Journey to the runway
Ayotunde is the CEO and co-founder of Jendaya: a luxury, people-powered e-commerce marketplace. Their mission is to democratise luxury by empowering diverse designers, curating through culture and shipping globally, being the first platform to prioritise the continental African shopper and thus open up new markets for luxury designers.
PWR:
What are three words you use to describe yourself?
AR:
Passionate, Energetic and Thoughtful.
PWR:
Why Fashion? Why Jendaya?
AR:
"I’ve always had an interest in Fashion. Even when I was in secondary school, all my friends always told me I’d do something in Fashion. That stuck with me and even as I grew in my educational journey, I went to university and started my grad job in Banking, I always said I’d leave Banking to do something in Fashion, after ten years. But who knew it would be three years in and I’d decide to leave?..."
PWR:
What’s next with Jendaya and what’s next with you??
AR:
"As you know we are working hard towards launching our e-com pilot. Our pilot has been in two stages. Pilot stage one was the content and website trying to get everyone familiar with us to build customer rapport. Now pilot stage two is the e-com pilot, the invite only pilot where shoppers who’ve been invited can shop. They’ll be able to shop the exclusive e-commerce pilot we’ve been working on. And be able to shop the trunk show we’re going to be working on as part of the brand. That’s next, that’s the immediate things we’re going to be working on for the next few weeks."...
...I was like it’s a great idea but you’re never going to validate it and you’re never going to make any progress unless you start. And the way to start is to try and simplify it and just put yourself out there and do something about that idea you have, rather than just thinking about it and talking about it, just start."
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