TeKay Designs specialises in ethnic bridal and maternity gowns, pageant and formal dresses, ethnic wear and jewellery. Some of the brand’s pieces have clothed celebrities like Tennis superstar Serena Williams, Actress Ashley Rickards, Nollywood Actress Chinwe Isaac and, Ms.
America 2013 Chiniqua Pettaway.
Wreh’s creations have been featured on major fashion shows including New York Fashion Week, Couture Fashion Week New York, Dallas International Fashion Show, Africa Fashion Week Houston, Houston Fashion Week and The Ultimate Wedding Showcase in New York.
In October 2014, Wreh was awarded the
Best Fashion Designer, Best Couture Designer, Best Bridal Designer 2014 from Houston Fashion Week and The National Spinal Cord Injury Foundation. In addition, she recently received the Top Designer 2014 Award from D-Mars and Fashion Designer of the Year award from the Ward Educational Foundation.
All these she credits to God, her amazing team in Ghana and the influence gained from the US.
In a recent interview, Kimma Wreh she shared with Ventures Africa her amazing journey towards becoming a famous figure in the fashion industry, her experience as a female entrepreneur and plans for the future.
Congratulations on your new award(s)! What will you say you have done well over the years that has ushered you to this stage of your career?
Thank you. My faith in God and support from my family has been most instrumental in bringing me to this stage of my career. It has been a long and challenging journey, and many years of hard work. Having a compelling vision that I strongly believed in has been a key factor to where I am today. My Creative team, associates and customers can feel and see the passion that I have for designing, and it shows in the designs that I produce. No matter what project I take on (big or small), I want the best results and put my best foot forward. I treat everyone with respect and that resonates with my team, customers, suppliers and fans.
How long have you been in the fashion industry and what inspired your the move into this sector?
I have been in the fashion industry in the U.S. since 1996. I started TeKay Designs as a custom online business with my sister and we provided our own brand of custom African-inspired and maternity designs via our website. In the early days, I was focused a lot more on running and managing the business. However my turning point was in 1991 when I travelled to Ghana and designed the Sankofa collection of African bridal attire and jewellery for men, women and children. I spent about 4 months in Ghana working with a team of skilled embroiderers and tailors to bring the collection to production. This served as a catalyst and I vowed to show the world the beauty of culture and showcase African and ethnic designs across the globe.
Your area of design is quite interesting and unique. Why did you choose to design traditional African wears?
Although my designs employ usage of African embroidery and fabrics, my collection is a blend of multi-cultures primarily African and European with some Asian influences. The gown silhouettes are very modern and flattering. I think, sleep and dream about fashion, and my love of Africa shows in my work. African-inspired fashion appeals to me especially couture bridal and formal wear.
Photography by Grady Carter
Ethnic bridal and formal attire is a profitable market. Since I can produce clothing for the entire bridal party to match their theme or colors, this capability is quite appealing to my customers. My customers appreciate the fact that most of my designs are unique with customization and rush delivery.
What has been the reception for your designs? Would you say there is a thriving market for African designs such as yours in other countries outside Africa?
The reception for my designs in Africa and the US has been very warm and I am pleased with how people embrace and support my fashions. Sales have steadily increased year over year due to increase in events, advancements in social media, and word of mouth endorsements. About 50 percent of my sales come from outside the U.S. in countries such as Canada, the Caribbean, U.K., Australia and Ghana.
The demand is strong for the type of African and ethnic designs that I offer. This includes bride and groom’s attire with matching clothes for the entire bridal party. I’m also advancing into pageant, evening and red carpet gowns via a line that I recently launched named the “Crown Collection”. Customers come to me for non-typical clothing that can be created in choice of fabrics, colors, sizes, etc. Most of my customers want something unique with a touch of culture but still modern and flattering. My customers are primarily African-American and people of African descent residing in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Europe.
Can you please walk us through the creative process of designing some of your designs? How long does it take to go from drawing board to the actual design?
One of my elaborate couture dresses made with beaded lace can take 2 to 3 months to complete. Designs that utilise more delicate and expensive fabric, hand beading and hand stitching take the most time.
Let’s take the “Crown Collection” as an example which took about 12 months from concept to production. When I started designing this collection in 2013, I created a mood board comprising fabrics, trims, jewellery, architecture and items that I found intriguing. I also studied the colors for the following season. After several trips to the library, and hours of research into consumer tastes and trends, I worked on sketching each design followed by color illustrations. My design team and I reviewed all the looks in the collection and we selected the best designs (those that we felt had highest market appeal). The sketches were followed by colour illustrations and flats showing front and back of each design. The process of preparing the flat also involved determining all the materials needed to create the design (fabric, trim, and supplies like zipper, button, thread and interfacing).
This is one of the most exciting part of the design because the materials can make or break the design. I spent hours in various fabric stores in Houston, flew to Los Angeles, and sourced fabrics and trims from Australia, India, Europe and Ghana. After matching the fabric, trim or embroidery design to each dress, I worked with my Creative team of Seamstresses to produce the dresses. Some samples were made in Houston Texas and others were made at my Design and Embroidery operation in Ghana. We usually make the pattern when producing the sample garment. When the first prototype (base sample) is ready for fitting, my fit model attends a fitting and this is where the design comes to life on a person. A fit test is conducted where the model walks in the garment, sits and we review all aspects of the dress to ensure that the prototype matches the initial design. At this stage, design changes may be needed to ensure a good fit and for the design to be viable which can lead to adjustments in the fabric, trim, sketches, illustrations, flats, pattern and the sample. Steps from designing to production involves sketching, illustrations, production sample, model fittings, design and sample adjustments, patterns and sample dress.
What is it about Africa that you find interesting as a fashion designer? How much does the African culture affect your design?
I see Africa as a melting pot of cultures. The continent of Africa is huge and some cultural aspects are publicized while others are not. My goal is to produce fashions that incorporate some aspect of culture from each region of Africa. I have an abundance of designs from West Africa due to my Liberian roots and my Ghana operations. I have also incorporated Maasai jewellery, fabric and design concepts from East Africa into my various collections. I intend to continue expanding and touching more African cultures and ethnic groups in my designs over time.
You are practically based in the United States but your designs of Africa origin. How do you stay in tune with what is happening here in Africa?
TeKay Designs is an international fashion label which allows us to be adaptive and innovative. We review the trends, new fabrics, new embroidery, and advancements in fashion. I consult with my Creative team in Ghana and read magazines to understand what’s going on in fashion. In Ghana, we work with certain traders who procure fabric that is not commonly found in the market place. For example we have specialized weavers in Nigeria who hand weave our Aso-Ake using high quality gilded threads. We hire the best embroiderers who are innovative, highly skilled and have attention to detail.
I made a concerted effort to include East African influences in my designs, particularly Kenya via the Maasai tribe. That’s why when a trader and business associate travelled to Kenya last year, I sent funds to purchase the Maasai jewellery (headpieces, necklaces, bracelet, and earrings), and kangas. The result was a collection of Spring/Summer outfits with Maasai influences, a bridal gown made of a white cape and a dress beaded with Maasai earrings.
My Creative team spans 2 continents (Africa and America). It has advantages and disadvantages including communication delays however we use the “What’s Up” app and Skype for immediate response. Recently, I had a friend who travelled to South Africa and she brought back a headpiece that is representative of the Zulu tribe.
Do you have plans to move to Africa in the future?
I will love to visit other African countries and regions that I have been reading about including South Africa and North Africa. I will also consider retiring in Africa some day but that’s a long way out.
The African fashion industry has evolved over the years. Where do you see the industry in the nearest future and what more can be done to move the industry forward?
The African fashion industry has evolved tremendously over the years. I see more textile manufacturers physically based in certain countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, etc. This has been a plus for local garment manufacturers and designers. Where I see the most challenge is in building a sustainable and repeatable manufacturing process that operates with a high degree of quality and precision. Producing clothing in Africa that meets or exceed US or European standards can be challenging. Designers who are not living in the African country where their operation is located, have to employ people who can be trusted to handle the financials and the operations. That’s the risk involved with being an entrepreneur.
As a mother and an entrepreneur, what’s your typical day like? How do you balance the home front and the demands that come with being a successful entrepreneur?
To sum it all in one word, hectic. That’s how I will describe my typical day. I work 2 jobs, and am a single Mom with 2 little kids (ages 7 and 9). Fortunately my Mom helps me a lot with my kids and I thank God for her support every day. My day typically starts around 6 am and ends at mid-night. In the morning, I get up around 6 am, help get my kids ready for school, prepare their breakfast and put them on the school bus. Then I work a 8 hour job (non fashion related). I split my evenings, week-ends and holidays with family and my business. It’s a juggling act as my kids have after-school programs like Kumon and school functions such as Reading or Math Night. In the evening, I also follow up on emails, orders and business phone calls. I also spend time buying fabric and materials for my designs, and working with my Seamstresses in the evening. Prior to and during fashion week or fashion shows, I’m busy doing fittings and rehearsals with models, and preparing for the shows. Communicating with my Tailoring Manager in Ghana at early hours of the morning is very common for me. I typically get four hours of sleep per night. 8 hours of sleep is a luxury.
What is the single most important lesson you have learnt in your career?
Strive to be the best you can be. Do your research, get advice, and treat others like you will want to be treated.
What are the future plans you have for Tekay?
I hope to open a TeKay Designs flagship store in major cities in the U.S., and have my gowns retail in Nigeria. I also plan to increase my community outreach, continue working with the disadvantaged, and launch my own fashion shows next year where I can continue showcasing my new collections.
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