Nkechi Harry Ngonadi of NHN Couture Encourages Women To Be Decent And Still Sexy With Her Designs
On how she started her business
Even though I lacked nothing, I needed something more! One night when I woke up to pray, the inspiration came as a ministration from the Holy spirit. I quickly picked up my pen and started writing. I was given the vision and the statement for the vision of what I needed to do. The words were specific.
The Holy Spirit told me I needed to open up a fashion brand that will promote decency. The Holy Spirit made me understand that I had a ready made identity, as people had already started consulting me for fashion ideas and suggestions.
At that point, I had come to notice that the youths were copying the wrong clothing trends, and it was hard to watch people being immodest in their dressing to church and I took it upon myself and the brand to lead by example.
Decency speaks concerning your character and integrity and people tend to address you the way they see you. Why would you want people guessing whom you are or are not by how you dress, especially when it comes to development and career? The person who looks decently dressed and put together always get considered first.
Some things about your body should not be seen outside. Why would you want the whole world to see what should be covered? Our motto is ‘decent, classy and yet sexy,’ we still use the word sexy because people need to know that you can be ‘covered’ up and still look good, classy and sexy.
When I started, I had fellow designers who were worried for me, they felt I was going to lose money. I was told, ‘this won’t last. Sex sells everywhere, check the billboards, check the jingles and visuals; sex sells everything.’ By the time we clocked three months, we were all over the world with international orders. We made news in three months and all of a sudden, we started having dignitaries and influential Nigerians coming into the NHN studio to get their clothes made.
On affordability
We are teaching women to cut their clothes according to their size. At NHN, we have clothes for as low as N5000 –N20, 000. When we started, the most expensive outfit was we sold was N55,000. Why were they that cheap at the time? Fabric!
When you buy cheaper fabric, you cant afford to sell for exorbitant prices. I started sourcing locally at the Lagos Balogun market before reaching to international fabric markets, where Forex rates and quality levels determine prices.
I have a strict policy where I send young girls away who try to buy exorbitant things I suspect they cannot afford. I will not be a party to young girls going out their way to buy things they shouldn’t even be looking at in the first place.
Unless you are getting married as a bride, then I will do everything in my power to make sure you look good on your big day. I have had brides who ended up walking away with free clothes from us to support their big day. I don’t want girls stealing and following men in order to afford NHN couture. If you insist, I will help you find ways to invest your money, I have done it for a few young girls and many have thanked me for it.
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