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

Alright, Hermann thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Shasha African Wear was founded in July 2021. As a child, I lived in Côte d’Ivoire, and my mom would have tailors make our clothes and that has been going on for over 20 years. It came to a point where a good number of my friends would ask where I purchased my custom made shirts; because I would wear my shirts/outfits with different sneakers. That created a unique look and my friends were inspired by it. Most of them didn’t know where to get their own shirts/outfits because African inspired wear is not as common to find in the US. At that point, I realized that this is a niche market and there’s need for contemporary African wear among the African diaspora.

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.

I found myself in the fashion industry because I realized that there was a need for modern contemporary African wear from the diaspora. The business came about when people kept asking me how they can get the same type of clothes that I wear. The business is able to provide modern contemporary African wear for women, men and children in the US because there is not a prevalent number of known African brands that provide the clothes that we do.

We provide the African diaspora access to modern African wear made from fabrics found in local markets in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Our mission is to represent and inspire the African diaspora with bold, fashionable, African fabrics and styles to re-connect with their roots through fashion.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients come from in-person interactions. We participate in fashion shows, pop-up shops or different local events in the DMV. These events help us interact with new clients because they are able to ask questions, get the history of the business, feel and try on the clothes. The in-person interactions makes the experience very personable for the client and they feel more connected to the brand.

How did you build your audience on social media?

We’ve built our audience on social media by being authentic and consistent. We’re consistent by always doing in-person events (fashion shows, pop-up shops) because we’re able to create content and network at these events. By networking, we’re able to get free pictures or videos from other individuals, which allows us to use them on social media. These connections permit us to be invited to other events or circles and that keeps our strategy going. So, we’re able to use the content on social media to attract our target market and invite them to upcoming events.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shashaafricanwear.com/about-us/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shasha_african_wear/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Shasha-African-Wear-100075874462488/