My philosophy

How did the idea come for me to start my business?

Actually it all started when I was pregnant with my fourth baby. I got an old sewing machine from my godfather and started sewing. Somehow it was like an instinct, a whisper from the little girl in my womb, that is why later I named my label Omalicha – which means Beauty -, as a thank you to my daughter for the “advice”. Today I work together with some talented seamstresses.

How do get my inspiration?

Most of my best ideas come before I sleep off. Then I am scared that I will forget them by morning. But I never do. My work is my hobby too and I hope that people will love my work because these are my dreams and my passion.

Why do I work with African fabrics?

As I look around in this world, it is full of people hating on each other. I think it is the duty of all of us to try to make things right. Many times I feel that this hatred comes from simply not knowing each other, not understanding the motives behind the actions of people we do not know.

So maybe if we knew each other more, we would actually find out the good things about others and then the hatred would turn into tolerating each other. By using these wonderful African fabrics I am trying to make people to see that there is a lot for us to love and appreciate about Africans and their culture, and even though we like to think that we know everything the best and we do not have to learn from other people, after living in a mixed marriage for 12 years I can tell you that we are wrong! Because there are many beautiful things in the African way of life that we should learn.

Naturally, the fabrics are just one little – but beautiful – part of the process of this learning. It is just the tip of the iceberg.

Let me tell you something from my life that keeps happening to me. Most of the time if I tell a fellow white person that I am married to an African igbo man, they look at me like I was an alien. But if I tell an African, hey, I am married to an igbo man, they will say: “Eheee, so you are one of us.” Do you feel the difference? Because I do. And it makes me sad.

What is my aim with my African inspired products?

l just hope that those people who buy and wear my products, will have an open mind for African people and will stand by them. That they will not turn away if they see them being harassed in the street, at work, at school, at the supermarket. I hope that they will take their time to get to know more about black people. I know it may sound utopistic….but I hope.