We were lucky to catch up with Grace Christopher recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Grace thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The mission of my small business is to flood the streets of the United States with African Prints.

When I moved from Nigeria to the US some years ago, one of the things I found myself missing was the colorful and vibrant looks that was a staple in a typical gathering of people. It was so normal back home, I didn’t know it was a thing, until it wasn’t there.

Plus with all the changes that come with such a significant relocation, African prints was a piece of my history that I felt needed to be held unto, so it could be a culture I pass on to my children.

Grace, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Grace Christopher. I’m the owner of African Zesty Couture LLC. We are the hub of both African Fabrics and Fashion, because we not only make high quality custom African Outfits, but also provide the African Fabrics for others who are able to sew and craft on their own.

That combination is a piece of my business that distinguishes us from other businesses in this field. In a bid to spread African Fashion and culture, we are able to serve everyone.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I studied law in Nigeria where I worked as a lawyer for a number of years. When the decision to move to the US was made, it also came with the need to focus on growing a family and raising kids. I became a stay-home mom, either pregnant or nursing.

It was a hard transition from being a busy career focused woman to suddenly having nowhere to go, and mostly interacting with my babies.

It became imperative for me to find something to keep my mind active and keep me engaged. So I began to meditate on things I could learn and enjoy doing. That’s when I remembered I used to watch my mom sew clothes. It was so intriguing to me back in my high schools days, that I used to attempt making clothes for myself. Learning (again) how to sew; now in my 30s became the new plan of action. That was how I stumbled into the fashion business.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

While there are many ways to grow your clientele, for me I’ll saw its recommendations from others. From the very beginning I was very intentional about providing the best level of service I could, to every single client. When they were very pleased with their service and product, they enthusiastically told others about my business. The others also came, saw for themselves, and told others. Real people recommendations have been the most effective strategy for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.zestycouture.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/zestycouture1
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/zestycouture1
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@africanzestycouture?si=EbeS2BrF1W_KW9N5
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@africanzestycouture?_t=8klN6CWw4xa&_r=1