Adele Dejak: Inspired by Africa

Adele Dejak is one of Nairobi’s most successful African inspired jewellery designers. Wambui Kibue caught up with her to discover the story behind her success.

Growing up, did you want to be an accessories designer?
I have always been interested in fashion. I started collecting African beads at the age of five. My mother wore beautiful African wax outfits every day and was the most stylish woman around. Her love of African textiles was passed down to me.

I became seriously involved in 2005 when I founded my company Magik Grace Art and Design Ltd. I started off with one staff member and now I have 30 permanent employees who play different roles in my company and I also work with other independent small-scale artisans with whom I have cultivated long term business relations.

What did were you doing before you ventured into fashion?

I worked as a creative director for a magazine. After my studies in England, where I worked for a few years, I decided I wanted to pursue my passion and dream to develop my creative side and design unique statement pieces.

And how did you make the transition to accessory design?

I had toyed with the idea of jewellery designing for many years; in fact a good friend in London was a well-known jewellery designer and insisted I should follow my dream but I didn’t feel I was good enough or talented enough and I lacked a lot of self confidence in starting a fashion line.

I also had a few friends in Nairobi who insisted I start a business since every piece I created for my own personal were in huge demand.

Later on a chance meeting with a friend at a party sparked a new beginning.

My first exposure was at a Craft Fair in Nairobi and then I opened a shop which did quite well. As they say, the rest is history.

What is the Adele Dejak brand about?
The brand is about pieces for the modern sophisticated woman. I design pieces that enhance a woman’s beauty through their exquisite colour. I am on a never-ending quest for an essential artifact to enhance the personality of the woman who wears it.

Do you visualise the consumer as you design?

Yes I do visualise them because at the end of the day I create for the consumer.

What is your design process?

I design the original piece as a drawing or create shapes out of moulding plastacin. I then get my artisans to replicate the shapes, usually in horn or cast aluminium and brass. This is where the hard work is undertaken and patience required since a handmade prototype can take even up to 10 trials before a piece is good enough to be given the final go-ahead.

What is your passion?
My passion has always been design, art and photography.

Have you always been inspired/ influenced by the African continent?

Yes I have. Africa has always been my key inspiration for my collections. It offers diversity, rich culture and amazing history.

You collaborated with top design house Salvatore Ferragamo for the Bags For Africa charity initiative in 2012, how was that experience?

It has obviously been a high for the brand. The collaboration was a success.

What do you like most about Africa, particularly Kenya where you set up base?

Kenya is such a beautiful country. It has a sense of belonging, rich culture and diversity which is a source of inspiration for our collections.

What challenges have you faced growing your business both as a designer and entrepreneur?

Outsourcing professional talent. There is a huge gap between the quality of services we seek as a luxury brand and the quality available locally. From photography, website development, PR consultants right down to the local suppliers of raw material. There is lack of professionalism, a lack of consistent high quality and unreliable delivery. I have had to start all photographic work myself as photographers don’t always follow the brief or are not good enough.

What words of wisdom can you share with young, up and coming designers?

Passion is the driving engine for anything you want to achieve in life. Even when things do not always turn exactly as you had planned, never ever give up.

What is your greatest achievement as a designer?

Being invited to participate in the Design Africa Network (DNA) collaboration, our participation at Milan Vogue Talents in 2012 and our collaboration with Salvatore Ferragamo have obviously been a high for the brand, but my recent participation at the #AmazeAfrica Samsung project in October 2013 was really amazing and just made all the hard work very worthwhile.

You recently launched a new campaign My heart beats Africa, what is the inspiration and message behind it?

The campaign is about sharing and celebrating the extensive diversity that Africa has to offer through images, fashion, music and art as well as urging all Africans to embrace their identities and sharing positive vibes.

You also just released a new line, Almaz, what is that about?

Almaz the collection is inspired by hope and strength and the gift that is the African continent, its cultures and its beauty.

The name Almaz is derived from the Amharic name meaning diamonds which is symbolic to the continent because the African beauty grows stronger under pressure.

Are you living your dream?

Not yet but getting there.

Have a lovely week beautiful people.