I’m back to share posts about my favorite senegalese creators!
This post is about a brand that some already know, and for the others, I think that you will like this discovery! I let you admire some of my favorite models, throughout the article!
I think Meya Boutique is no longer to present in Senegal, especially since she dresses some of the actors on the senegalese TV show Golden (shoutout to all those who contribute to this show! I love it !!!).
She was also recently interviewed by BBC Africa about the activity of her shop which is mostly online.
Who is MEYA?
She was kind enough to answer a few questions so I let you discover the passionate young woman behind Meya Boutique.
« I don’t make a difference between the personal and the professional, Meya Boutique has become my life and a lifestyle. It goes beyond the professional aspect.
I share my experiences that go beyond fashion with my clients and followers. It has unconsciously became a lifestyle account where I speak much of entrepreneurship too.
I share everything that seems useful to me with my followers'' quotes, good plans, collaborations '', my ads or activities that I do outside of Meya Shop.
I pose for myself to show the true side of things. Sometimes, I answer to clients at 2am so I do not work like the majority who dissociates the two. Meya boutique is the story of my life, it's real, it's me.»
The birth of the brand
I’ve been following Meya for a while and the evolution of her creations shows that she does not stop evolving. There are always a lot of new styles in every post on her Instagram page (click here to see her account).
«Meya Boutique is not a project that I wrote and executed, it's more an intuition, a feeling. This is an activity that I started in parallel with my regular job since 2015, over time I gained experience and decided to make it my main activity. It started like that ... There were ups and downs throughout this experience but passion and perseverance have always taken over. Subsequently it became serious given the orders and the number of people who began to trust me, I thought it was not a small business! so I decided to formalize. »
Inspirations
The first thing that I find remarkable with his clothes: versatility.
- It’s really flattering no matter the weight, the size, the origin of the person
- It's Hijab friendly, neither too revealing nor too prude
- It's for work, brunch, weekend, dinner, etc In short, easy to wear, easy to buy!
«I am inspired by women generally in their diversity and authenticity.
My basic style has always been the abaya and currently I decline it in several styles according to the circumstance:
with pants for a professional look, with sequins and a slit for an evening look for example ...
My best collaboration was with a young enthusiast photographer (Seydou Nourou Ly, Blackmozart his artist name -> his instagram here)
He just had his degree at that time. The experience sharing was rich and the work done with not much was magnificent and appreciated by all. Just to show that sometimes It's not just about materials and diplomas. Passion in my opinion remains the master word, it is a source of success assured. »
Activities and Goals
She is also very present on social networks, making her success grow!
Her customer service, availability and the speed that she executes orders are also proof of her success.
« My main activity is the management of my shop. I manage the entire process of the purchase of fabrics to the delivery of the outfit.
Apart from that, I sometimes make advertising contracts with certain companies.
My main goal is to convey a feeling of well-being and comfort to all those who will wear Meya Boutique and bring that to a national level.
I want all women to feel comfortable and with the style adopted by the brand. We wish that women can now dress without constraints, that they can feel beautiful and free without trusting the standards of beauty set by society.
In the long term, we are considering an expansion of the brand to share these values and this style internationally. »
Women's entrepreneurship
«I really think that all women should identify their passion, listen to themselves and conduct their own activity for their personal fulfillment. It feels good to be able to do things!
It's not difficult for me, I do not feel the difficulty to manage as a woman in Senegal because I love what I do and I want to do it until the end of my days!
It’s possible to live well your passion while having a balanced personal life.
Women are versatile in nature, in any situation we always do what we have to do.»
One last word?
«In Senegal you will always be told that you cannot, they will tell you it's saturated, it's already done! The truth is that people want you to be in a classic circuit, so that you will follow the rules of society.
This is not true for me, everyone has their place, just enough to tell their story through his project, to learn over time, to adjust, to have a real purpose besides profits, listen to your market or community and do your job well to succeed.
Let's be crazy! This is the foundation. You have to listen to yourself to get the right answers.
I wish with my passion to show that it is possible to succeed in an area where you don’t have any diploma or experience. The path is long but we do not finish learning, it's a question of will. I have never done a school of fashion design, I am a graduate in international management.
I would like to mark my time so that future generations will be able to push even further, to stop waiting for a miracle or for the Government to work. We all have a passion and a potential, let's exploit it! My speech does not change on this point. Let's be crazy, again! »
