Towbee Stitches Expands Beyond Fashion, Trains Next Generation Of Designers

Towbee Stitches, a Nigerian bespoke fashion brand, is expanding its impact beyond garment production by investing in skills development and entrepreneurship, as it trains aspiring designers to build sustainable fashion businesses.

Founder of the brand, Oluwatobi Felicia Ojo, said the company’s vision extends beyond creating bespoke outfits and bridal wear to empowering young Nigerians with practical fashion and business skills needed to succeed in the industry.

Speaking on the philosophy behind the brand, Oluwatobi said fashion should serve as a tool for identity, confidence and self-expression rather than merely providing clothing.

She explained that since launching Towbee Stitches less than a decade ago, the brand has grown to serve clients across Nigeria and the diaspora through its bespoke collections, with every outfit tailored to individual specifications.

According to her, the company deliberately focuses on bespoke fashion to provide personalised solutions for clients seeking outfits that combine quality, comfort and durability.

“Bespoke is slow, deliberate and personal,” she said. “We solve problems for our clients rather than just selling clothes.”

Beyond serving customers, Oluwatobi said Towbee Stitches is addressing the shortage of practical skills in Nigeria’s fashion industry through structured apprenticeship programmes.

She noted that while many aspiring designers possess creativity and technical ability, they often lack essential business knowledge in areas such as pricing, customer management, production planning, finance and quality control.

“At Towbee Stitches, trainees work on live customer orders, gaining practical experience in pattern drafting, fabric sourcing, customer relations and business management.

“Teaching someone to sew is one thing. Teaching them to survive as a business owner is another,” she said.

According to her, several graduates of the programme have established their own fashion businesses, creating employment opportunities across the industry’s value chain.

Oluwatobi said the brand’s contribution to entrepreneurship development earned it the 2023 Skywise Entrepreneurship Grant, which enabled the company to upgrade production equipment, expand its workspace and strengthen its mentorship programme.

“It told me the work we are doing matters beyond fashion,” she said.

She, however, identified unreliable electricity supply, rising fabric costs, import delays and the retention of skilled artisans as some of the challenges facing fashion entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

Oluwatobi also said bespoke fashion continues to face competition from imported and mass-produced clothing, prompting the company to educate customers on the value of craftsmanship while maintaining transparent pricing and quality standards.

“Excellence is expensive, but mediocrity costs more,” she added.

Looking ahead, she disclosed that Towbee Stitches plans to expand its bridal collections, adopt more sustainable fabrics, strengthen its digital presence and introduce an online mentorship platform for aspiring designers.

She said the long-term goal is to build one of Nigeria’s most trusted fashion brands while producing more designers and entrepreneurs capable of transforming the country’s fashion industry.

“I don’t just want to leave behind clothes. I want to leave behind designers, entrepreneurs and clients who feel better because they met Towbee Stitches,” Oluwatobi added.