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

Asia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

I started by purchasing a sewing machine and a sewing kit. I learned how to sew by attending a sewing machine class at Joann’s and learning the rest from YouTube tutorials. I practiced with all thrifted materials in the beginning. There’s a thrift store in Long Beach where you can buy a “mystery bag” of donated clothes for pretty cheap. I’d take these thrifted garments and practice reworking them into pieces I’d actually wear. I experimented a lot with thrifted clothing before I actually tried to make something from scratch. After about a year of reworking thrifted clothing for myself, I started making clothing from scratch for my friends. I’d ask for them to give me ideas for outfits they’d want, take their measurements and start sketching designs. Then I’d go to the Fashion District in Downtown LA to buy the fabric and I’d find basic patterns on Etsy then make adjustments to the patterns to fit my design. Once I had the pattern, I’d cut the fabric and follow the assembling instructions. I continued making custom outfits for my friends and I’d post my work on my Instagram. Over time more people noticed my work and started reaching out to me to make clothes for them. It came to a point where I decided I needed to make this hobby of mine into a business.

First I made a website by hiring a web designer from Fiverr. Then my friend Don, who owns Addicto AZ, connected me with his corporate filings agent. His agent helped me register my LLC and obtain my EIN. Once everything was registered, I opened a business banking account and it was official. As I was preparing to launch my business, I caught the attention of rapper Moneybagg Yo and was hired to help with his clothing brand (Lof). Today I continue to sell my handmade clothing on Banyagaofficial.com and I also work as the project manager and fashion director for Lof Brand.

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

I am a self-taught fashion designer and creative director based in Los Angeles, CA. Originally I was an art student, I studied Studio Art at CSULB with my emphasis being in Computer Animation. I’ve always had an interest in fashion and styling but I didn’t realize how passionate I was about it until I started designing clothing on my animated models for my college classes. In my last semester of college, I started working at Maxfield LA. I learned quite a bit about the luxury fashion industry during my time at Maxfield such as knowledge about fashion trends, quality materials, craftsmanship, and branding. I like to apply this knowledge to my own business by designing unique clothing that is fashionable, constructed from quality fabrics, and sewn by hand. As a fashion director, I ensure quality standards with my clients’ brands as well.

I am very hands on and I like to be present during the creative process. I understand my clients have ideas but they are unsure how to execute them. As someone who handles every step of the creation process when it comes to her own clothing brand, I understand what steps are necessary to complete any fashion project regardless of its scale.

I am most proud of sacrificing my regular job to pursue my business full time. It was scary and difficult. I had many people tell me I was making a mistake and some people even laughed in my face when they heard the news. I wasn’t sure if I was going to fail or succeed but I worked everyday with the mindset that failure wasn’t an option. Things were slow at first. It took me some time to get used to my schedule and to be in full control of my productivity. However, I am proud to say that things are coming together and business is on the right track.

I want to leave a legacy and have a global impact. I didn’t involve myself in the fashion business to be trendy or to make fast money. For me, fashion design is an art form and it is my creative outlet. In addition, anyone who works with me knows how important my work and reputation is to me; therefore, any project I am involved in will be of the highest quality because that is the standard I hold for myself.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I built my audience on social media originally by doing collaborative content creation on YouTube. I was never a big social media person, I was camera-shy and I was pretty inactive when it came to posting on social media. However, when I graduated high school I was given the opportunity to be featured in YouTube videos with a content creator who was already well-established. Collaborating on YouTube was definitely great exposure for me and helped me grow all my social media platforms i.e. Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. My advice to anyone starting to build their social media presence is to always take an opportunity to gain positive exposure. Sometimes you may need to be a little uncomfortable in order to put yourself out there but as long as you show up, post consistently and create quality content, you are guaranteed to grow your social media.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to eventually have my own unique global fashion brand that still upholds the same standards of quality I currently have with my handmade clothing. As of now all my clothing is made-to-order and I sew everything myself. Although it is sustainable and cost efficient, it is time consuming and limits the availability of my products. I see myself designing cohesive collections and receiving help from other seamstresses so I may participate in fashion shows and create a global name for myself. I’ve always wanted to attend New York and Milan Fashion Week so my current mission is to establish myself as a designer/creative and earn my place on the runway.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://banyagaofficial.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asiabanyaga
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asiabanyaga
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@asiabanyaga