Friday Feature: Chianu

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Chianu is a lovely style-determined brand.  Behind the brand are 3 charming young ladies with a some cloth and some big dreams.  I felt inspired interviewing these Nigerian designers with a dream and a purpose.  Their clothing embraces color and I believe every woman can wear them and feel instantly beautiful.  Meet the Chianu designers: Chioma Akhabue , Chidima Anusiem (Lead Designer) and, Hope Anusiem.  Meet Chianu on Facebook. Also meet them on their website.

Introduce Chianu and the designer behind the brand:

Chianu was originally founded by me, Chidima Anusiem. At an early age, I had a passion for fashion and at the age of 16, I began designing clothes for close friends and family. In 2009, my sisters decided to partner up with me to create a Chianu clothing line and help expand our clientele and sphere of influence in the fashion industry. Today, Chianu includes me, and co-designers and sisters, Chioma Akhabue and Hope Anusiem. The name Chianu actually originated from my name Chidima Anusiem. I just simply took the first three letters of my first name and the first three of my last name and put it together. The word Chianu means “God hears/listens”

Who inspires your designs?

Our African heritage!  We are so proud to be Nigerian. We love the culture, the music, and especially the fabrics! The bright, bold, and rich colors are very unique. We have a passion to introduce our beautiful fabrics to the world in a way that anyone can relate to it. By creating silhouettes that are not traditionally African, Chianu can share the wealth of African fashion with fashion lovers all over the world. The purpose of Chianu’s use of ethnic fabrics is to reinvent how the world views African material and the perception of who can or should wear it.

What is your target audience for your collection?

Chianu designs for women of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. We try to avoid the term “African fashion” when describing our designs, because the perception may be that we only design for Africans. We want to universalize the concept of African prints to make it suitable for all types of women. We want them to be comfortable and proud to wear bold, beautiful prints while feeling celebrated and unique.

Where can people buy your items?

Chianu is excited to launch its online store in 2011, at www.chianu.com. We eventually want to be able to distribute and sell Chianu worldwide. We are also currently planning to sell Chianu in select boutiques across America.

Where are you based?

Chianu is based in Atlanta, Georgia

Who are your favorite emerging designers and what is it that you love about them?

Our favorite designer is Korto Momolu. She is truly an inspiration to Chianu because she too is an African designer. She was able to take African inspired fashion to a higher level, by featuring her designs on Project Runway and several other influential arenas. As African designers, we are extremely proud of her work and her ability introduces African fashion in a unique way, in today’s fashion industry.

If you had to give men and women advice on style what would you say?

Our first advice would be to embrace color, especially for men. Color helps to enhance ones personality, and beauty, if worn correctly. We would also advice men and women to choose a style that best fits their personality. It is important that one stays true to themselves when determining their own personal style.

What is your best attribute?

Our people skill is our best attribute. We have a gift of connecting and relating to people from all walks of life. This helps us to better understand the needs and wants of our customers and to develop designs that best compliments them.

Words you live by….

We know that the success of Chianu is not dependent on our human efforts, but in our faith in God. The scripture we live by is:

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

~Ephesians 3:20

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