Victory Ifeoma Njoku, the group managing director at Vickyheldan Group, is an award-winning business executive, lifestyle entrepreneur, public relations expert, and philanthropist. In this interview with DAVID IJASEUN, she spoke on need to promote and patronise made-in-Nigeria brands to support entrepreneurs and put the country forward. Excerpts:
May we know a bit about your career journey?
My name is Victory Ifeoma Njoku, also known as VickyHeldan. I am a lifestyle entrepreneur, public relations expert, and philanthropist. My journey as a lifestyle entrepreneur has been quite interesting and rewarding, filled with lots of experiences and challenges that helped shape me into a better brand owner and entrepreneur.
What motivated you to become a lifestyle entrepreneur?
My passion and penchant for creativity and the inherent desire to own a unique brand that offers distinctive services propelled my innate interest. Endowed with a creative mind and distinctive instincts, I envision exceptional designs that stand out in the gallery of fashion design, and interior design, and progressively into the creation of a lifestyle brand.
How would you describe the reception of made-in- Nigeria brands at domestic and on the international scene?
Recently, made-in-Nigeria brands have been making remarkable impacts with their designs and have so gained a lot of patronage in Nigeria as well as in the international market space. This has transcended into an epic achievement for Nigeria and the African continent.
Looking at the tremendous wave generated by creatives in the Nigerian fashion industry with creations from the most talented individuals, there’s no doubt that fashion has become a critical component of the economy as well as a powerful tool for positive growth and development.
Your designs have been featured on various international platforms. How did you achieve this feat?
I started out with fashion design and that gradually broadened into space design and the manufacturing of lifestyle goods such as bedding, home fragrances, and decorative pieces. This propelled me into the interior and exterior designing of luxury spaces, from private villas to commercial spaces.
As for the Foundation, my passion for humanity and impacting lives led to creating the platform known as the (VickyHeldan Foundation) which is focused on giving hope, restoring livelihood, and providing facilities for the less privileged in society.
I also transfer my wealth of knowledge by empowering the youths with my skills and craft….a few internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Nigeria have benefited from our skill acquisition programs.
Read also: Building strong brands is a way to position for competitiveness – Okupe
What is the inspiration behind the Zuri & Ziba bag collection?
The ZIBA & ZURI bag is from the “ELEGANCE” collection, created for the woman who is set to conquer her world in style. It was inspired by the use of minimalist design to achieve a traditional model with a modern influence; made from the finest catalogue of leather with premium Italian craftsmanship.
What’s the best and what’s the hardest part on owning a lifestyle brand such as yours.
The best part about owning a lifestyle brand, which cuts across fashion design, interior design, and lifestyle goods is being able to satisfy the lifestyle needs of our clients. This gives us a high level of fulfillment. Our aim is for every woman to have a piece of VICKYHELDAN in her closet, from clothing apparels to accessories…. and also for everyone to have a touch of VICKYHELDAN in their space from private to commercial spaces.
Also, staying afloat at all times with new designs, foreseeing the future demands and adopting appropriate techniques for achieving them, is of course the hardest role. Nonetheless, we always scale through based on our skills, craftsmanship and experience.
Where do you foresee yourself and your business in the next five years?
Our projection for the next five years is to emerge as one of the top fashion, interior design and lifestyle brand from the confines of Africa with retail outlets in major cities of the world, God willing.
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