Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Nwiloh.
Abigail, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Abbie and I am a senior at Florida Atlantic University. I am a pre-med student who enjoys medicine and is pursuing a career as a physician. However, I am also a creative person by nature and I express myself artistically through fashion designing. I have been designing clothes for my dolls with my sister ever since I could draw. In middle school, I took a home economics class and fell in love with sewing (at that time only with needle and thread.) I would take scraps of fabric from my mom’s abandoned sewing box and experiment until I would get in trouble for leaving needles and push pins lying around.
After 8th grade, I took a hiatus until my senior year of high school when I decided to embellish my prom dress with gems and crystals; by the time I got to college, I bought myself a small sewing machine and just practiced making more advanced pieces. Over time, as I got better, few people began to place orders so, being the risk-taker that I am, although I lacked entrepreneur skills and I didn’t know anything about running a business, I still decided to start my own small business: Fabbie Nation Designs.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wish I could say it has been smooth sailing since I started, but it definitely has not been. My biggest struggle was advertising and getting my name out there; I had no idea where to begin and how to get the attention of my target demographic. I made mistakes such as unnecessary spending for ads and promotions. Another problem was ‘designers’ block’, if that is even a thing, haha.
I went some weeks lacking the inspiration to design clothing because of the pressure I put on myself for a perfect piece. There are times that I would spend a lot of time and energy on a piece, and anticipate high sales, but the opposite would happen. I’ve had to learn that these are issues that other business owners have at some point; now, I try not to let the possibility of failure cripple me. My goal is to continue putting out content that makes me happy and to make clothes that my customers can appreciate. If I don’t succeed at first, I just take the loss with a grain of salt and keep it pushing.
Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about your work?
I created Fabbie Nation over a year ago in my dorm room. The cultural and creative handmade designs came to life with a sewing machine, self-teaching, and dedication. I decided to start this business because I understand that representation is key for inspiring the next generations.
In a society where fashion trends change every season and designers are constantly releasing innovative styles, it was shocking to me that I didn’t see many Afro-Caribbean influences in the industry. As a Nigerian-American designer, my goal for this company is to incorporate the influence of my culture to everything from westernized streetwear style to high-end fashion.
I am proud of the uniqueness of my brand because originality is always a goal for me. At every pop-up shop or vendor events, the feedback I constantly receive is that my pieces are extremely distinct and unlike anything ever seen. I also love that that Nigerian prints are very bright and eye-catching, therefore, every Fabbie Nation design is a head-turner. The overall goal of this brand is to unite all cultures and teach others how to embrace others’ cultures. So far, I am grateful to say, that I have worked hard to strive towards accomplishing this goal.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One of my funniest childhood memories was the first time that I ever made a blouse for myself. So, I originally learned how to sew using a needle and thread at the age of eleven after taking a home economics class. After completing the class, I had decided to make a top for myself, and the only fabric I had was very flimsy, but I used it anyway. I was so determined to make the result look amazing that I spend days on end working on it.
The day after I finished making a very rough, low-quality top, my grandma decided to take my sister and me out. I was so insistent on wearing my blouse, even after my Grandma gave me multiple hesitant looks. While we were out, I let everyone, and I mean everyone I saw that I had made my blouse. Later that evening, when I was picking up something from the ground, my blouse ripped in half. I was super embarrassed, and my sister’s laughter did not help my emotions at all. Looking back at it, it was actually a hilarious moment that I definitely will never forget. I also learned that a sewing machine is an essential item.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1190 Main Street Jupiter, Fl 33458
- Website: https://www.fabbienation.com
- Phone: 817-818-8388
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabbienation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabbie.abbie.1
Image Credit:
Danzel Freelove
Shannon Bieniek
Suggest a story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
