 time we have our first interview of the day and our guest for today is well I'm trying to look for the right words for this one because Yanyi he is a serial entrepreneur he's an entertainment enthusiast he's a fashion designer he is international he's not just Kenyan he's literally international and he goes by the name Dennis Dennis how you doing this morning very good good to see you thank you so much for coming through glad that you could make time to be with us today all right so without wasting any more time I'll just I would kindly let you introduce yourself I didn't think I did justice to you right there so kindly please introduce yourself one one more time okay my name is Dennis Osadebe I'm from Nigeria but based in Dubai I'm a fashion designer and also I make movies right yes I've seen that and your company didi they and they and they all did it all right and they all right tell us about that how did that come into place how did when did you found it what was the inspiration behind it just give us a little background yeah the endic Colton was given bad in 2016 in in the UAE before then we were into movies back in Nigeria and you know when you're making movie there's a lot of costumes and there's a lot of things that you have to do so but seeing that most of the things that we do everything comes from Western world yeah and that is what prompt me to say no that I don't want to do this anymore and I want to go into fashion and that is why we give better our brand in Dubai all right and I would imagine when you're in Nigeria you're you're working with this company that produces movies I guess you are always the one who's working on costumes like you would see maybe the cast members you look at the style of the movie and you're like no no no I don't think this is going to work with her I don't I think we should do this you should do that did you ever find yourself doing that like customizing their clothes right before they start shooting did you ever do that maybe that's where you realize that you know what maybe should concentrate more on fashion actually it's my company yeah I give back to the company it's called DCS entertainment right and I started that company 2008 in Nigeria and then with effects that were using Z7 you know we have very nice and then we're using Protoss 003 and we find out that even when we're making movies that because when we're doing that there was nothing like YouTube there was nothing like so you need to print CDs you need to do something when you're looking for so certain kind of costumes you know you watch an American movie you see that the costume designer will create it from scratch but then we can do that so those are the things that we look at we said no we cannot continue this way the Africa has to change and we have to change the mindset of the people and we start creating our own custom locally then and from there the inspiration came for fashion designer right and you create African prints but in Western style tell us about that how does that work yeah we started with Ankara Ketengi like Masai but you see most time when people hear about African brands so the perspective is okay just look at this kind of local fabric so we we decide to change their mindset so most of the things that we do we now modernize our normal African Ankara to Western so presently now we are printing our own fabric and we are taking it to the next level right and your company D&D is the only legally registered African prints company in the UAE how did you know about that yeah because when we came in then there is no most of the Africans are bringing fabric just from Africa to showcase in Dubai and then we went around there is no any African brand then so we're the first to register it then in UAE and we're the also first to launch it there yeah you have African shows you have different kind of shows from Africa but it's not like a brand right that is by African register but now we have few tanker we have like I think last year we have like two different African brand are coming which is very good and we're proud to see that as well right at least the industry is growing you're getting some competition and that keeps you on your toes it keeps you walking so that's great and also being a fashion designer you have to be fashionable yourself right so maybe you can tell us about your style how would you describe your style as Deniz how what comes to your mind when you think fashion what comes to your mind as Deniz you see where I'm coming from like Nigeria you know most of Nigeria's are very fashionista but me as a person why we decide to create our own our own sizes right now because you know most African men have Tommy so what we do is that yeah yeah so what we do we decide to create our own a little bit longer than normal usual shares so we create our own style that is very interesting that if you see even our shares our take shares is a little bit like one two inch longer than normal sizes so it's something that anybody can rock it and it's amazing right now everybody thinks they know fashion everybody have their own style in fashion and I don't know if you told me to describe fashion I would have my own definition but today is not about me so to you what does fashion mean to you when someone thinks fashion when someone talks fashion what does that mean to you personally fashion is food you know if really you're into it because the way you eat food that is how you want to look good and you know looking good is a good business yeah so for us fashion is something that we want to take to the next level you know fashion is something that Africa still believe in this kind of farm you know yes people are not encouraging you that much because an african brand when you see it oh it's not original it's not days but we're changing that mindset that is why we decide as well as industry we decide to go with the best we decide to go with the best fabrics from Europe from Italy we decide to go with fabric from London so we are working with different vendors that supply same company that supply for example Gucci a fabric is the same company that we buy fabric from right hold a feed yeah and I would imagine like it's a struggle and coming up with a design being a fashion designer you know being a stylist is different we'll just go pick someone else's clothes and then you see do they fit and stuff right now being a designer means you create something from scratch yes tell us about that how do you have to be in the how does that happen the creative process behind that what's the inspiration how do you get inspired I would want to be my for me is imbued is something that fakes you the first needs to have a passion in what you're doing because if you don't have passion in what you're doing you cannot be able to reach anywhere so what we do is that when we wake up sometimes we decide to check which are the biggest brand we have in this world then we pick ten biggest brand and what motivate them to be a big a big brand so we go back to our draw blood and then we decide to scale in something in African way because apart from you being a fashion designer you need to tell the story of Africa so that is why you see even our print also has something that comes from Africa we're not just printing so we have different kind of historical story that we embed into the system of our fabric before we bring it to reality right and you talked about bigger brands being motivated and doing great and the reason why they are staying at the top so what motivates you what motivated as D&D what keeps you motivated what keeps you going despite all the challenges I can imagine there are many what keeps you motivated and going what keeps me is you see in now and in the world we live in today Africa is left behind you understand so when you see brand like Gucci like I can even use Zara as an example you see every African where Zara every African where Louis Vuitton they wear different kind of bramble where is this African brand that the world is wearing that is my question every day where is this brand that I can say okay this brand is originated from Africa that the whole world is wearing yes you understand in my own understanding I didn't find one and these are our motivation these are our push and today by the grace of God already our brand is selling all over the world that is amazing that's great inspiration even to the people who are watching at home maybe they want to get into the same industry I think that you that could really drive them and right just that what we're talking about people watching at home and someone wanting to become a designer what do you think someone needs to have because and you don't I don't think you would just wake up one day and you're like you know what I'm becoming a designer we're not going to school without even having any background in that you just wake up and you're like I'll be a designer I think it's a field that has money and I want to have some of this money to you what do you think someone should have in order to become a designer courage boldness believes right because without believing in yourself nobody will believe in you face you need to believe in yourself you need to believe in your ability and what you can be able to do and see yourself beyond just Kenya if you're from Kenya see yourself beyond East Africa see yourself beyond Africa see yourself beyond for example even Africa and what Middle East you understand because when you wake up one day and look at yourself and ask yourself question where do you want to see yourself in the next three years where do you want to see yourself in the next six years so those are the aim that fix you need to absorb inside you then you can create your drawing board the road is not easy it's never easy but if you believe in yourself I think the sky just the beginning right yeah I only told you we've talked about Zara you talked about Gucci and one thing these big brands have the main problem they have is the knockoffs they fly the end of the market we've seen people wear adidas you see the main companies adidas but then they lose a lot because people will rather wear the cheap knockoffs is that a challenge you're facing currently do you ever have someone it's a design this came from you you made this from scratch and you have a price that this brand is going for but then you find someone with the same design by selling cheaper do you ever face such yeah we we from the beginning yes we do that because they're wasting just no man car and you know no man car anybody can buy it in the market when you create something that is amazing and you take a lot of time to do that before you know it's already in the market same design so that is why we decided now to start creating our own print so that is why we're doing our own whatever we produce today must have one a logo so these are the things that now yes you can copy it but before you come to a change again before you come to a change again so those are the things that we are pushing now yeah for instance let's say you come up with a design that you really like and someone produces it and then hits the market he's making more money than you do you have anything legally like do you have anything like that can protect you in if you know this is the company that's doing the same thing that I'm doing and they're selling it for cheaper legally are you able to sue them or once they in the market there's nothing you can do yeah for sure if you notice that they are using your name you can sue them right but if they are creating their own design with whatever whatever you don't have your design yes you don't have any right to do that but if somebody use your name and you find out definitely you can sue that company right yeah okay and I understand right now it's been tough for everybody in all sectors all businesses were affected because of COVID we can imagine so not so many shows like people do virtual shows we don't attend as many events as before has it affected you as D&D has it affected you personally yes it does because we we came into Kenya and also we made this pandemic right because we came last year by January was putting tests in order by March April the 10th came and it affect us even from now we have not even launched officially like because we plan to do runway for example we are two or two fifty models right so up till now we're still looking at the enabling environment I can give us a chance to to exhibit and also show East Africa our product right so I never think is that fashion keeps evolving every single day we have new styles new designs coming up in the market so how do you keep yourself updated with the current trends yeah we we are even we're even running faster than because you see normally brands create to collection in a year but what we do now we're trying to see how we create for collection in a year because Africa still need to know exactly what is going on and embrace you know their story which is a breeze you're buying also made in Africa so those are the things that we are as well pushing you know for people to also encourage us because you know when you buy made in Africa you're encouraging the fashion designers to do more so you're boosting your morale to create something that is amazing yeah presently now in Kenya what we're doing mostly is wedding we're doing a lot of wedding because also we have different kind of team that is amazing here right now you've lived in Nigeria in Dubai you're now in Kenya I can imagine you've met all sorts of people with different backgrounds even artists big international artists so who can you see you've dressed that is so big everybody knows them you could even believe that they wanted you to dress them do you have that one person in mind I did in Nigeria I've dressed different artists I've dressed different big artists I've been different movie actors and in Kenya also I've dressed one of your big stars as well Jeff Konanke I've dressed Eugene Imalue I've dressed through love magazine I've dressed a lot of people here as well you know I've dressed Eric he has come to my place I've dressed yeah so many and as you wind up because of time I would love to know what has been the highlight like the highest moment you like you've got that you're like you know what this is the reason why did this just give us that one moment yeah that one moment was when we involve in a world fashion award right and we came out number three yes yes it was Italy came out face would be in America would be different kind of people because our designs was something that nobody believed you know coming from an African inspiration and this kind of thing is moving so those are the things that also give us this big as it so that means if this can happen so we start seeing ourself beyond just Dubai or Africa so now we're having representative in US in Singapore Singaporeans are wearing our address so this also gives you yeah so this also gives you the zeal that no matter what it takes hard work pays you know with time you always report you so right exactly alright so um before you go we want to know what are you guys planning do you have anything coming out that is big that people can check it out what is the future what people should people expect where what's the future of D&D well for now D&D has the best suits in the world right I can say so our suit is something that is amazing and it's also fast-selling we're selling more than 200 pieces in a week our suit is selling in America like crazy and I imagine it's cheaper than the Italian suit yeah it is and also have the same Italian standard right because also in Kenya here we also brought S-patriots you know so we train our local people here and they are doing amazing job yeah so you check out in our suit and check out our bomber jacket is first-office kind by the way amazing yes we love that alright so thank you so much for coming through and I know there are people who are like okay now Dennis you've talked about suits you've talked about all these things now where do we find them so you do you have a website do you have social media what do people find that we do D&D clothing you know our website also is D&D clothing so it's D then and D or just DD any which way you find us other D&D slash D you can see fine clothing yes across all social media across all social media oh that's amazing we love that thank you so much for coming through do you have any shoutouts I can see you brought up friends maybe shout outs and to the guys maybe who are watching the show before you go yeah shattered my biggest inspiration is my woman who is around me she also motivated me to do more right you understand she made me see beyond my ability understand because before I was looking I just look at content or whatever to see just in a way but when she came into my life she opened your eyes I see myself now beyond even imagination yeah imagine that Nash unless you're like Nash is okay you can see him but we're gonna be talking about it you see what they say behind every successful mind there is a woman so shout out to her for making you a shout out to you for recognizing her now we're still here the hashtag is it's our cute alright thank you so much for staying tuned we're gonna take a very short break but we are coming right back we have a lot more show for you ahead thank you so much Danny's for coming through we appreciate so much