‘We are living at a time when attention is the new currency. Those who insert themselves into as many channels as possible look set to capture the most value.’ Rachel Bashabe is undoubtedly living this quote by Pete Cashmore, Founder of mashable.com.
The UK based Ugandan fashion designer and founder of VerylDesigns found her calling in fashion during her most trying times, harnessed the power of social media to cut her teeth in the world of fashion and build an international brand that is now promoting Uganda to the rest of the world.
Rachel’s life had a drastic turn in 2017 when she was diagnosed with a chronic illness and had to undergo surgery. “I remember at first I was signed off work for 6 months which turned into a year. The doctors told me I would never be able to work on a normal job.”
This news pushed Rachel into depression and self isolation. To cope with the pain and anguish, she turned to the needle and thread; and with guidance from YouTube videos, began creating fashionable pieces. However, it was not long before her concerned sister decided to take matters into her hands. “She told me you are very depressed and have not been out. I think I am going pay for you to do a course in sowing so you can go outside the house.”
Rachael enrolled on a six weeks program, and a few weeks later, a friend would gift her with her first sewing machine. She started creating fashion clothes for her family and friends, and thereafter got more clients through referrals. This boosted her confidence on this new journey and got her thinking bigger.
She decided to start an online shop.
With the support of family and friends, who modelled her designs, she organized a photoshoot and set up a website.
However, just before the big launch, life dealt her yet another blow.
“I was sick again and so the doctors told me I had lost a lot of weight and they could not operate on me anymore. I remember my mum and I took a trip to Uganda for a few months. The COVID 19 pandemic broke out shortly after I came back to the UK.”
It was during this time that she decided to launch the website.
Founded in June 2020 and based in London and Kampala, VerylDesigns is an ethical fashion brand that creates clothes from African fabrics mainly Kitengi and Kikooyi.
Rachel says her choice of fabrics is not accidental.
“It is my way of reminding the West and the rest of the world that we exist. So whether I am playing about with prints, the kikooyi, or trying to modernize the gomesi, I am really about throwing people to imagine and the other thing is that I love to express myself in the designs I get to create. I like to stand out, I believe fashion or design shouldn’t be boring, I believe in confidence.”
One of VerylDesigns’ defining factors is that it has strayed away from fast fashion, producing two collections a year consisting of –12 pieces maximum.
“The prints are very rare and hard to find. Once the print is done, that’s it. Most of our pieces are a mix of traditional and modern designs. You can wear them to a party, wedding, or a meeting.”
So far, VerylDesign has printed over 300 pieces.
Rachel credits the fashion houses’ fast rise and success to her willingness to be teachable, get feedback and network.
“I am comfortable in putting myself in uncomfortable situations and always willing to listen and learn. For example, in the first two months when I didn’t make any sales, I went to a friend and told her I launched a website but was not making any sales. I asked if she could look at it and give me honest feedback. We sat down for over two hours and I attentively listened to her word for word. That is what has helped me grow. Having an open mindset and taking constructive criticism.”
However, Rachel says her biggest arsenal has been social media. According to statistics by We Are Social, as of 2019, more than 3.48 billion people are using social media with platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, among others, credited for offering brands countless ways to connect with their customers. Rachel ensured she harnessed the power of this tool.
“I focused so much on growing my social media channels.”
Through social media, Rachel says she was able to meet new customers and also connect with different stakeholders in the fashion industry. These connections have materialized into great opportunities, landing her fashion brand a spot at some of the world’s most prestigious fashion shows like the London Fashion Week and the New York Fashion Week.
“My second set of London Fashion Week was because of Clubhouse.
“I met one of the organizers of the London Fashion Week through the platform. She pitched my designs to her bosses who then reached out to me to participate in the event.”
Away from fashion weeks, she says her biggest challenge remains changing people’s mindsets about African prints. “They usually want to pay less, saying it is ‘bitengi’ (African fabrics). But I want to tell other entrepreneurs that ‘know your value and price yourself with your value because your client will stay.”
Nonetheless, the future looks bright for Rachel and Veryl Designs. She launched a distribution centre in the US last year and is looking to expand to other regions. She has also moved beyond Womenswear to design Menswear and was recently named Fashion Designer of the Year finalist by Women4Africa. Last year, VerylDesigns was featured on Vogue, one of the world’s most prestigious fashion magazines.
Rachel advises other entrepreneurs to utilise social media constructively and believe in themselves.
“I want people especially in Uganda to know that their skills are very much valuable, especially for the international market.’
“I want the world to know about my country Uganda through Veryl Designs. That is the impact I want to leave with the brand.”
