Inside Kemisola’s world of designer bags
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Meet Adurogboye Kemisola Deborah, a graduate of English Education from the University of Nigeria, who was inspired to learn bag making after seeing public school children carrying their books in their hands. Moved by the sight, she believed that affordable locally-made bags could be the solution, given the high cost of imported brands.
That thought sparked her entrepreneurial journey as she signed up as an apprentice for a year and six months, learning the basics of bag making. After completing her apprenticeship, she converted part of her father’s house into a mini shop. Today, Kemisola is the proud owner of Dqin Fashion Hub, where she creates stylish and functional bags using eco-friendly materials.
How it all started
After her secondary school examination in 2016, Kemisola faced an unexpected delay in entering university due to unforeseen circumstances. “After my formal education in 2016 due to some unforeseen circumstances, I had to wait for years before entering the university,” Kemisola told TheNiche in an interview.
To relieve herself of idleness, she opted to work as a sales girl. However, as time went by, she grew tired of working for various business owners and began to explore alternative opportunities. “I was already tired of working for people,” Kemisola said, reflecting on her decision to leave sales work behind. “I worked as a sales girl in different shops, some paid while some wouldn’t pay on time, owing several months. Those that paid would abuse, beat, or want me to work even on Sundays after working six days straight. So, I was already tired,” she added.
On one faithful day, she saw some public-school children carrying their books in their hands without bags. This sight caught her attention emotionally, and she decided to take action. “I said to myself, why not learn bag making so I can sell to these children whose mothers can’t afford imported bags?” Without hesitation, she shared her idea with her mother, who supported her decision to learn bag making. Kemisola signed up as an apprentice for a year and six months in 2017, learning the basics of bag making. After completing her apprenticeship, she started working on her own, converting her father’s house into a mini shop. “After a year, I got my machine with some money I raised while working for some people as a sales girl. I bought a used machine because then I couldn’t afford a new one. After my year was completed, I was freed, so I began to work at home. I converted my father’s house into a mini shop, although he loved it because sometimes, he helped me with some stuff.”
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In 2019, Kemisola got admission into the university, and after her 100 level in school, she took her machine along with her to school. Kemisola, who could not concentrate on her bag making because of her academics, paid little attention to it to stay focused. “Because of my department, I couldn’t focus on my work fully, but I was working stylishly.” However, after her four years in school, she stayed focused, building her brand more in Ekiti State and its environs.
Explaining her passion for bag making, she said: “I love the fact that for every outfit, a bag must accompany it. A bag completes an outfit to look more elegant and classic. A bag is essential when it comes to fashion in the fashion world. I like it when people carry their bags at work, outside for shoots, and as a mother differently, and how men style their outfit with different bags—that’s why I love to create pieces that would make them look neat, complete, and comfortable,” she said.
Sourcing for Capital
Sourcing for capital was not an easy feat for Kemisola. Starting up, she bought a used machine that she could afford, beginning in her father’s house. She said: “A Lady who is not born with a sliver spoon must strive to survive in this country. If you don’t want to escape through the shortcuts, to gain visibility, you have to pour more into your business, like branding, doing ads, getting more contacts, buying essential materials for bag making.” Kemisola highlighted the challenges of inflation and rising prices, “Getting this machines now is not an easy task due to high inflation on prices and because of the reduction in some quality you will have to go for the best which would cost thrice the initial price.”
Kemisola said that she is still sourcing capital to buy modern machine for her business, priced at nearly a million naira.
According to her; ”Sourcing for capital has not been easy, even now, I am still struggling to source for funds because the price of machine I need is close to a million naira. I would need two to start and that’s breaking my heart. That is why I’m stuck with my manual (Black head) machine, which sometimes makes it hard to finish bags on time. I even have to drop some designs because the manual machine can’t help achieve the desired outcome,” she said.
Penetrating the market
Kemisola said in a world where people prefer foreign products to made in Nigeria handmade bags, penetrating the market was a significant challenge. However, she was able to convince potential customers with the quality and neatness of her products. Those she was able to convince became her loyal customers, who in turn referred her to more people. “Some would say I don’t use handmade bags or doubt if they could be as neat as imported ones. Others would say I use expensive products, while frankly speaking some are using fake branded bags that are not originals because they can’t afford the real Louis Vuitton bags, Fendi, Gucci, or Bottegas etc. because buying that would require you pay in dollars while some would buy their products in a small store thinking it’s the original. Sometimes, I laugh when they say, ‘I use expensive products,’ and I am like, who said handmade bags are not expensive, of quality and neat?”
Kemisola recalled the moment when her customers were amazed by the quality of her handmade bags. “When they saw my products, they would ask, ‘You made this? Are you sure? Can this be made with manual machine?’ I would laugh and reply, ‘Yes, I made it right here with my hands.’ It took a lot of time and stress convincing them, and I am still working on it,” she said.
Unforgettable experience.
Kemisola’s most unforgettable experience was being looked down upon by her peers as a bag maker. Despite this, she found encouragement when she saw other bag makers facing similar challenges. Her passion for creating masterpieces also kept her going. “The experience I can’t forget is when people tell me, “You’re a bag maker, why can’t you learn another skill like tailoring?” or say that this bag-making skill can’t take me anywhere”.
“Some don’t trust the skill because many people who are into bag making only sew basics, not the upgraded ones. People don’t know that there’s more to just making bags”, she said.
Kemisola expressed her frustration with how people perceive bag making: “Anytime I introduce myself as a bag maker, they would just think of some kind of bag being hung in front of a kiosk or some people hawking in the market. No! Bag making has gone beyond that. I usually feel bad when my friends would order fake branded bags of what I can make, I would even help them deliver the package. I have problem with young people more than the older ones.”
Despite these challenges, Kemisola found solace in online communities of bag makers facing similar difficulties. “What encouraged me is when I go online and see bag makers like me facing the same challenges, and they never backed down. They’re still struggling to get more clients and sales, so who am I to back out? Never!
“I will never go back. It’s already too late. It won’t make sense, my customers’ reviews also encouraged me to create new piece, because someone that I have convinced that handmade bags are the best, it won’t be nice to give up so I will have to back up my theory and not disappoint them,” she added.
Kemisola’s passion for creating masterpieces also motivated her. “This is what I love doing. I love to create masterpieces. Anytime I am in a quiet place, just know I am thinking about how to expand, create, and establish my brand and business.”
Challenges in Business
Kemisola identified the high cost of raw materials as her major challenge. “Firstly, the issue on ground presently is the high cost of raw materials. When my boss used to send me to the market to get some materials in 2017, I would see leather of N500, N800, N1000 depending on their quality and thickness, but when I started this bag making business in school, the price of leather skyrocketed from N2,000 per yard to N5,000- N6,000 per yard now. You still need to add accessories to turn the bag into finished goods for the final user,” she said.
Kemisola expressed concerns about outrageous prices and daily changes in the market. “The high cost of everything is alarming, and the price of industrial machines for bag making is getting close to a million naira due to the high dollar rates. As a graduate, I am facing a lot of challenges in establishing myself. I can’t just go and serve, leaving my work behind. How will I survive out there?” she said.
This challenge she said has affected her plans for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). “That’s why I am still pending to go for NYSC,” she added.
Japa
Kemisola said she would rather invest the millions required for traveling abroad in her business than leave everything she has built in Nigeria. “If the opportunity is given to me to go abroad, it’s not a bad idea, but I can’t go. I would rather use the millions to do some necessary things here, venturing into the leather business, importing raw materials into the country.”
Kemisola believes that success is not tied to location. “It’s not compulsory to leave the country to make it in life. If I see a sponsor, I would ask them to put that money into my business here in Nigeria. It will go a long way than wasting it on paperwork abroad. There’s prosperity in Nigeria.”
She also pointed out some challenges faced by those who have traveled abroad. ”Not all who are outside the country are rich. Some are as poor as a church rat, some are suffering, and even regretting their actions. They can’t come back because so much is at stake. Some took loans for their trip; they have to pay back.”
Kemisola’s philosophy is centered around hard work and faith. ”I believe in hard work accompanied by the grace of God and His blessings. We can prosper anywhere we are, so I believe.”
About Kemisola
Adurogboye kemisola Deborah was born and raised in Akure, Ondo State, a native of Akoko Southeast. She is the 6th child in a family of 7. Kemisola is a 2023 graduate of English Education from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). As an entrepreneur, she specialises in bag making, using eco-friendly and quality materials and print, such as leather, Aso-oke, Ankara, Adire and non-leather materials.
Her designs cater for both genders, including high school kids, office workers, souvenirs. She also creates stylish male office bags and more, showcasing her versatility and creativity in the world of fashion. Kemisola’s story is that of resilience and determination.
