Today we’d like to introduce you to Adesola Obasi-ike.
Hi Adesola, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up I loved making clothes for my Barbie dolls, I would designs styles out of socks or scrap fabrics I’d find laying around. So much that I wouldn’t even read or do my school work. Fast forward to middle school, I took interest in fashion although I was tomboyish, I still enjoyed different fashion looks. One of my friends inspired that part of me, she was also into designing. At that time, reality TV started to emerge, I would watch Kimora Lee Simmons show ” Life in the Fab Lane,” just seeing how she runs her fashion business and balancing between being a wife and mother had an impact on my life at such a young age, I was so inspired. In 2008 my family left Cleveland OH, to now Atlanta GA. I fell out of wanting to be a designer, but my mom had other plans. In December of that year, my parents bought me a sewing machine, I was in the 8th grade at the time. The sewing machine sat there for months before I started using it. One day, my mom asked me why I wasn’t using it and I told her that I did not know how to thread or use the machine. At this point, she took me to Joann’s Fabrics to learn how to sew. The first item I made was pajama pants and little handbags. I didn’t pick up the machine till my freshman year in college.
The school I attended was doing an ASA (African Students Association): Taste of Africa Night and I decided to bring out that old machine. The first fashion piece I made was an Ankara (African print) circle skirt. From there, I practiced making other pieces as well. I wore one of the designs I made to the event and I was getting many compliments which birthed DASITY DESIGNS.
Although I didn’t go to design school, throughout my years of college, I was teaching myself how to sew different garments. People became aware of my talents and skills which led me to do a couple of Georgia fashion shows across different schools including KSU, GSU, WGU, UGA, & GGC. I started to build my clientele for custom designing.
Although I went to school for managerial science, God kept directing me toward fashion. I kept getting retail jobs instead of corporate jobs and I didn’t understand why. 5 years after graduating, I was still working from home with my design business. The expectation for how the fashion life was going to be for me was not understood fully then. God opened my eyes and I realized why those retail jobs were important.
In 2021, I opened up my first custom design shop in Duluth, GA and I am grateful for all the experiences I had which gave me endurance and tenacity. Because I had a list of clients I worked with over the years, they are still working with me today. So many times, I wanted to quit and venture off to a new field, to the point I considered going back to school for nursing but I am glad that the Holy Spirit persisted to keep me on track and stay in the fashion industry. I couldn’t imagine designing wedding dresses because I thought it would be difficult and time-consuming but now this is what I enjoy doing the most.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It sure wasn’t a smooth road but I thank God for getting me through it. I actually started designing and sewing in my parent’s dining room, it really started off as a hobby then quickly became a business. After a while, it got too messy so I moved everything to the basement and was there for five years till I got a physical location. The expansion was rapid my first year at the shop. Because I am self-taught, the struggle in this business was learning how to design for different body shapes and sizes, it took a lot of practice but I finally got the drift. As I got better, the clients kept coming. Another struggle is having my own identity as a designer not a tailor or seamstress that replicates other designers’ work. Also, finding people who can help expand my business has been a challenge, looking for professional tailors has not been easy, so wearing all the hats and keeping up with orders is a juggle. Finding business loans or some type of business credit wasn’t easy at all, everything from DASITY DESIGNS all came from my pocket and investing back into the business. Many people do not understand this business concept, I’ve had professors tell me this will not work, I believe so much in my business that one day all that I have sweated for will manifest greatly.
We’ve been impressed with Dasity Design, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
DASITY DESIGNS is a custom design shop. Where we specialize in custom designing for special occasions such as weddings, prom, and social events. We sew and create unique pieces like gowns, dresses and suites. All the garments are made from clients’ choice of fabric, then we decide the style/design, its sewn, clients come for fittings then the process is finished. I love seeing the smile on my client’s face once the project is completed. The main goal is to give each customer exactly what they want because they would not be able to get it anywhere else. What sets me apart from other designers is the fact that I like to design unique pieces and I like creativity to flow from me and the client, and my fittings are really important, my client’s happiness and satisfaction are vital. DASITY DESIGNS is a one stop shop for custom designs for people who are looking to stand out and look different from the crowd, the pieces I create are one of a kind.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Persistence and determination were the major characteristics that keep me focused, the goal that I had in mind was keeping me in lined with the vison God gave me. It is by His grace that I was persistent, due to the many times I wanted to give up. I was stubborn for getting a location for my brand, people would tell me not to get a location and to remaining working from home. I was determined to prove that this business will be and is successful. Being able to know when to lead and follow helped me along the way, learning from others and hiring people for certain tasks helped in the long run. In this industry keeping up with trends is important, learning new sewing skills, researching new fabrics and going to workshops.
Pricing:
- Custom Designs $500-$2500+
- Custom Wedding Dress $5000+
- Custom Reception Dress $2500+
- Custom Traditional Dress $3000+
- Custom Prom Dress $850- $1500+
Contact Info:
- Website: dasitydesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dasitydesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dasitydesigns/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTQnl_633TNWTNGKQM6cJYw
