If you are passionate about products you sit on the board for them. Finding the right audience for a specific product or service usually takes time, reason why most businesses depend on data and customer feedback to understand growth.
Amazon, an e-commerce retailer with very deep pockets and a ruthless focus on efficiency, is a potent example of what it takes to succeed in the market space. According to industry reports, Amazon spent approximately $8.1 billion last year with Google. That is the same scale which we’re trying to build a heartbeat of audience.
On today’s post we explore the insights of product development, a handbag, from one of UK’s top Fashion Designer and influencer. As a Fashion Designer, AAISHA specialises in handbag and accessories. We are meeting her to understand the stages of her products – from drawings to showroom exposure – responding to six important questions.
WHO IS FAADUMO AAISHA?
“Faadumo Aaisha is a staple brand in UK’s fashion. We’ve managed to create a name in the industry due to the exposure of our handbag label. I’ve gone from sitting in fashion shows to presenting my label on the runway”.
Currently, she goes by the name of AAISHA when models portray her handbags and accessories on the runway and e-commerce sites. While based in London, she travels across Europe to ensure product development is taking place. Her audience is niche, so she ensures displayed products in her showroom adjust to ISO quality standards.
AS A BRAND, WHEN DID AAISHA COME TO LIFE?
We started developing the brand five years ago as demand grew. We’ve always developed handbags and few specific accessories, and we intend to remain this way. We have managed to become efficient and sustainable in what we do. Passion plays a huge role in our daily activities and the increasing number of women wearing our brand shows there is still a gap in the market.
HOW DO YOU ENSURE PRODUCTS ARE SUSTAINABLE?
A significant portion of our collection is made from recycled plastic while the other uses biodegradable materials and leather. Our clients expect us to take climate discourse seriously and deliver sustainable products they can trust. The research and drawing part takes place in the UK, in our London office. Our craftsmen are based closed to our market and we combine technology and physical presence to review details when needed.
Products are usually started and finished in the market we want to sell in. Given that our core market is the UK, we produce in Italy.
WHAT DOES PRODUCTION LOOK LIKE?
Fifty percent of our collection are handmade from start to finish. Our leather bags are cut, assembled, and sewed by experienced craftsmen from their individual working space (IWS). So let’s say you have 15 sewing machines that would be counted as 15 IWS.
The other thirty percent of our collection is recycled plastic. Like coca-cola bottles or water bottles. “I believe that in Nigeria C-Way water uses the same technic to recycle it’s water bottles”. In our case, we collect, wash and store recycled plastic for second life. In this range we designed small purses, medium size bags, and big tote for daily use.
Each part of our handbags are locally sourced too and we rely on our craftsmen to understand where each component is placed. The logo is printed using a gold printing machine before final delivery to the showroom. As for the recycled plastic handbags, labels and logos are carefully sewed on to the product.
It’s really a delicate and beautiful process as the final product comes to life, just as the drawings!
WHY IS PLASTIC RECYCLING SO IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Product recycling is not just important to us, it’s a big chunk of our business model. As mentioned previously, thirty percent of the collection comes from recycled plastic. It is how we ensure the environment stays clean and favourable for our value.
I remember when looking for job placement in the UK employers would always ask: what was the nature of your voluntary service? Little did I know then my none paid activities were going to shape the future of my career and my engagement with customers.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR BRAND IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?
Digital is part of the journey and will remain this way in the next five years. Now is the most critical period for our brand as we get into digital commerce.
What I believe will also makes AAISHA handbags remain unique is for us to become leader in product personalisation. Our team is exploring the possibilities that a handbag can’t be transferred from one owner to another. We are exploring the possibilities of QR code that make the handbag unique to owners, this way our handbags have a longer lifespan.
Blogger’s conclusions
Oosyn.com remains the digital space for African Fashion Designers, like AAISHA, to attract domestic and international customers. Oosyn.com is a subscription based website for businesses passionate about sourcing and producing beauty products in home country or close to market. Oosyn remains an efficient partner promoting employment, efficiency and quality of products. Oosyn.com spends on Google just like Amazon.
