Mudi is a popular fashion designer in Lagos with several outlets across Africa. He has built his fashion business into a big brand. How did he cope with Covid-19 Lockdown? He told City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE a few days back as our Guest on City People TV Instagram Live Chat. Below are excerpts of the chat.
What has been happening to Mudi since lockdown? How have you responded to it?
It came as a shock but we have been able to cope. We have been able to restrategise and identify how to adjust to the situation. Initially, the first month of the lockdown was a bit difficult for us. We were home for the first one month. Thankfully, we were all in good health, nothing happened to any member of staff in terms being exposed to the virus, same for my family members and friends. So, we thank God, we have tried to cope as best as we can and keep safe.
What are some of the lessons that you have learnt from this situation that we are all confronted with?
I have learnt quite a few lessons. I have learnt to appreciate God more because most times we take that for granted. When we are alive and well we take these little things for granted but we thank God for His mercies. That one is alive alone is enough to be thankful to God.
What’s your advice to people watching us now, especially to your clients and lovers of the MUDI brand?
My advice first and foremost is that you should keep safe because it is only he that is alive that can think of tomorrow or think of business. It is only when you’re healthy and alive that you can say when there’s life there’s hope. So, stay safe and keep yourself healthy, eat well and do exercises. And to my clients, I still have to thank them for their patronage and even though it’s a bit low, we still have to thank them for being there for us through thick and thin.
Did you ever think a time would come when you won’t be able to do anything, business wise, for about three months, did you ever think of that possibly happening?
To be honest with you, sir, no, I didn’t. And I think this is the same for majority of people all over the world, nobody saw this coming. It came as a surprise but we thank God we have been able to pull through it all.
So, what do you think is the new normal for those in the fashion industry?
Well, if you look around you now, there are no social activities happening anymore. People are trying to dress down and wear more of casual clothings, perhaps just to visit few friends. And it’s affecting not just the fashion industry, it cuts across. The entertainment industry, outdoor catering outfits, people involved in event management, its affecting us all but I believe we will survive it.
Within these few months, what are the ideas that you have been able to come up with to help you move forward?
I have been able to come up with a lot of designs that I am already working on. You know that when you are at home doing nothing, that gives you plenty of time to think of new things because you have been able to refresh your brain creatively.
How old is the MUDI brand now?
Its twenty seven years.
Twenty-seven years? That must’ve taken a lot from you. How have you been able to keep the brand going for 27 years? What’s the secret behind the success of MUDI?
First of all, sir, I want to thank God for the gift and the talent. I also want to give myself some credit because I have worked so hard to maintain the standard and maintain the name. And as for the secret behind the success, I think its discipline and hard work.
I know that for many years now, you have always put in a lot of hard work into your business. For instance, I know that you used to resume7 a.m. every morning, do you still resume at 7 o’clock in the morning like you used to do back then?
Yes, sir, I resume at 7 am in the morning. In fact, some two months ago, an elderly man walked past my office. That morning, I got to the office a bit late. I got to the office at about a quarter to nine because I stopped over at the bank to make some transactions so that made me get to the office quite late that morning. So, this elderly man now saw me driving into my office and the man came over to me and said, Mudi, hope no problem. I asked, sir, what happened? He said, ‘no, look at the time, you arrived late for work this morning which is unlike you.’ So, there are people that will always watch you from the side and possibly look up to you for direction. That actually reminded me of the fact people are watching you and taking note of your conduct. So, yes, I still get to the office by 7 am.
Give us an idea of your product line, do you do strictly male clothing or it’s a mixture of both male and female?
For about ten years now, I have focused on male clothing alone. Before then, I used to make designs for both male and female. I had to stop because I wanted to focus on the male alone.
What does it take to be a MUDI lover, someone who more or less wears the MUDI brand and epitomizes it in totality?
What I look at most times is your carriage. It’s not always about how much money you have, it’s about how well you carry the design. It gives me joy when I see a man that’s not very rich but wearing my design with a good carriage, that gives me joy. Even sometimes when clients walk into my office and they have a good carriage that I’m impressed with, I give them a discount just to appreciate them and encourage them. So, I give them discounts so they can wear the MUDI brand, through them I will get fresh customers.
Now, tell us, what does it require to be a successful designer?
To be a successful designer, you must have the talent first and foremost. That is the key. As a designer, you must be creative. You must have a passion for the profession. You must have a taste. You must have style. Then, you can back up all of these with hard work and discipline, then, you’ll go places.
How easy was it for you to put all of these together and then come out with all of the huge success that you recorded?
You know life is all about the choices we make. It is what you put in that you get. For instance, when we say talent, this is given to you by God. But passion is different it is not God-given, you are the one who will define the level of passion that you want to put into actualizing that talent. Then, for the style, you can actually acquire it through the people you meet or it can be inborn. Then, hard work is a personal thing, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to work hard or not. Discipline is also a personal thing as well.
How easy was it for you to develop that?
Like I said before, it’s a personal thing. It’s a choice thing. It’s up to you to decide what you want. We all have 24 hours of the day, it is how you make use of your 24 hours that matters.
I know that you expanded at some point, so how big is the MUDI brand now?
Before I answer this question, sir, let me go back to the last question you asked me. You know there are designers in this country, they get to office by 10 or 11 am and they even delegate from home, definitely, you can’t be on the same level with someone that resumes 7 o’clock. It’s what you put in that you get. I must say, sir, that you equally inspired me because you get to your office 7 am every day. I see your car parked outside when I drive through your office to my office. The hard work you have put in inspired me as well.
Talking about the expansion of the MUDI brand, how big is the brand today because I know that at a point, you had expanded to some African cities?
By the grace of God they are doing well. I started with Ghana, Ghana to Kenya, then South Africa, and then Senegal. But Senegal didn’t do well, I had to shut it down after two years. I recently opened another office in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, last year and by the grace of God the response has been very encouraging.
How do you determine their tastes in these different African countries?
You know, what I do is that anywhere I go to, I go round, do a survey and see how they dress. And thank God, for us Nigerians, we are multi-talented because of our multi-cultural background. We have different kinds of influences from different parts of the country that define our sense of fashion. And you know, fashion is a universal thing, it speaks no language, once your clothes are good, people will buy.
How can people reach you? Can people get your clothes online?
Well, everyone knows my head office is on number 1, Mudi Lane, Anthony Village, I also have an outlet on Bishop Oluwole in Victoria Island. As for online, I honestly don’t do online sales. You know, this our environment is a peculiar kind of environment. Anywhere in the world, they say when you pour out water it will find its level. But it doesn’t work that way here in Nigeria. If you put out your designs on Instagram and other social media platforms, before you know it, people will start copying your designs and water down the quality of that design. But those that are familiar with the brand come over to the office to see what we have.
How does the process really work? Is it that clients bring their fabrics to you and tell you the design they want or you get them the fabrics?
Sure, you can bring your fabrics but most times people buy off the rack.
We have about five more months to the end of the year, what should people expect from MUDI?
Well, people should expect more designs to come from MUDI.
What are some of the major mistakes that some celebrities make with their dressing?
There are several mistakes. You know there are some set fashion rules. For instance, wearing a brown belt on a black shoe is wrong. There are times you see them wearing a jacket or blazer, with a crest on the pocket, they still wear pocket square when you can actually tone it down with little accessories.
