How Rachel Bashabe of Veryldesigns found Recovery in Fashion.

The healing power of fashion is something we all know quite well. Especially from looking at the last decade where clothing and apparel have been used to convey a message. From climate change, me too and black lives matter, we have seen clothes become a formula. Rachel Bashabe, a designer whose bold African print designs are taking Europe by storm is no stranger to fashion’s healing power. For the last 4 years, she has used it to heal her mind, body and soul, and created channels for her community and other women (and men) to find their best selves. But it all began with pain therapy. Let’s dive into her story.

It was one of those sizzling hot Kampala days when Rachel and I met up for this chat. Arriving on time with her usual bubbly self, she is draped in a well-knit short-sleeved bold African print shirt made in material commonly known as Kitenge. She later tells me that the shirt is from the male section of her latest release, the Nambi Collection. How versatile!

Backstory

5 years ago, Rachel’s blossoming career in accounting ended when her doctor’s report noted a chronic reproductive health disorder called endometriosis and fibromyalgia with episodes of  synopses. The painful disease affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue linings of the pelvis. “Because of the long term complications of my health, I was put on indefinite sick leave. I could no longer work in the UK due to my health and because of the constant pains, my doctor said I had to start therapy,” she recalls, ‘pain therapy’.

After her 3rd operation, Rachel’s sister suggested to enroll her in a 6-week beginner’s course by Alonuko, one of London’s best wedding designers. Rachel took on the offer as pain therapy (pain therapy is aimed at distracting the mind and body from the conscious pain by shifting your mind onto something else). “When I started this journey, it was about therapy for me,” she says. While many of her course mates were business owners and designers who wanted a final boost to thrive in the fashion industry, Rachel was certainly there to forget the darting pains from her ovaries.

Veryldesigns

Little beknown to her, the pain would soon birth her first child Veryldesigns. “After the six weeks course, I started creating for myself. It was mostly trial and error but it was also popping,” she says. On deciding to work with African print, she recalls her zeal for the material dating back to when she was a child, “I used to see how African print was taken for granted. It was worn by the Kanga’s (Grandparents) while going to the garden. I often wondered why people don’t wear African print and hit the club or go to the party in the print? I made outfits for my friends and relatives, they would go out wearing my things and people asked where they came from. One by one, orders started to come in so I decided to come back home and figure out how to supply my growing market.”

Lockdown, Rebranding and Fashion week.

After setting up a solid team that would give her quality pieces on time, Rachel returned to London in 2020 to Launch her brand, but the lockdown kicked in shortly after. “This was a setback after I had spent a lot of money getting into John Lewis. I had to rebrand like any other business. We then pivoted on social media and influencer marketing strategies,” and it worked because people were falling in love with her brand.

Because of getting into John Lewis, someone from London Fashion Week Dm’ed us through our Instagram asking if we had a small collection to showcase (2 days to fashion week). That was in May 2021. And because of successfully showcasing London Fashion Week, we got asked to do the first-ever Black designers London fashion week in September.

Rachel was equally surprised at the first rise of her brand. “When I thought about my brand being at New York Fashion Week, I thought it would be in about five years, so when it happened a few months later, I was like okay… cool!” she says. “I know I am very lucky and blessed because my entire story does not come from going to fashion school, or having funding —and that’s why I always tell people you don’t need to go to fashion school or be extra-talented to run a fashion brand.”

How have you managed to get global attention so fast?

I think people love my brand because of who what its about, I am not trying to paint who I am not. I cry when I cry, I go through turmoil and share it. I am just me and I will never change.

Rachel takes the same aspect when creating her designs. “I always think about who is going to wear every piece I make. I have a target audience in mind so I am very aware that my clothes are not for everyone. I don’t create for the hype or season. My pieces are timeless and the most important thing is how the consumer will feel and stand out when they wear the piece in their own way.

Another thing I want to see more in Uganda is more collaboration not competition because you can’t get all the money. There is a lot of money in the world so we can start collaborating because when you hoard in and go “I don’t want to collaborate or share” you are actually limiting yourself because it pays to actually learn from other creatives. It pays to open your network to other creatives while still sticking to your ideals.

Who inspires your creations?

Our clothes go from smallest to largest so all body types are represented. People know that these pieces are made in Uganda, the story of my brand is that it stands for all people. I just want to be free; I want people to feel free in all their shapes and sizes. I want Uganda to be seen for the beauty that it truly is but most importantly I do this for the little girl thinking ‘oh I don’t know how to get there and it’s like no, let me make it easy for you. I do it for the women suffering from reproductive health issues, we can do more than survive; thrive!

Pressure

I have accepted that I cannot represent everything, that’s why my mission now is to share my knowledge so that other creatives can get there faster because there is not one Rachel. The only reason why I would feel the pressure is if I was trying to do everything. My goal, therefore, has become to empower other people.

A word for the starter

I don’t work and create for everyone so I think every creator must know who exactly they are creating for. I have a client in mind. Everyone should have a clear answer to why they are doing what they’re doing? Also, you are going have to do something for free especially at the start.

We also have to ask ourselves, are we marketing to the rest of the world or are we marketing to Ugandans? Because for me I don’t market specifically to Uganda, I market to the world. And that’s how you break the bubble. Truthfully, the outside world is critical to black people but the only way they put respect on your name is if you push yourself up there. We need to be comfortable to leave our comfort.

Lastly, the more authentic and easier it is for clients to relate with the site or designs or designers, it’s easier it becomes to make the money. I think people want to feel like they understand you, and most importantly, stand for your values.

Rachel Bashabe is the Award Winner of the Fashion Designer of the Year Award for the Women for Africa Awards. She is the Creative Director of Veryldesigns a bold African print clothing brand that featured in John Lewis, as seen on @Fashionweekonline and @cocogirl magazine. Veryldesigns also provides custom made services under Bespoke. She is passionate about Reproductive Health and empowerment.