FASHTALKS WITH KENTEMUST

How did your brand come to be?

It’s a coincidence! After an umpteenth trip to Ghana in 2018, I come face to face with extraordinary Kente fabrics and from there I tell myself that I finally need to create my brand. It will be born on 19/07/2020.

What brand values are most important to your brand?

I chose the Adinkra symbols as my values.

They are strong concepts in Ghanaian culture. The first and most important is Sankofa associated with the proverb 'come back and take it'. This symbol talks about looking towards our past but while moving forward. It’s very powerful!

Then the next value is heart. This Adinkra symbol represents passion. Doing things with heart, always.

The third value is the symbol Nkyinkyimil represents changes and embodies the following values: initiative, dynamism, and versatility. If I chose this symbol to represent Kentemust it is because it describes well the goal of Kentemust: to take the initiative to do something different, something that resembles me by laying solid foundations.

"They are strong concepts in Ghanaian culture. The first and most important is Sankofa associated with the proverb 'come back and take it'. This symbol talks about looking towards our past but while moving forward. It’s very powerful!"

What inspired you to become a designer?

What inspired me are the strong colors on Kente and my history. My ancestors and what they have made so far.

How did the brand’s name come to be?

I chose a portmanteau word Kentemust, the best of Kente. Kente is the fabric traditionally worn by our kings that has gradually become more widespread.

When was your first industry experience, and how did it impact you?

I think it was the Made in France fair! It's something big, +100 000 customers and +10 000 exhibitors. A big event to have the biggest visibility.

What sets your brand apart from the rest?

Pieces are made from scratch and are therefore original. The fabric is handwoven or embroidered for us.

What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?

For the moment, my biggest accomplishment has been the creation of my brand then I had really good interviews on the radio, on podcasts and be invited to nice events to talk about KenteMust.

What are some challenges you’ve had to overcome with your brand?

Find the best sewers through Paris has not been easy at first. I had to try a lot before accepting to work with someone who had the quality Iwaited for.

How do you gather feedback from your customers, and how does that influence product development?

Customer feedback is gathered during events. we enjoy organizing events so that people can see the parts, try them on and give us feedback.

Online, customers also give their feedback and this allows us to advance on the quality of the products but also the customer service.

Besides your brand, what are you passionate about?

I love music. I was a rap Mc and beatmaker for 15 years on stage and released two albums. That was a great experience along with my studies.

A bit hard to conciliate both but I loved it and had to do it. I'm also in love with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I train at least twice a week.

What are some daily habits or practices that help you stay productive and motivated?

I try to talk only positive words, have break moments and be motivated each mornings. That helps to manage properly my productivity.