YHP Interviews Adiat Disu, Founder of Adiree Fashion Agency
This was actually a podcast and a transcript, but unfortunately i am unable to put the podcast on because of audio issues, as soon as it is fixed, it will be posted.
When you listen to the podcast, you will see the passion that adiat speaks with and also the passion she has for the industry.
I will like to thank you for a beautiful, passionate and open interview, it was really worth it.
So, Now, Adiat Disu…
Don’t forget she is currently planning a show in New york, actually by this time on saturday, The show “Elements of Pose” will be started.
Purchasing Tickets Online for the Elements of Pose will be closed at 5:00 PM on Friday, July 17. Tickets will be sold at the door $35.
Hello, how’s your day been?
Good, been a little bit busy, that’s all
Ok, Ok. I think we should just go straight into it, in order to kill time?
Ok.
What’s the concept behind your brand?
Well, Adiree fashion agency is pretty much a one stop shop for all clients, fashion clients view, so if you’re a small-medium fashion client that needs advertising, planning, business consulting, that needs PR, You come to us and we provide any or all these services for these fashion clients, and that small-medium size.
Can you give some background information about yourself?
My name is adiat disu, I’m from Nigeria originally, born and raised there until i came here at the age of 15 with my parents.
So what inspired you to go into business?
What inspired me was the fact that, i was working at IBM as the communication specialist, and then i got laid off after a year, and i realised well, it’s so easy for these corporations, these fortunes five hundred companies to lay you off especially when times are so hard, why not create my own company and struggle for a year or two that i would be with a company again and just create my own thing and just provide my own security.
Did you feel any pressure starting up? Just going to clothes show London, i can see the amount of competitors out there? Was there pressure to succeed in the industry?
No i don’t feel any pressure at all really, like i said before, i mean when something is yours you don’t have to chase it, i do believe that i am destined to have this company, i do believe that my style, my personality, the god given talent that i have are here for a reason, this is been on my heart to do since college, i even created an organisation at a business college, a fashion organisation at a business college that is very similar to the structure of this company so i mean there is really no pressure because like i said they are things on my side, and for every challenge, there is an opportunity.
Ok, do you feel your agency is relevant to today’s society?
Absolutely relevant because what i see in the industry that is happening, in all industry, is that people are really really careful, they are monalyculle about where the dollars go, and in a sense, they want to deal with specialist, they want to deal with people that know their business inside out , and that is really what Adiree fashion agency is about, we are calling ourselves as the specialist of fashion, pretty much the business of fashion, come to us and we will provide services in according to the fashion industry, we know the consumer inside and out, we have a style , we have a flair about us, we know what it takes to get you noticed as a client and we do what we need to do, so in terms of people really really being monalicule about where their dollars are going, i think it is only right that we create a business that is more veered towards providing a array of services to one industry versus one service to all industry
Do you see what I’m saying? Yes definitely, for example, you, have advertising agencies that, they probably have certain departments that have specialists in industries, but you can go to an advertising agency and can be from any industry, where is the special treat in that, where is the special attention, so what we’re saying, we’re standing on our two feet and saying we will focus specifically on the means of clients only in the industry, we’ll provide all the services you need and make sure you have the services and the products that you need to make your business successful, but only for the fashion industry.
Have you done any shows lately? How has it been so far? What are the budgets in starting these shows?
Well, the show that i have coming up, which is called the element of pose on july 18th featuring korto momolu and 7 upcoming designer, i don’t worry about budget because its really all about partnership and collaborative work and when you involve other people and collaborate and you involve other minds, other resources you start to realise that you’re more wealthy than you think you are, so regardless of what you’re budget looks like, as long as you have the ability to think creatively and the ability to network and really reach out to people who wont have to worry about a budget.
What i will say to most people is, instead of starting large, start small, start networking with people that might have a nice home, start doing fashion shows or mini- trunk shows or showcases in homes. Penthouses, i mean my first show was in a pent house in new York and it was a beautiful penthouse, but it was smaller than this upcoming show in july 18th, im hosting the show in time square, at a hotel, a fashion ford hotel, it’s different , I’m working with a larger budget but as i said networking has enabled me to secure more resources than i need.
Have you made any profit from these shows so far and how did you make profit?
The first show that i had in new York, that i made profit, i made 100% profit, i had 0 dollars and , and coming in with 0 dollars and making the money that i need out of it , i mean that’s awesome.
There is nothing to be said about that, you have 0 dollars, you start with 0 dollars and you came out with whatever you intended to come out with, for me that was an accomplishment.
Yeah, so I have made profit, it’s just as far as i guess the size of the show, and I’m looking to make more, even more of a profit at this show coming up at July 18th.
You know the show on July 18th, is that going to be your second show?
That is going to be my second show under Adiree fashion agency , i have several shows that i have produced, I’ve produced two shows in Boston and two shows in new York, so that will be a total of 4 major fashion shows.
They are a lot of doubts and concerns for people going into business? one of the major difficulty in going into business is capital, capital to fund your business? Capital to do this and that, so how did you raise money for your business?
How did i raise money, well i just pitched my idea, you have to have a solid idea, once you have a solid idea, you have creativity and you have youth, even without youth, you can be as old as you want to be, as long as you have creative ideas, you can pitch your idea to as many people as you need to and you can get the resources you need, you don’t necessarily need dollars(money) in your pocket, in your account to make this happen, you could go to Wal-Mart and if you need walky-talkies, you need anything, you ask them to donate these things to you, you ask for them to give you discounts, you tell them, I’m young, I’m an entrepreneur, this is my vision and you are passionate, you’ll get the resources that you need. I mean money isn’t the need end, it makes things a lot easier, but who said things where easy.
YHP: Very True
Who are your competitors at the moment?
I don’t have any competitors, in any direct competitors i feel, because the agency itself is very unique in the sense that it really takes several services and focuses more on what i call the niche, which is the fashion industry, as large as the fashion industry is , i really think that the structure of the organisation being a fashion conglomerate really is unique.
So i haven’t seen anyone with a similar set-up but as far as indirect competitor, i mean its the usual, the PR agencies, the advertising agencies, the business consultant firm, all of them I’m really trying to take a little slice out of their market.
Who are your target markets?
Our target markets are small-medium size fashion clients, you could be either a designer who needs a fashion show created, or you need a photo shoot directed, you could either be a medium size meaning a boutique in Manhattan, a mama shop boutique, a start-up boutique, it could be RF’s, as Rf’s isn’t that small in Boston anymore, it could really be anybody, small-medium size, size of no more than an 100 employees.
What advertising strategy do you employ? A lot of businesses have started using social networking sites?
Well, the advertising strategy that i use, I just want to be clear here, i use online means to supplement my advertising strategy which is really networking, networking, networking, networking!! I cannot say that enough, but more importantly is establishing relationships because networking seems kind of distance so i would say that my advertising tool primarily is establishing relationships because those relationships, once you tell people what you want to give, who you want to do it and how they are included in your whole vision, really the word of mouth, the spread of what you are trying to do goes far and they also invite you to events. That is primarily what my advertising strategy is about, i go to fashion shows, i go to fashion galore, i go to networking, launching, happy hours that i know that people that I’m targeting are going to be. Fashion week this year 2009, Mercedes fashion event week i was there, i network my butt off and there is really where my advertising strategy lies in networking, or like i like to say establishing relationship.
How do you network with the top people e.g. The Tyra Banks of the fashion industries? How do you even get in the position to network with people like that?
What’s key is that you start small, you start off as a young entrepreneur trying to enter the industry, you go to events, that what i can say, for example, I’m in contact with koto, koto makes herself very available so i wouldn’t say she is necessary like the Naomi Campbell or Tyra banks, i wouldn’t necessary say she is like that, or the jean- paul gaultier, i wouldn’t say that.
Yesterday evening i went to a fashion show in Manhattan called the haute couture , it was a bridal launch party and i would call them the Versace of India, they were amazing, they clothe many of the artists in bollywood, i think they even had some clothing in slumdog millionaire, so i say when you go to events like that you may obviously bump into people who know people, and those people invite you and get you one step closer to the people, it’s really about going out, i mean honestly, honest to God, i don’t want people to get lazy and begin typing up at the computer, i think that facebook and MySpace is the only way, i love it, i love to supplement what i do physically which is going out to the social parties and networking functions but really use just as the supplementing tool, don’t use it as the end of , and that will allow to reach to, you know the tyra’s, the naomi’s.
You do need to start with baby’s step, and you’ll end up knowing the people that you need to know to get to where you want to go.
So what do you like most about running your own company/business?
Firstly, the freedoms to do whatever i want, when i please. i enjoy the excitement in waking up early to answer to emails. I love seeing the results, waking up and sleeping when i want. I love the passion i carry along with my business
So what’s the most vital lesson you have learned so far?
Keeping focused. It’s easier to go astray when there’s no boss overlooking your approach or job done. Although sometimes due to personal things i have no motivation to do anything, such things might tend to take one’s eye off the final target/goal. So being focused is primary and very necessary.
When will your website be launched?
I’m currently working with Donovan Campbell, a wonderful and awesome web designer who i met at a fashion event in New York. He has a great understanding with what i would be wanting. The website should be launched around the date of the fashion show. On our site we would be able to stream live shows to those at home that couldn’t make the show. July the 18th 2009 is the date. The streaming will be done by a company called, the million media production.
Who are your role models/influences?
I think Tyra banks is awesome, i like her mind. The way she successfully transitioned from modelling to owning her own talk show and show host (America’s next top model). Her business sense is remarkable and applaud able. I admire everyone that strives relentlessly to survive in this tough economy.
Do you personally think that the current global recession is a good time to breed new entrepreneurs/businesses?
Absolutely yes, because prices are lower, one can get the best deals. If you wanna open up a retail space in Manhattan or elsewhere, these are the best times to bargain for the best deals.
What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs who aim to break into any market share for the first time?
I would advice networking, partnership, collaboration to get to the next level.
What has been your biggest achievement so far?
My biggest achievement has been moving and living in a tough city New York, and still be up and running.
How does your model management/selection work?
They have to be able to speak eloquently, have to be appealing to the both the fashion society and non fashion. They have to be attractive and very presentable in the public. Unique qualities and marketability counts.
What is the best advice you have been given so far?
Curb your attitude and humble yourself. I was told to be patient because that is needed while dealing with different egos, in order to bring the best out of everyone. Also, great collaboration and moulding everyone’s priorities one vision.
Do you think higher education is required to get into the fashion industry?
Well, education is in different forms. I think education doesn’t necessarily mean going to four years and getting a degree, it could mean not going to college but just taking the required classes that has something to do with your vision. For instance a designer needs to take sewing classes just because that is solely needed in order to get his designer duties and job done correctly. A lot of discipline is needed to complete four years of college. With a degree it is a sort of licence that shows you are good or have skills to show what you can do and the degree is the proof. Education gives credibility. Education should be dissected carefully, then one can then evaluate if it is needed.
What should be expected from you in the near future?
Vibes magazine have agreed to get involved and be a partner of the forthcoming event. New York observer, the African bizarre are all still trying to be reached. The main focus is to make sure the event is successful.
Contact Adiat/adiree fashion agency @
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I’m loving this .