Introduction

My name is Masturah Aminu Baba. I am a social development worker, a researcher and also an entrepreneur.

What about education?

I studied Biochemistry for my undergraduate, Master’s Degree in Health Economics. I am currently undergoing my MBA specializing in Project Management.

Entrepreneurship…

My journey started after graduating from the university back in 2014. While waiting for my NYSC mobilization, my mum suggested that I enrol at a fashion school, it wasn’t my choice at that time. I just obliged. I went to a fashion academy where I did my diploma, a 6-month programme on fashion design.

I later abandoned it and went for my youth service and I started working. A year after learning fashion design, I started making random dresses for myself – and sometimes family will just admire, and one year later, I decided to make something out of it since people are interested, so let me just try it. So, in 2016, I officially started the brand.

What is the brand name?

It’s called Très Chic. It’s a ready to wear women’s brand. It’s an online business where people order and it gets delivered. I mostly create the designs.

You mentioned you had a diploma in fashion design… apart from that, any other inspiration why you chose fashion?

I actually didn’t choose fashion – fashion chose me. It wasn’t my dream to go to any fashion school, I didn’t even want to – but then my mum wanted me to. Somehow, along the way I found it interesting. I didn’t even think I would make anything out of it. I was just learning for learning sake. But then as time goes on, people were interested. I will make dress for myself and friends and family will come to my house and take them for free. Over time, I decided to turn it into a business because so many people are interested in my pieces and thefact that it was ready to wear.

That was how the brand started.

Are you training anyone?

Currently, I am not training anyone because my business is online. Sometimes, I only make the designs but outsource the production.

And you are into community service…

Last year, I started something. Certain percentage of my profit goes to supporting young girls in secondary schools.

I am a member of Global Shapers community. It’s a voluntary organization where youths come together to address issues in their community. We do guidance and counselling. I saw an opportunity to support young girls so that they can do something and rely on themselves. 10-15% of my annual profit from Treschic is used to sponsor young girls who have graduated from secondary school to a fashion academy. We started last year, in partnership with Global Shapers. They select the beneficiaries and I just pay for the scholarship.

Talking about Global Shapers

I am a shaper and currently the vice curator for 2020-2021.

Every year there is an election for curator and vice curator. I was elected vice curator and I will be occupying the position till July, 2021.

Back to fashion. What are your successes so far?

My success is the kind of people I have met.

I have met so many amazing people through my brand. People that support me beyond the fashion brand. I work with an NGO. And through my brand, I have met people that have supported me in my line of work.

So, my biggest success is the calibre of people I have interacted with. There are people I can reach out to when I have issues concerning my brand. There are people that do free publicity for me.

My brand has exposed me to a lot of people that on a normal day, I won’t be privileged to know.

What about challenges?

The number one for me is combining a full-time work with fashion design, full time. I work from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, sometimes weekends. So having the time to concentrate on my business is hard.

I am the only person managing the business.

Sometimes I outsource my production. And my inability to supervise may affect the quality of work.

And trend?

Fashion comes with trend. You make some pieces, wear it a few times and its no longer a trend. So you have to brainstorm and come up with new ideas.

Looking forward

I was planning to open a showroom earlier this year but COVID disrupted such plans. However, I am still working towards setting up before the end of the year, In sha Allah.

Looking forward, I hope Très Chic becomes a househild name for every woman looking for exquisite ready to wear outfits.

Full interview with Masturah Baba