A milliner, according to the oxford advanced learner’s dictionary, is a person (mostly women) whose job is making and/or selling women’s headwear. Millinery is the amazing art that involves the creation of female headwear which ranges from fascinators to hatinators, turbans, autogele, headbands, headpieces, and bridal accessories, among others.
Millinery is an old art form that has grown over the years, shifting from initially just religious and ceremonial fashion accessories like geles and fascinators to the daily must-have fashion accessories like turbans, headbands, head ruffles we see today. In Nigeria, art has evolved over the years with different challenges affecting the entrepreneurs in this sub-sector of the creative and fashion industry.
But, despite the challenges, Nigerian milliners have, over time, grown brands that have represented the country at global events. This has also led to self-discovery and actualization by awakening their creativity while monetizing their innate skills and capabilities.
Adeola Agbana, the Lead Creative of Allured by Ruby Headwear Academy, echoed this in an interview published by The Daily Times, on November 3, 2021.
“The millinery sector of the fashion industry has become a growing avenue for growing income and empowering women because it is sustainable and scalable. Nigerian millinery has grown to a point of global recognition, and I believe Nigerian milliners can hold it down anywhere in the world, just as we have representatives in other professions globally,” Adeola was quoted as saying.
However, for there to be a business or service rendered, there has to be a market for it where clients can access such. A milliner, like every other entrepreneur, offers millinery services to clients. It is no secret that clients constitute the core of any business and as such, client relations are important for any business to survive.
Clients And the Underrated Value Of Nigerian Millinery Products
In Nigeria and Cross River State where I ply my trade as a milliner, it is common to hear consumers of millinery products make statements like, “I buy imported hats oh. I just said I should try your products, but I can’t pay more than this amount for a hat.”
While that may be a recurring scene in shops where millinery products are sold, the reality is that most consumers, due to different factors, are comfortable with imported products, which are helped by e-purchases and online retail stores. It may be safe to say that this category of clients is not interested in growing the Nigerian economy by patronizing Nigerian milliners and paying for the value of their heads wears.
This can be remedied by way of a public campaign to encourage the use of Nigerian-made millinery products by paying the actual value, as we have seen with the ‘Buy Naija to grow the Naira’ campaign.
Lack Of Support
Nigerian milliners lack the financial support necessary for business growth and success. There should be support from the government that helps in creating laws and policies that will help small and local businesses like the millinery industry to grow. Financial institutions should support easy access to loans with low-interest rates.
Non-governmental organizations and creative support platforms like the Entrepreneurial Development Centers, as well as philanthropists, can support via the provision of grants for the expansion of businesses.
Also, there is a need for support from the media to create publicity and awareness about Nigerian millinery products. The availability of these supports would help the Nigerian millinery market grow rapidly.
Unavailability Of Materials
This is one of the major problems faced by milliners, especially, when a client chooses headwear, which in most cases are foreign-made designs. A client would say, “I want it exactly, no difference,” forgetting that the same materials found and used abroad can’t be the exact ones found in Nigeria.
There is the fact that no two handmade products can be the same. But, this is the point where the creativity of a milliner should be seen, by way of alternative sourcing. However, some clients lack the willingness to allow milliners to express creativity with available resources, simply because they want their headpiece to be “exactly the same” with the foreign designs. A good client relationship and mutual understanding can remedy this challenge.
However, Entee Oden, the creative designer of Bedazzled by Entee who trained me in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, will always preach consistency and openness to learn as the key to being top-notch.
“Consistency is key. And, for a milliner to achieve growth and success, there is a need to be consistent, because it builds expertise and experience,” Oden frequently says.
Low Budgeting/Bad Pricing Attitude By Clients
A popular saying in business goes, “payment validates an order.” There is also, “payment before service.” But, some clients would rather have milliners go ahead with production and insist that payment would be made afterward. Unfortunately, for production and delivery to be made, materials need to be purchased. The suppliers of these materials are also people in business for profit-making. How, then, would they sell materials to milliners if they don’t make payments?
To illustrate this problem, imagine the conversation below;
Client: I want something with feathers, veiling, use good sinamay oh.
Milliner: What is your budget?
Client: We are making up to 12 pieces so, we are looking at NGN500 each, that is N6,000 for all.
Meanwhile, the individual cost of feathers, veiling, or even sinamay is way more than NGN500. To further illustrate this, find another recurring conversation below.
Milliner: This headpiece cost N7,000
Client: You are becoming expensive, oh. But you made it at N3,000 for me three years ago.
Now, the budget of the first client is immoderate. It is not even up to the cost of production of the milliner, bearing in mind that the main aim of business is to make a profit. In the second illustration, the client clearly stated “three years ago.” Economies change over the years. In Nigeria, there have been increasing hikes in the prices of materials, and other resources like light and fuel. The changes throughout three years have affected the market prices of materials, hence the increased product price. But, some clients either fail to or choose not to understand. I tell you, some just don’t want to understand.
These scenarios can be remedied by the client, either by increasing the budget to meet the cost of the headpiece or placing an order according to their budget.
Indecision
This problem can lead to wasted time, effort, and resources. Some clients are indecisive about their choice of headwear, and this is one of the many struggles of milliners. Below is an illustration for better understanding.
Client: I want to make a hat.
Milliner: Do you have a sample?
Client: Not at all, send pictures let me pick one.
Milliner then sends multiple pictures of samples.
Milliner: Which of these do you prefer?
Client: Wait, let me send you a sample of what I want.
That client could have simply sent a sample to avoid a waste of the milliner’s time and resources. Another illustration below shows what happens in some instances.
Client: Send your account details.
Five days later … Don’t worry, I have found another alternative.
The time the milliner has spent talking with this client is wasted. The efforts made by the milliner contacting that client are wasted. The resource (mobile data, call card) used for sending pictures of samples and even chatting with that client is wasted.
Indeed, there are more issues that the Nigerian millinery entrepreneurs face other than the ones listed above, with some solutions proffered. However, there are other solutions to ensure the business model is sustainable.
These include, but are not limited to, membership of millinery trade unions and associations that protect milliners’ interests; participating in entrepreneurial training, workshops, open box complaints, and suggestions among others.
It should be noted that success, growth, and expansion don’t entirely rest on the shoulders of the milliners. Clients equally have a role to play because they are the reason milliners are in business. Nigerian clients should be more supportive of the Nigerian millinery market. Also, milliners should ensure they build good customer relationships and services, utilize creativity and prioritize customer satisfaction and appreciation via giveaways, discount sales, promos, gifts during festivities among others.
Charity Bassey, a milliner, an IT student from the University of Calabar with CrossRiverWatch.
NB: Opinions expressed in this article are strictly attributable to the author, Charity Bassey, and do not represent the opinion of CrossRiverWatch or any other organization the author works for/with.
Short Link:
