Today we’d like to introduce you to Esther Kayode
Hi Esther, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I moved to the United States in 2019 from Nigeria. Before moving, I worked a traditional 9-5 job in Nigeria while managing my Afrocentric enterprise as a side hustle. I’ve always had a passion for crafts and juggling multiple ventures. Through my business, I crafted bags from renewable materials and African print fabrics and designed ready-to-wear corporate outfits. It was a labor of love that kept my weekends busy with numerous deliverables.
After relocating to the U.S., I quickly recognized the challenges Africans face in staying connected to their roots. Procuring fabrics for fashion designers is expensive, and sometimes materials shipped from Africa go missing in transit. I wanted to simplify this process. However, at the time, I was pursuing my master’s degree, so I set that dream aside.
Though I paused that dream, it never left me. I felt a constant push to bring it to life. By 2023, I started actively pursuing it. I
had started working my 9-5 job at one of the Big 4 firms here in the U.S. Navigating the hurdles as an international student was challenging, and I’m grateful to God for guiding me through it. While collaborating with manufacturers, I faced setbacks—some mishandled my designs, and at times, my items went missing, never to be recovered. I was devastated, but I persisted. After conducting more research, I managed to overcome these obstacles.
We officially launched in March 2024, and now we ship worldwide. Our website features over 100 products, and we’re expanding our offerings. Our goal is to give Africans in the diaspora and anyone who connects with the spirit and colors of Africa an opportunity to reconnect. We offer a diverse range of products—accessories, clothing, hair products, home decor, kitchen products, and candles that evoke the scents of Africa—presenting ourselves not just as a clothing brand but as a lifestyle brand.
We believe everyone deserves success and that achieving it should not require compromising our identity or heritage. There’s immense beauty in Africa that deserves to be shared with the world, and through our efforts, we hope to share it. Our commitment to versatility, value for money, giving back, and sustainability is reflected in our processes and the styles we offer.
We are operating from Dallas Texas and have enjoyed connecting with new people
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing. We continue to face some challenges, though they’re not unusual for a growing business. Beyond logistics issues, one of our primary challenges is gaining publicity. We leverage social media platforms to create content, showcase our products, and run ads to boost brand awareness. We’re also working on expanding our team, but funding limitations are slowing the process. The costs and requirements of technology are quite significant since we’re primarily an online business, which affects our pricing. Nonetheless, we’re grateful for the opportunity to pursue our passion. It’s a labor of immense love.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Oriirewa?
Oriirewa is an Afrocentric lifestyle brand that offers clothing, accessories, gifts, home decor, and other lifestyle products. As an e-commerce enterprise, we launched in March 2024. Our products cater to men, women, and kids.
Our clothing category features a collection of neatly sewn, well-fitted Afrocentric pieces for everyone. We pay great attention to detail and customize our products to avoid common issues with custom-made outfits, such as bulging zippers. We offer accessories, including functional backpacks for adults, kids, hikers, and travelers. Our product line also includes hair accessories and wigs that reflect African cultural heritage. We recently released our summer collection, named the Dynasty Collection, in honor of our first-ever customer. Using fabrics and materials from Africa, our products are crafted both in the U.S. and Africa.
We are currently working on enhancing our gift offerings and adding kitchen accessories and home decor elements. For Dallas residents, we offer a pickup option to help them avoid extra wait times and shipping costs. Every order on our site includes a free gift, and we provide free shipping for all orders of $100 and above.
We are committed to giving back, pledging 5% of our annual profit to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to support their fight against childhood cancer.
You can shop on our website at: www.oriirewa.com.
How do you think about happiness?
There are so many things that make me happy, and they are all quite simple. First is my relationship with my Father, God. I am truly grateful for this relationship because it allows me to be myself at all times without the burden of high expectations. I feel like the world is so noisy, with constant expectations and deliverables demanded from you. Life can sometimes feel like a lot of pressure. But being with God is where I can truly unburden my heart. We’ve experienced many ups and downs, but this relationship has remained the most consistent aspect of my life. It never fails, no matter what, and this brings me immense happiness.
My family is another simple part of my life that brings me joy. I am big on family; I believe that your family will always have your back. My family cheers me on and supports all my ambitions. I love how they come together to make things happen for me. They are my best people, and I enjoy talking and spending time with them.
Creating things also makes me very happy. I love when I bring my vision to life, regardless of how it looks in reality. I love that I can do things with my hands and my mind, and I am super grateful for this privilege. Other things that bring me joy include cooking, going out, exploring new places, and connecting with nature.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.oriirewa.com
- Instagram: @oriirewa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oriirewa
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/oriirewa
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/fftlinspired
