Fumilayo Arinola, who commenced her fashion business from her father’s sitting room in Mowe, Ogun State, after completing her National Youth Service Corps in 2019, is an engaging story in dedication and perseverance.
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Olotu Fumilayo Arinola, who commenced her fashion business from her father’s sitting room in Mowe, Ogun State, after completing her National Youth Service Corps in 2019, is an engaging story in dedication and perseverance. She built a fashion house while working from home.
Today, Fumilayo has set a high standard for herself as the CEO of FriendlyFit Apparel. Her brand creates beautiful, comfortable outfits for children, men, and women, catering to all classes and statuses.
How it started
Fumilayo began her fashion design journey in 2017 when she returned to Nigeria from school in Ghana for an internship while in her 300 level. After completing her internship, she realized she had ample time for holidays and decided to utilize it by acquiring a new skill.
When she shared her plans with Reverend Tunde Fasoranti, a sponsor of an NGO, Reach Them Foundation where she did her internship, he offered to help. He arranged for someone to take her to a training location in Sabo market, Lagos. Impressed with the place, Reverend Fasoranti sponsored all her training expenses, enabling her to start learning fashion design.
Fumilayo trained for a month and a few weeks before returning to Ghana to complete her studies. There, she connected with a fashion designer through a friend and continued learning during her spare time.
After completing her studies in Ghana, Fumilayo returned to Nigeria and enrolled in a new fashion training centre to continue her fashion design training in Mowe, Ogun State. She enlisted for six months but did only three months before being called for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
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She told TheNiche: “I signed for six months but I only spent three months before NYSC called and I answered. I went for NYSC in 2018, finished in 2019 and started my FriendlyFit Apparel in 2020.”
Fumilayo said her love for African Prints and working with colour combinations inspired her choice of fashion design.
Sourcing capital
As a young graduate starting up, Fumilayo recounted the difficulty she faced sourcing capital and how her savings from her NYSC allowance and support from siblings and friends came in handy.
She said: “It was a challenge because I was still in school and not quite long after I finished school. I had parents who have retired.”
She added: “You just have to invest in your business so that you can get results because if you don’t, the turnout may not be what you want.
“It was challenging because as at then, I only had one old machine that my mom bought from someone who was traveling out of the country for N5000 which I am still using now,” she said smiling.
Continuing, she added: “In this business, you will need equipment, space, visibility etc. I just finished school. I wanted to get a shop but the finance was not coming. So, I had to start at the corner of my dad’s parlour. I bought a few wallpapers and did a few designs so that when I took pictures they would be fine to show to customers just to give it a shop-look.
“I was able to save from my NYSC stipend. I got cash from siblings and family, friends too. They were friends who were interested in seeing me grow. Some of them assisted me with funds no matter how little it was. Also, my dad had a piece of land at Mowe, Ogun State. So, I decided to start constructing a shop for myself.
“While I was working at home, I was saving the money and using it for the shop project. In a year and six months, I was able to complete it and moved in. Most of my funds went into building a shop space for myself.”
Her fashion design business received a boost with a grant from Small and Medium Enterprises Develop Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
She explains: “Luckily, I came in contact with an organization called SMEDAN. They played a great impact in my journey because I had an opportunity to get grants from them to support my business. I got a sewing machine to support my business with the grant as well. They helped me to grow my business.”
Penetrating the market
The CEO of FriendlyFit Apparel said her brand is still a start-up with hopes of being more visible this year.
“It’s still a start-up but we are hoping to be more visible and create more impact this year. And one thing about this skill is that it’s broad such that one can select whatever suits him or her. You can go into bridals, casuals, etc. This year, I will be focusing more on one or two of the skills, like doing more of bridals. I am certain that we will get more visible this year.”
Experiences while struggling to establish FriendlyFit Apparel
Fumilayo said some customers were never satisfied, but were full of complaints even when you did exactly what they asked you to do. “You can’t satisfy everybody. Someone wants to sew a particular style and you don’t know how much it is and some people do not have the body shape and when you make it for them, they tend to complain. But I just find my way around it by pleading with them to retain customers.”
She also talked about facing stiff competition while starting. “There were a lot of competitions. For example, you can charge a customer N5000, and she finds another who charges her less, so you lose your customer. So, I ensure on quality and those that know the value of what I offer, stick with me”
She also said that relocation from Ogun to Ibadan where she’s currently plying her trade, also affected her business.
Breakthrough
The SMEDAN grant was a lifeline, Fumilayo said. “What made me keep pushing is the situation of Nigeria, it encouraged me because even before leaving school, I had already thought of becoming a boss of my own because Nigeria at then was who you know and I didn’t want to be dependent on my parents after completing my university. That was why I thought of learning a skill so that I would be able to stand on my own.
“Also, the support I had from SMEDAN, even though it was not that much, but I was able to use it to get fashion materials, and another set of machines which indeed helped me because while working, my apprentice did not have to wait for me. They would go ahead with the second machine. It helped them to work and practice while I concentrate on my work.”
Japa
Funmilayo loves to travel for vacation, tourism and education, but not to Japa. She said she believes Nigeria is blessed and will get better.
“I believe that Nigeria is blessed and will get better. I would rather invest in my country and impact the younger generation with my skills so that it can be a better place than doing it elsewhere. Even when I travel, it will be for vacation, tourism, or education. I will keep my business running, while I seek connections and how to expand my business,” she said.
About Fumilayo
Fumilayo is a graduate of Development Studies with Major in Non-Governmental Organisation from Valley View University, Oyibi, Accra Ghana.
In 2022, she volunteered as a fashion designer to train for Slum Kids in Ilaje, Bariga, Lagos under the initiative of New Life NGO. She taught the kids basic sewing skills, body measurements, and how to pedal a machine, etc.
The vibrant entrepreneur also trains people with her skills and has paid off staff too. She hopes to make a more visible impact this year by delving into a specific line of her skill, bridals.
