We recently connected with Jamilia Cain and have shared our conversation below.
Jamilia , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
Naming my business was one of the most difficult tasks to do when I was getting started. I didn’t necessarily want to use my name but it was the more safest and easiest to do. KIBIBI is my middle name which is a notoriously known name in Swahili. It means little lady. When I presented the name to my team they instantly loved it compared to some of the other names that we were coming up.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Fashion has always played a prominent role in my life, however, study fashion and working in fashion wasn’t seen as a career. Growing up the main professions that were always mentioned in my household was doctor, lawyer, and teacher. I knew at a very young age I didn’t want to be either. At the age of 9 I beg my parents for a Bedazzle machine, this was my first glimpse of what it may be like in the fashion industry. I wasted no time putting the machine to use and quickly began to sell bedazzled T-shirts to my friends. I remember receiving a sewing machine for Christmas but my dreams of becoming a fashion designer was not encouraged. I decided to go to University and study psychology. However, it has taught me a lot how to work with all sorts of people and really understand clients buying habits etc.
In 2016, I decided to take a leap of faith and open an KIBIBI E-commerce womenswear store. I worked with lots of Indie designers and sold their pieces on the site. In 2020, I closed the doors of KIBIBI and launched a closet editing business. Although both ventures were fun and I met interesting people I no longer felt purposeful doing so. I took some time off and decided to relaunch my business in 2023 as a fashion designer. I created a capsule women’s RTW collection named ‘ EMERGENCE’. This collection is very versatile and most pieces can be worn four to seven different ways.
I am most proud of my perseverance and tenacity. There were many times a I could have given up but I kept on going because I knew designing and being in fashion was my purpose.
I want potential clients and followers to know that KIBIBI believes in community and quality. Inspired by diverse sources, each piece is a canvas of creativity and passion, crafted by skilled women artisans in New York.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele was having pop-up shops with curated experiences. I was able to meet clients face to face and really get to know them on a personal/professional level.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is having the ability to share my art with world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kibibiinc.com/
- Instagram: Kibibiinc
- Facebook: KIBIBI INC
- Linkedin: KIBIBI INC