Cynthia Ijachi, a Nigerian designer, has recently moved to the Isle of Man and brought her brand Cynjach Designs with her.
Based in the Engine House in Castletown, the brand prides itself in its contemporary African style, and the sustainable and ethical way of producing clothes.
Cynthia initially studied chemistry at university in Nigeria and she always had a love of fashion.
When she finished university, she decided to venture into fashion design on her own.
She said: ‘I started designing for myself, using bright colours.
‘I think the clothes captured the imagination of people and I started to get a lot of compliments.’
After three years of building up practical experience in design, she completed a diploma at the London Academy of Fashion and Design.
She returned to Lagos and, at the age of 27, she founded Cynjach designs.
Over the past eight years she has grown her brand.
Eight months ago Cynthia, along with her husband and twin daughters, moved to the island.
She said: ‘I got to know about the Isle of Man on the internet, and I read about it.
‘The Isle of Man is beautiful and has a rich heritage with no conflict so I thought it was the perfect place for me and my husband to raise our children and have a business like Cynjachs set up.’
Cynthia designs the clothes, which are then produced by her team of four in Nigeria, having two tailors, one individual who sources fabrics, and the other who does quality control.
She has one employee in the island and is hoping to employ more as the brand becomes more established here.
She said: ‘For Cynjach Designs, sustainable fashion is a way in which we create clothing that not only reduces the impact on the environment but also staying mindful of the people who work to produce the garments.
‘So we try as much as possible to work with material that is natural, durable and biodegradable, and we also advise clients to use offset clothes.
fabric
‘This is where you can produce a product and, when you are in the near future tired of using it, you can use that fabric to make something better.’
This way, customers can return to the shop with their clothes and Cynthia will redesign the garments for them.
Since moving, Cynthia and her family have adapted well and she says she and the family are glad that they moved. She says that the Nigerian community is gradually growing in the island, with people choosing to move over for safety.
She added: ‘What inspires me most is back in Africa, women are predominantly responsible for their children’s wellbeing so it makes me very happy knowing that my clothing creates opportunity for African women, in the sense that I source my fabric back in Africa and most of the people that I source my fabric from are women.
‘We produce outfits from scratch, so you are welcome to bring your own fabric in, or choose one of our fabrics, and your clothes will be made with love from Africa.’