SOMETHING IN-SANE: Q&A WITH MIMI VINTAGE

JUST TELLING FROM THE PICTURE ABOVE YOU CAN TELL WHAT AN AWESOME TIME I HAD INTERVIEWING MIMI AGBOBU, THE FOUNDER OF MIMI VINTAGE - A COZY, SOPHISTICATED VINTAGE BOUTIQUE IN CAPE TOWN, LONG STREET.

Q&A WITH MIMI VINTAGE

HOW DID MIMI VINTAGE COME ABOUT?

RIGHT FROM DAY ONE I LOVED FASHION, BEAUTY AND STYLE. I WAS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THAT DIFFERENT PIECE THAT IS NOT COMMON. I ALWAYS WANTED TO WEAR MY OWN UNIQUE STYLE, SIMPLE BUT SOPHISTICATED. I COULD ENTER ANY CLOTHING SHOP BUT WILL COME OUT WITH A STUNNING PIECE. A PIECE WHEN I COMBINED TOGETHER WITH MY OWN SENSE OF UNIQUENESS, YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MUCH I PAID FOR IT OR WHERE DID I GET IT FROM, RIGHT FROM THE CHILDHOOD.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO OPEN MY OWN STORE BUT FEAR ALWAYS CAUGHT UP WITH ME. ASKING MYSELF HOW I'M GOING TO DO IT, IN 2012 GOD TOLD ME TO START MY BUSINESS IN MY EMPTY ROOM BUT THAT TIME SOMEBODY WAS OCCUPYING IT. SO I WAS CONTRADICTING WITH GOD, HOW YOU CAN SAY THAT WHEN YOU KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE OCCUPYING THE ROOM? BUT A WEEK LATER THE COUPLE TOLD ME THEY ARE LEAVING.

IN 2013 I OFFICIALLY REGISTERED MY BUSINESS THEN 2014 THAT’S WHEN I STARTED IT IN MY GARAGE. BUT I COULDN'T ADVERTISE FREELY AS I WAS STAYING IN A RENTAL APARTMENT SO NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO RUN BUSINESS IN THE PREMISES. APRIL 2015 I GOT THE SHOP, WHERE I'M CURRENTLY IN NOW

WHAT KIND OF CLOTHING WILL YOU FIND IN MIMI VINTAGE?

MIMI VINTAGE CLOTHING IS ALL ABOUT VINTAGE. THAT PERFECT DRESS, UNIQUE, SOPHISTICATED, FEMININE LOOK YOU CAN'T GET IT ANYWHERE, IT’S MIXED WITH URBAN FOR THOSE ARE NOT TOO MUCH INTO A VINTAGE STYLE.

WHAT DRIVES YOU ON A DAILY BASIS?

WHAT DRIVES ME IS THE FACT THAT I WAKE UP GOING TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE MOST. THE PASSION EVERY DAY BRINGS GREAT EXPERIENCE.

WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES AND YOUR GREATEST POCKETS OF SUCCESS?

MY CHALLENGES ARE WHEN I DON'T GET THE RIGHT SIZE IN A PARTICULAR ITEM THAT IS ON DEMAND. ALSO CHALLENGES IN PRICES, BECAUSE OF CURRENT RAND VALUE I HAVE TO INCORPORATE IN MY RANGE LESS COSTLY GARMENTS AND NOT ONLY EXPENSIVE ITEMS AS SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY A CERTAIN PRICE.

AND MY GREATEST POCKET OF SUCCESS IS MY FLEXIBILITY AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF TREND AND SEASONS. UNDERSTANDING WHEN SOME TRENDS ARE ON THE DECLINE. THIS HELPS IN OFFERING A RANGE THAT IS ALMOST GUARANTEED IN SALES AND OF COURSE KEEPS YOUR CUSTOMERS COMING BACK FOR MORE.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THOSE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER IN FASHION TODAY?

THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS VERY WIDE SO BE SURE OF WHAT YOU WANT. AND BE ABLE TO TAKE RISK. GO AND LEARN ALL THE SKILLS BECAUSE THE INDUSTRY IS NOT EASY AND THERE IS TOO MUCH COMPETITION. LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING. TO CONCLUDE, TRUST GOD - HE IS THE AUTHOR AND THE FINISHER OF YOUR FAITH.