5 MINUTES WITH ESOSA OGEDEGBE
pg 20
Caesar Couture is a bespoke men’s wear brand that came to limelight few years ago and has grown rapidly within this short time. Watching this designer showcase at the african Fashion and design Week london 2016 was indeed amazing, the designs were nothing short of expectation as the models strut in all their glory getting everyone in the audience applauding non stop. at that point, more had to be unravel more about the brand and the brain behind it. reports...
tell me about yourself
I am Esosa Ogedegbe, the founder of Caesar Couture. I am from Edo State in Nigeria. I attended Igbinedion University, Okada where I studied Chemical Engineering. I am an energetic young man with a lot of zest for perfection in whatever task is set for me and diving into the fashion industry was a bold but necessary step as it came as a passion for me from a very young age. I am motivated by each customer/client’s satisfaction and this is why I am driven to do more and be more creative.
What do you do?
Caesar Couture is a proudly Nigerian company that specializes in Bespoke Men’s Wear, with its major focus on Men’s Suits.
how did you start this business?
I started the business solely because I believed I could create whatever it was I wanted to be seen in. I always got positive comments on the attires I wore at University; ranging from shirts, native attire and pants and I would pride myself in informing my peers that I made them myself. I never bought ready-made pants while I was in the University as it was difficult to find the perfect boot cut for me and so I decided to work with a tailor, Ralph, in designing trousers that would fit as this was the style in vogue at the time. This went on for some time and my friends would ask me to make pants and casual traditional wears for them. I decided to learn the art of measurement taking as I often found myself describing people to Ralph, stating that customers were ‘tall’ or ‘short’ or ‘not too big’, ‘slightly bigger than me’ etc. and this was a bit of a haggle as sometimes it would end up a complete mess and I would have to make refunds. It went on like that until I took it upon myself to learn to take measurements accurately and working through the process from start to finish and error rates were vastly reduced. It was and still is a passion! I enjoy wearing my own handwork, I like the feeling of fulfilment I get from it and subsequently, the feeling of fulfilment from dressing others up.
Rukky Salako
Who are your ideal clients?
My ideal client is anyone who has a great desire for quality and detail and believes in Nigerian made attires.
how long have you been in the business?
Caesar Couture was established in 2000.
how lucrative is it?
It is lucrative! Customer satisfaction determines our profit so the more a customer is satisfied with their outfit, the greater our profit margin.
What are the challenges you face?
Time management, it is particularly tasking when we have a bulk of orders at the same time. This is an issue we have been able to curtail by hiring more skilled hands into the fold. Power supply is also another challenge we face, thn getting accurate measurements from clients who send in measurements by themselves. Luckily, we have been able to turn to other sources of power as well as making a measurement guide for my customers who are far from our base. These are some of the issues we face in the business.
What makes you different?
The attention we pay to each and every client together with the quality of work we deliver. Caesar Couture employs the best skilled workers who are highly sensitized to the needs of each client. We endeavor to work in a timely fashion to achieve the best results and of course, the finest cuts. All of our tailors and other support staff are well trained and certified.
What advice do you have for people who want to go into this business?
This business just like any other, cannot thrive without passion and hard work. The key is to understand that every business comes with its ups and downs. Make your own future! Create and be a part of something that is bigger than yourself. Nobody is going to give it to you; you have to work for your dreams. There are no guarantees for success. In order to win big you have to take calculated risks. Nothing great just happens without effort. Be ruthlessly persistent and have razor sharp focus.