You may recognize her bridal gowns from a viral social media post, but who is Nneka? I had the opportunity to meet Nneka back in 2016, and she was super posh and beautiful! I knew of her work and became intrigued. She designed some of my friend’s wedding and bridesmaid dresses. They all were stunning! So I knew I had to interview her and share with you all why she is so brilliant. I suggest you collect every gem that she dropped. The advice that she shared can be used in so many aspects of life. Enjoy the interview, XOXO!
Stella: Tell us, who is Nneka?
Nneka: Nneka is a very shy person, and a lot of people don’t see that. People don’t see that part of me because I found out that people tend to misunderstand that character trait of people being shy. So, I try not to put it out there because I don’t want people to mistake me for being unfriendly or being snobbish. I am very much of an introvert, but also a very kind person. Humanity is very important to me, and I try as much as possible to be kind to everybody that I come across as much as is within me.
Stella: I feel you. I’ve become very shy as well. I used to be a huge extrovert, but now I feel like I am an awkward social girl.
Nneka: Then again, as you grow older, you tend to be that way.
Stella: So true! Why did you choose a career as a fashion designer?
Nneka: I get this question a lot, and my story is always the same. I was born with this. Not to sound cliché, but I really was born with it. My mom is still very fashionable, she is in her 60s, she loves her Chanel bags, and she doesn’t wear anything, but pearl. She always complains that people don’t give her gifts, and I’m like, “that’s because no one can afford your taste, Mom! Even I can’t afford your taste, and I’m your daughter!” *Laughs* Yes, my mom has always been that way and every time she went shopping for us she always bought us the best in quality and style. I had a flair for fashion when I was growing up, and I wanted to pursue it when I was independent and on my own in college. I started off with modeling, and I took some classes at the Barbizon School of Fashion and Modeling, and they also had a fashion side. I decided to go the fashion route because I had more interest in the clothes than the modeling aspect. After I completed my fashion classes, I started experimenting with designing. I would go to the mall and see a gown. I’d like it, but not love it, I would take it home, and transform it into something that I was in love with. That’s how I started building up my skills, and in 2008 I made my own wedding dress.
Stella: Wow, that’s cool! I know that saved you a lot of money, and you got what you wanted to walk down the aisle in.
Nneka: Absolutely. It also saves me time from traveling from one bridal store to another, trying on clothes.
Stella: The designs that you create are no doubt amazing, but who or what serves as your inspiration when you design your garments?
Nneka: Good question! From 2008 to 2014, when I decided to go full-time with fashion designing and start up my company, my idol, who I still look up to, is Zuhair Murad. He is a major Middle East fashion designer. I love his designs! Very exquisite, elaborate, and timeless. You can look at a Zuhair Murad dress from 20 years ago, and it still makes sense today. For me, that’s my biggest thing when it comes to fashion; it has to be timeless. I cannot stand fads and trends because they are short-lived. What is the point in investing so much time, effort, and resources that will just die away? I want to invest my time, effort, resources, and mental capacity into something that lives on forever. Something that outlives me. Zuhair Murad is someone whom I honed in on, and I studied him. I watched all his shows, I studied everything about him, and before you know it when you consume so much of something you become that thing. I think my greatest compliment was when someone said that I am the Zuhair Murad of Africa. That is amazing because that is my inspiration, that is who I live and breathe when it comes to inspiration. It would be a joy if I ever meet or speak with him someday.
Stella: Awww, yes. You seemed to be very inspired by him. I need to research his designs. What advice would you give an aspiring fashion designer?
Nneka: Start today. Channeling your inspiration into real life and start today. The biggest drawback for those who begin a career in fashion design is “I don’t have the investment to start off” or “I’m afraid it won’t succeed.” All that time you spent making up excuses, you could have built something for yourself. Start today! The problem with this generation is that we want to start off with something big. It’s ok to crawl before you walk. It’s ok to walk before you run. It’s ok to run before you fly and it’s ok to fly before you start coasting! You know? Baby steps. What I mean by start today is not creating your entire brand today. No, start taking baby steps. Start by talking to somebody, find a mentor in the design space, and create a logo. Start there. Start thinking about it and get your creative juices going. Start thinking about what you want your market to be like. Who is your market? Who are the people that you want to target? What countries do you want to be in? Once you think about it, before you know it, you will start taking more significant steps to put those thoughts into action. And before you know it, your brand has started! But if you let fear hold you down, you are not going to get anywhere.
Stella: That’s great advice! What you have mentioned can be tools to be used to begin any venture. What do you want people to know about your company?
Nneka: With Brides by Nona, I want to be known for two dimensions. The first dimension would be what I mentioned earlier—timeless and elegant designs. The second dimension would be about me, my persona. I want people to know that I am not just a brand; I am a person. Talk to me about what you are looking for. Talk to me about your dreams; what do you envision when you see yourself walking down the aisle. Be open with me, see me beyond Nona, see me as a fellow wife who has walked down the aisle, and who has gone through what you are going through. See me as that person and release it all to me. I will take that, and I will use that to build your dreams into a real-life gown. So those are the dimensions that I want people to know.
Stella: If you could design for any celebrity, deceased or alive, who would that person be?
Nneka: That is a very tough question because there are so many celebrities that I would design for in a heartbeat….hmmmm….I would have to say…..some people might say “huh?” I would have to say, Victoria Osteen.
Stella: Really?! I would have never guessed her.
Nneka: Yes *laughs* That’s why I said a lot of people might be taken back because they probably expect me to say a big celebrity like Beyoncé, whom I would love to dress, but I would choose Victoria Osteen. I love Lakewood Church, I love Joel Osteen, I love Victoria, and I love their children Jonathan and Alexandra. When we were kids living in Lagos, Nigeria, we would come to the U.S. every summer for our summer vacation, and we were baptized by John Osteen, Joel’s late father.
Stella: Awwww, that’s amazing!
Nneka: Yes, so we have been a part of the Lakewood family before Lakewood Church moved to the Compaq Center. We were a part of them when they were small. We drove a great distance to be there and worship with them. I’ve seen them grow, I’ve seen how Joel has run with his father’s vision, and I’ve seen how he has touched so many lives of millions around the world. Including his brother Dr. Paul Osteen and his sister Lisa, it’s amazing. My heart longs to pour into them just like they have poured into many. I would be honored to design a gown for Victoria and who knows maybe even for her daughter Alexandra when she walks down the aisle.
Stella: That would be nice! I hope that you are able to dress Victoria and her daughter one day. Last question, outside of designing, what do you like to do?
Nneka: When I’m not working, I’m gung ho wife, mother, you name it. I organize play dates for my kids; I just love kids. When I was in college, I did a voluntary internship, and I tutored first-grade kids. I used to teach Sunday school at my church prior to me having kids. Anything that has to do with kids I am heavily involved in. I use part of my proceeds from Brides by Nona to support displaced women and children from the war going on in Syria. It’s a cause near and dear to my heart. I also give some of my proceeds to Unicef and some of my proceeds to Joyce Meyers Hope Organization to feed the children. Anything that has to do with kids, I’m there.
Stella: You are an amazing person!
Nneka: Humanity is the least that we can do. My philosophy is, which I teach this is my children, be kind to people, and if you can’t physically get to them, your finances can. So give!
Stella: This was a great interview. I’ve learned so much about you today. You are an extremely well-rounded individual, and you are so refined. Thank you again for agreeing to be interviewed.
Nneka: My pleasure!
Nneka’s Contact Info:
IG: @BridesbyNona
Website: www.bridesbynona.com
I absolutely adore Nneka’s work. She’s so sweet!