Estella Ogbonna…Curves, Colors and Captivations

OBUDE: How do you combine them together?

ESTELLA: Trust me my brother, it is simply not easy! Sometimes I wish I had 36 hours in my day! I tell my friends that God knew I would be doing this now, being why I am not married at this time, because I fear to imagine doing all what I am doing now with a husband and kids! Phew! But things are getting into the right places, and I thank God that, because now, I can say I am ready to marry and settle down! That deep vacuum of something missing in my life has been filled! You know, doing IT, working, and still feeling that there is something I still needed to do etc. Well, I found it! Its my passion and love for fashion. I had to step out and do it for real. And now there is that feeling of fulfillment! The sky is now just my limit!

OBUDE: Are you also bringing your fashion to Nigeria?

ESTELLA: I started from Nigeria. Nigerian fashion gave me some skills…but there are lots of fashion talents and designers in Nigeria. I respect them! They are good! I unconsciously learned from Nigeria!

And yes, someday, I would bring it to Nigeria. Not as introducing anything new there, but as a collaboration with existing Fashion Houses to do great things with our talents. Its in the pipeline and could be sooner than anyone knows. I am just taking my time to check out the designers I want to work with.

OBUDE: In Nigeria we have a lot of fashion home, tailoring stores, what makes you think they will accept you?

ESTELLA: Good question Taiwo, but like I said, I am not going to jump in there like “American Designer Come to Town”! NO! I would rather have a collaboration with existent designers. There are those that have the talents, but need the exposure, I would like to work with those!

My pastor (Pastor Ghandi Olaoye of Jesus House DC) keeps saying during our Haggai Business Men Networks Meetings that the sky is large enough for all birds to fly! And that is simply the truth. My clients would be my clients and yours would be yours. My designs are different from yours, and some other person may prefer yours etc.

And I am planning to get in a lot of young fashion talents into the limelight with me. Under ESTELLA, but they will still retain their name under one of my collections.

OBUDE: How do you get your models? Or are they just friends helping you out?

ESTELLA: There are lots of ways to get models in US here. But recently my publicist (Nenye Productions) handle the Modeling part of my company. I have friends that also help out sometimes. But we are looking to work with all sorts and shapes of models to reflect my clientele. I am going to get my mum to model for me you know, after all, she started this whole thing in a way. Ha ha ha ha. And no, don’t call me a ‘Mummy’s gal’! I just love my mum, and her sweetheart –My dad! They are the “bestest” parents in the whole wide world!

OBUDE: You mention God a lot in your answers. Are you very religious?

ESTELLA: My Dear, what is man without God. Yes, God is my all in all, and I daily wake up and thank HIM. Even on days when things seem tight. HE has been there for me and I know HE will never forsake or leave me. I am not religious, I am simply a Christ-Follower. Call me a born-again Christian and I am shouting it out on the mountain top for the demons to tremble! Ha ha ha ha.