quickly and I started making dresses after 3 months of learning. In 2020, I signed up with Dressmaking Academy to learn how to make corset and wedding dresses and this was where my business took a major turn after I graduated from the program and got certified as a corset and wedding dressmaker.
I have manufactures in India who partner with us to make custom beaded laces for our brides. This allows our bride to chose the type of stones, color or rhinestones they want on their bridal lace.
One lesson I’ve learnt in this journey is never to stop learning because the custom made industry keeps evolving and you have to be on top of your game.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.teddiesafriquebridals.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/4teddiesafrique
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/4teddiesafrique
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosemary-orok-oyo-a77a57108?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sewwithteddiesafrique?si=NZz1tux3oWQHREpo
Image Credits
Different photographers took the pictures