Today we’d like to introduce you to Petra Asekhauno.
Petra, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Benin, Nigeria and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. I moved to Dallas, Texas at the age of six. Life for me changed completely I had to adapt to a new environment and people. My love for fashion started at a young age without me even knowing it. I use to have the biggest Barbie collection of clothes and I would experiment different outfits styles and even dye them different colors. I fell in love for my cultures love for bright colors, prints, designs and textures and wanted to keep it alive in everything I do. A few years after high school, my Pastor, Apostle Cari told me that God said I needed to go to school for fashion. I was completely shocked because my beautiful mother Christiana would always tell me that I needed to do something that gave me a secure future.
So fashion was just a fun thing for me at the time, definitely not a business idea. But lucky my sister would tell me to just apply to some places and see how it goes. The first place that I applied was the Art Institute of Dallas. And the next day I got a call from the Art Institute of Dallas asking me to come in for an interview. Completely scared out of my mind because at the moment, I was attending Brookhaven Community college. Luckily God is in control and everything worked out so perfectly that I started school within the next three weeks. As of today, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in fine art of fashion design. After graduating, I have been on different runway shows in Dallas. I’ve met a few celebrities I’ve had many orders come in for my African print designs and also bridal.
As of today, I specialize in creating dynamic and beautiful bridal and event wear garments, so racial pieces that last for a lifetime. My sole purpose is designing garments that enhance your special day or occasion. I have been in the fashion design field for nearly five years and I’m so blessed to say that I find making others happy through my designs. I am definitely a woman of faith and that is truly the reason I am able to get to where I am today. The love of my family members, my mother Christiana, my sister Jennifer, my little sister Emma, my brother Izu, my father Pius, my pastor Apostle Cari, and my boyfriend Leland. Are truly my main supporters and I’m so grateful to be able to be on a journey with people that believe in me. As of today, I am currently working on a few drops shipping stores with my sister Jennifer and Emma and I’m also launching my designs by Petra Asekhauno website with new merchandise and custom garments. I am also honored to have great clients who believe in my work ethic and style. That’s truly the best part.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road I definitely had to prove who I am as a person and also as a designer. In the beginning, especially because a lot of people didn’t believe that I can take on this role. But what kept me going was the fact that my faith in God was so strong that I knew that I was destined to be something great I knew that I had a job that I needed to do so that drove me to keep my head above water even though some days were extremely difficult. I will always remember in college I would be sitting in class with so many people who’s been designing their entire life and I just got there.
I would say wow they’re so talented how am I in a class with some of these people it was very intimidating. I didn’t even know how to put a button on like simple things I really didn’t even know how to do so I had to learn everything from the start to where I am today. It definitely taught me how to stay constant and press on. I remember going to a fashion shows and literally learning how to network and talk about my business and the right things to say and the things to not say and how to look presentable so many things I learned along the way.
Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about you and your career so far?
I am a fashion designer who specializes in creating dynamic and beautiful bridal and event wear. My soul purpose is designing garments that enhance your special day or occasions. I love to use different fabrics and techniques on all of my work a lot of lace, appliqué, beading, florals, prints, and textured patterns.
I am most proud of my unique style that comes from my Nigerian background my culture and my family things that inspire me on a daily. I put it all into my designs.
What sets me apart from others is of course, my unique style for color but also my attention to detail I like to make sure that everything is done to my standards of perfection before given to my clients. I also make it a must to have a strong communication with clients, being able to bring forth my ideas and their ideas and make it into one beautiful garment!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I was to start over, I definitely would think more so about the type of designs I truly wanted to design. Because in the beginning, I was just designing all types of things I wanted to learn so many different techniques and of course you cant always apply all of the techniques you learned. I had to scale down and focus on just a few key skills. I feel like I would’ve been so much further if I took the time to actually just perfect one skill at a time. Luckily, I know that now and I’m doing well as of right now but that is definitely something I would’ve changed.
Pricing:
- Custom garments starting at $120
- Custom wedding dress starting at $800
- Custom veils starting at $100
- Event wear starting at $150
Contact Info:
- Website: DesignsbyPetraAsekhauno.com
- Phone: 954-451-0104
- Email: Designsbypetra.a@gmail.com
- Instagram: Designsbypetra.a
- Facebook: DesignsbyPetra.a
Image Credit:
Photographer: Ismaray Perez
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