Three years after, OUCH rolls drums

BY CHUKS NWANNE
THREE years ago, when Uche Nnaji took a bold step into fashion business, many of his competitor never gave him any space in the already flourishing industry, especially when some big name have already cornered a better part of the market. Not minding the huddles ahead of his ambition to break into the league of notable fashion brands in the country, Nnaji remained focused, putting all his creativity into practice with the hope of blossoming someday. From his little beginning, OUCH, his fashion label, has become a notable name among fashionable youths in Lagos, with their branded suits, blazers, ties and cufflinks. With its major showroom located in Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos, the outfit is now involved in handling major projects for its corporate customers around the world. “Sometimes, it’s hard to believe how young we are, yet how far we’ve come,” says Nnaji, the CEO of the outfit during a special media luncheon held recently to commemorate the third anniversary of he fashion house. The designer noted that within their few years in the business, the outfit has succeeded in carving out a niche for itself. “That has won us a strong market share because we’ve been consistent with our vision. This has also resulted in a dominant voice shared among style brands in the country in terms of media and pubic perception. And we are proud of that. Of course, there are challenges we still have to overcome, but one can confidently say that there’s reason to celebrate.” THE luncheon also saw the formal unveiling of the company’s new brand identity, aimed at repositioning it as it prepares to expand its reach in the coming months. “Our target has always been making OUCH an international brand. We’ve been working hard over the past few months and we are now poised to meet world class standards with a proud Nigerian brand; by that, we pay attention to details in terms of our final products, to reflect this vision.” It would be recalled that OUCH, which was one of the selected style brands at the recently held Upfront and Personal Discount Fair in Lagos, was earlier this year announced as Style Entrepreneur of The Year at this year’s Future Nigeria Awards.