Kiki Okewale is the CEO of House of Plush Empire (H.O.P.E), an upscale fashion store in Lagos that is fast becoming the primary choice of A-list celebrities, socialites, business leaders and top politicians.
Her range of “Kiki Okewale” (KO) designs are known for their distinctive creations, elegance, class and blings. She is popularly referred to as the “Queen of Blings”.
The brand is known for its sale of exotic fabrics, jewelleries, shoes, bags etc. It is a one-stop shop for everything fashion.
She is a recipient of several awards including: The Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year award (2017) by LA MODE Magazine, Special Recognition Award of the City People Female Achievers Award for Business (2018) and she was recently honoured at the Confederation of West Africa Youth (CWAY) as the’ Influential Youth of the Year (Fashion) Awards 2019’ in Sierra Leone.
She is the only African designer representing African Fashion Fund selected by the Royal Gala to showcase at the Dubai Fashion Week 2019.
Kiki Okewale regularly inspires and motivates people on her social media platforms. She currently runs two NGOs: Kiki Okewale Foundation and Stitches of Hope Foundation to inspire young women and children to find hope and happiness through support and skills empowerment acquisition.
The popular style icon holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration from Williams Shakespeare College, University of Portsmouth in the UK. She also bagged an MBA from Ladoke Akintola University, Osun State.
Lilian Imoni had an interview with her conducted as part of the HIGH HEELS WITH LILIAN series, a column dedicated to profiling women in business and careers and sharing their inspiring stories, their trials and triumphs. Women who are game changers in their various field of endeavours across different sectors of the economy are featured. If you will like to be featured on this column, please call 07013105041 or contact @lilianimoni on Instagram
What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
I start each day with my morning devotion because I believe this sets the tone for my day.
What has contributed most to your success?
Besides hard work, thorough research and passion, God’s providence is the major contributing factor to my success.
The key to success in three words.
Discipline, Consistency and Gratitude
What is the greatest piece of wisdom you have heard?
According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American essayist in one of his quotes states that without ambition one starts nothing, without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be
sent to you, you have to win it.
What motivates you to carry on?
My passion and drive for my work motivates me to do more and also when my clients are happy
and satisfied with the work delivered
If you were to start all over again what would you do differently?
umm… if I were to start again, I would tell myself to do one thing at a time. I am a workaholic.
I multi-task a lot and this is due of the nature of the business. In fashion, clients can order at any or same time and give deadlines, which keeps me awake at night.
What has been your greatest challenge as a woman in business?
By God’s grace, I have been able to manage some of the major challenges associated with having an enterprise. However, there are some inevitable challenges like, getting same minded
staff that align with your vision. Some people are fascinated by the glamorous appeal of the business, but they are not ready to put in the required effort to produce the glamour.
What keeps you awake at night?
As mentioned earlier, work keeps me awake at night. I try my possible best to meet clients’ needs.
What is your biggest fear?
Every entrepreneur is confronted with the fear of failure. I however make sure I don’t let it stop
me or throw me off my game. I learn from it, take necessary action and move on.
A seasoned professional, an adorable mother, a loving wife, a mentor to many. How do you
strike a balance?
Thank you very much. I love to prioritise because every minute of every day has to be accounted
for. Contrary to popular opinion, being a Fashion Designer does not afford me the luxury of freedom. I therefore organise my schedule daily so that I can operate my business with greater
efficiency and spend quality time with my family.
Advice to women in business
My advice to women in business is to firstly, be passionate about what you are doing. Ensure that you have the required skills to succeed in that business and eliminate any form of mediocrity. Secondly, believe in yourself, don’t let the threats of fear stop you. And lastly, set goals and focus on achieving them and trust me, the sky will be your starting point.
How do you relax/unwind?
Spending time with my family relaxes me and I go for vacation when I want to unwind.
Thanks!
