#YemziGirl Feature 38 (April) - Priscillia - Womenswear Designer and Y – YEMZI

#YemziGirl Feature 38 (April) - Priscillia - Womenswear Designer and YouTuber

October 17, 2022

#YemziGirl Interview April, Priscillia, Womenswear Designer and YouTuber

Please describe what you do, where you are from (and your age if you feel comfortable)

I am a women's wear designer, with a YouTube channel where I share the journey behind garment creation. When I'm not filming or sewing, I run sewing/pattern classes. I'm Nigerian from Delta state (southern Nigeria). I turn 29 in August this year.

You've just got married, congrats! Did you make your wedding attire?
Yes I just married my best friend with a beautiful soul in March back in Nigeria traditionally. I had four outfit changes but only made one of the dresses. The fabrics for the other outfits were bought in Nigeria, so it was a hassle to send them here for me to use.

Where did you study your craft?
I studied Design & Art at West London College back in 2014. I then went on to study Fashion design BA in 2015-2017 at the same school.

Which do you enjoy most - design, patterncut or sew?
I find the entire process very fulfilling. One really cannot exist without the other. When you design a dress, you have to know what type of fabric you want to work with, a crucial point necessary for pattern making. So I choose all three.

You designs are elegant and fun, where do you take inspo?
I find people and art very inspiring. I could spot a really lovely detail on a jacket worn by a total stranger, this stays on my mind and blossoms into a design with time. I also have social media and other creatives (designers, photographers etc) to thank. There is so much inspiration online. I spend hours on Pinterest and Instagram just feeding my creative side.

Who is your favourite fashion designer?
She is a Nigerian designer called Andrea Iyamah. Her designs are so well made & chic

Do you think it's important for aspiring fashion designers to study in an institute or do you feel they can be well equipped for a successful career by watching informative and engaging videos like yours?
It depends on where you aim to reach. I say having the formal education preps you with all the theory and information that will be applied when you learn at internships/or online. But nothing beats working under an established designer to gain first hand industry experience. Be it staying relevant as a designer, managing production, real customers or knowing proper garment construction, you learn all these and more when you work/intern at a fashion design studio. So I say if you can afford to go a fashion institute, go for it but it isn't enough to build you into a designer. Also you wouldn't learn how to deal with real clients from YouTube videos, you have to actually meet and work with them.

I love that you are always challenging yourself with new styles and reworking older ones. What style would you love to make that you haven't attempted yet?

I haven't tried bridal wear yet, I need to improve my corset making knowledge for this.

You are a lady of many talents. What advice would you give to someone interested in running a successful Youtube channel?
Be prepared to work smart. Working hard doesn't cut it today. Find a field that you are interested in and discover a unique way to explore this field. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. It might be your personality, editing style or technique that clearly sets you apart from everyone on YouTube. Another important factor when starting out is to be focused & consistent. When you've found your area of interest, stick to this and consistently put out content. People will recognise you soon when they know what you are about. Branding and video quality help to improve your audience's experience whenever they land on your channel.

What has been your greatest career achievement so far?
Reaching 100k subscribers on YouTube was a special moment for me. All the long hours of editing and sewing started paying off. Getting my own studio space was amazing too. This meant I had my own working area to meet clients, film, design and be myself creatively.