Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Olubukola Oyetunji. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Olubukola, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Finding those key vendors can often be make or break for a brand. Can you talk to us about how you found your key vendors?

My experience finding key vendors as the owner of Fabulous by Nora was not an easy one. I had to use the services of various vendors before I could settle for the few and reliable ones that I do business with now.
My business is into the sales of African fabrics, jewelry and other accessories. We are also into the sales of ready to wear African outfits for men, women and children. We also do custom-made and bespoke outfits for everyone, especially those who need to look very good and outstanding for their special occasions like, weddings, birthday ceremonies, child dedication etc. As a result of this, it was highly important for us to get reliable and trustworthy hands to deal with. More of our vendors are in Africa because we deal in original African made items and outfits. The fabrics for our ready to wear outfits are sourced in Africa (most especially Nigeria) and sewn in Africa with love, then shipped here. We worked hard in getting good and reliable tailors that could interpret our styles and make them something that would look beautiful on our customers. Also, getting a good and fast shipping company we could work with was a huge challenge but thankfully, we have one that we have been doing business with for over 3 years now.
For over four years we have officially been in business, we have had the not so good, the bad and the good vendor experiences but now we can say it has gotten much better. There is always room for improvements but so far, so good.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Olubukola Oyetunji but most people call me Bukola Nora. I am the CEO of Fabulous by Nora, a company that specializes in African clothing, Fabrics, Jewelry, Fashion Designing and more. I got into this industry because I saw the need for the availability of African outfits here in the States. I saw a need for these outfits to be available to whoever loves the richness, royalty and culture African outfits represent and most especially for those who are trying to reconnect to their roots. Wearing our African fashion is special because not only do you have access to original made in Africa designs made by an African, but you are also taking a peek into what Africa actually represents. Each and every one of our outfits are handmade with love. We love what we do at Fabulous by Nora!
What sets us apart is that when you walk into our store, we have everything you need to get a complete look. We are stylists and when we see you, we can understand your style, your size, your likes and when you give us the opportunity, we can style you up from head to toe. You only need to let us know what the occasion is, and your budget, and we will make sure you look good and leave our store a satisfied customer.

We are especially proud of the fact that we have been able to style people of different races. Like we said, irrespective of your roots, we want African fashion to be accessible to everyone so they can share of the richness it gives. We have also been able to handle the fashion needs of big events like weddings, birthday parties etc. We do custom-made outfits that fit your style and budget. We stand tall among the competition because we also offer on spot alteration services for any outfit you pick from our store that you need to fit to style. We have customers who come into our store, pick what they want, and we alter it to fit. We are a one-stop shop that believes in taking the stress of our customers. When you are with us, we give you the best service.
Shopping with us is always fun too. Our 5-star reviews on Google go a long way to show that we love what we do.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What I think helped me build my reputation within my market is my passion and love for what I do. It is far beyond making money. Fabulous by Nora is a baby that I care so much about. I see every customer that walks into my store as someone that deserves a piece of that magic that our type of African fashion is all about.
Our customer service is what cuts an edge for us. When you are in our store, you immediately become a friend or family. Shopping with us is always fun.
Also, we are known for carrying items that are very original, playful and fun, it radiates Nora’s personality.
The FBN brand is about giving you outfits that you can wear to any occasion, and we serve every member of the family.
We are a one-stop shop!

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I think I have shared this story before, but I am happy to share it again.
I have always had a special love for African fashion, mostly because I was raised by an African woman who was so fancy and was into the business of African fashion herself. Fabulous by Nora is a generational business idea that was passed down to me by my dear mom… God rest her dear soul.
I remember when I was doing a 9-5 job, trust me, I confidently wore my African outfits to work every Friday (laughs). When I initially started doing that, I saw my co-workers ask me frequently if there was a happy hour after work and my reply was always “No, I just love to dress up… lol”.
In an office where I was the only African woman at that time, it was a bit strange but as time went on, my co-workers began to see the beauty of African fashion to the point where they began to ask me where they could buy similar clothing. That was when I started creating my own designs. I employed the services of tailors back in Africa and started bringing in lovely outfits from there. I saw a need for people to reconnect to their roots and I found a way to make that happen. I had a big box where I put these outfits and would take it to my office then to sell. Gradually, I started selling to others who found me online. Next thing, I realized I had converted my garage to a boutique… It all happened so fast.

About 6 months after I started sewing original African ready to wear outfits in my own designs from Africa, I registered the business officially in the state of Texas. However, when the business was about a year old, something beyond my plans happened and I had to stop working my 9-5 job.
All I had to fall back on was my side hustle…
Within 6 months after I quit my job, I got a big space, and we officially had our walk-in store in the heart of Houston.
That was how my side hustle became my main/full time business.
We became 4 years in November 2024 and till date we have attended exhibitions and most recently we were one of the designers at a runway show organized by University of Houston Downtown for the black history month. At this show, where we were able to showcase our outfits on the runway by professional models.
So far, the journey of the side hustle becoming my main/full time business has been a memorable one and I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fabulousbynora.com
• Instagram: @fabulousbynoraapparel
• Facebook: Fabulous by Nora Apparels
• Twitter: @fabulousbynoraapparel
• Other: Email – [email protected]
  Phone # 8324945256

Image Credits

make up and photography @eteebeauty
photos @kenin3d
outfits @fabulousbynoraapparel