There’s a new fashion website that’s gained the nickname “Amazon in Africa” and it’s all thanks to 29-year-old Nigerian finance and fashion whiz, Olatorera Oniru. Oniru is working to give African designers recognition on the global fashion market and make international brands more accessible to African consumers. While her Lagos-based site is certainly glamorous, it’s also ambitious and socially conscious. Oniru hopes to create jobs and encourage entrepreneurship through her company. Here are 8 things you should know about DressMeOutlet, the “Amazon in Africa.”
When scouting out new products, Olatorera likes to visit rural areas, meeting local artisans, and finding clothes, shoes, jewelry, and accessories made from natural resources. The site puts a large emphasis on made-in-Africa goods.
Oniru says her site only selects the “very best brands and products in the market,” according to Guardian.ng. Oniru tries to source from the top 20 designers in Nigeria when choosing local products and tries to only feature pieces that are rare, limited edition (sometimes one-off) and hand-made.
The site is user friendly
Oniru worked with a Nigerian bank to make payments straightforward and fast for customers. They also answer all customer emails within two hours, and send out all orders within 24 hours of receiving them, says Guardian.ng.
Putting the spotlight on new designers
It’s important to the company’s founder to help hardworking African designers. Dressmeoutlet.com is offering free exhibition space to one promising ready-to-wear African designer at the upcoming Cocktails & Dresses event. One of the top fashion exhibits in Africa, the event is scheduled for May 22 at the Intercontinental Hotel Grand Ballroom on Victoria Island.
In addition to finding up-and-coming designers on the site, you can find major labels like Micahel Kors, Ray Ban, Vivienne Westwood and Anne Klein on Dressmeoutlet.com. The site also has a special “Premium Runway” tab where you can find items currently on runways and in fashion spreads.
The employees
Deressmeoutlet.com has over 20 full-time employees and is constantly adding new jobs. The company is expanding and has listings seeking a receptionist, IT specialist, human resources manager, graphic design specialist and more on major job hunting sites such as Ngcareers.com.
The founder’s background
Oniru brings plenty of business expertise and personal resources to her endeavor. Before starting Dressmeoutlet.com, Oniru worked as head of sales governance at Fortune 500 company Ericsson. She was a senior analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and a financial management intern for General Electric. Oniru said she isn’t considering outside investors and is relying instead on her savings — she isn’t ready for outside input just yet.
Oniru has plans to source her products from China, UAE, South Africa, Ethiopia and more countries in the coming months, according to Venturesafrica.com. Oniru said she has the resources to personally finance her company for the next five years. During that time she hopes to multiply her supplier and client base.