By Nehru Odeh
Her clients can’t get enough of her. Not only does she have the Midas touch, turning everything she touches into gold, but she also has an eye for what suits her clients and a sixth sense for what makes them tick. She is also adept at knowing what they want and how to satisfy their needs. Little wonder she is in hot demand everywhere.
In hot demand everywhere? Sure. Welcome to Ms Bunmi Abike Lasaki, aka Abike, the fashion entrepreneur who has conquered the fashion world and is set to take the globe by storm; the lady who has taken the business of fashion notches higher, with her aesthetic sense, her creativity and her innovative spirit.
Still, the fascinating thing about Abike is that she has a finger in every pie. Having started as a make-up artist, she has expanded the Abike business empire to include a variety of fashion products such as aso-oke, wedding dresses, diffusers (scents) and an internationally designed content room, where photo shoots for different celebratory occasions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc are done.
“I’m an entrepreneur, she proudly enthused in a chat. “I deal in Aso-Oke, wedding dresses, diffusers, and a content room – a new business where people come and take different pictures for different occasions.”
Abike is indeed a brand. Her innovative spirit, her dexterity, her creativity, her aesthetic sense came to the fore on Monday, 21 February 2025, when she, herself, beauty personified, opened Sip & Shop, her new state-of-the-art fashion space located at 8 B Ogunaike Avenue, Shangisha in Magodo, Lagos.
“This is the birth of a new place. We moved to where we were before to a bigger space, to be able to serve people better,” Abike said, with smiles dancing on her lips and music playing in the background, referencing her uncanny knack for serving her clients’ fashion needs.
Still, each of the various products she offers falls within a specific brand name. They include Asolaasoke (for aso-oke), Brides & Stitches (for wedding dresses), Unveil Scents (for diffusers) and Content Chamber (for photoshoots).
And they were all on display, each in its room, when the new space designed with a sense of aesthetics was opened. However, the intriguing thing about her business is that it’s a complete package, imbued with all that the clients need to make them look good and smell nice.
It was a day of music, dance, prayers, thanksgiving, networking, refreshments, and building and renewal of friendship ties. In the spirit of celebration, the customers were not left out as a five per cent reduction was placed on every item purchased.
Abike herself and her staff were on the ground to welcome guests and clients as they graced the special occasion with their dignified presence, one after the other.
This is indeed the grass-to-grace story of a fashion entrepreneur who started small but has shown so much innovation, so much resilience that, like the proverbial mustard seed, she has grown to provide shelter for females who have a sense of aesthetics and want to look good.
“I started aso- oke business about seven years ago. I was very small before I relocated to the UK. And because of the passion and the drive that I have for it, I decided to concentrate on it. We started building until we got to where we are today, ” Abike noted.
“Now, as per weddings- Brides and Stitches. I love anything fashion. So I wanted to do something detailed and nice for brides. For me, I think everything blends into each other.
Talking about the content room, it is a new business. It’s a baby. It’s for people who want to do different photoshoots, for any kind of celebration, be it birthdays, anniversaries, bridal shoots, or pre-wedding shoots.
Asked why she incorporated the art of photoshoot in her business, Abike said: “The thing behind it is that during Covid, there was a lockdown, and people could barely go out and organise parties or go to parties. So they brought in the idea of the photoshoot. And ever since, the photoshoot has gravitated. The history of photoshoots and where it has been now is amazing.
“Most of my clients are always doing photoshoots. So we decided to incorporate the art of photoshoots into our business. So now you don’t need to look any further. You come and buy your aso-oke and then you book your photo shoots, ” she said.
Asked again what the secret to her success as a fashion entrepreneur was, Abike hinged it on her spirit of innovation and ability to think out of the box.
“Where did I get this business sense from? I guess from God (laughs). I have always been like this. I have always loved fashion. I am a serial entrepreneur. I am very restless. I love bringing new ideas, I love different things. I love creating exceptional things, thinking out of the box.
“Because the truth is, whatever you do, somebody else is doing it. Or somebody else is even doing it better. So what niche do you have to carve for yourself? So that is why I always come up with different ideas and things. You will notice – not only in Nigeria but all over the world – that once a business runs for too long, the fire tends to temper down. So you keep bringing new ideas, being innovative, being creative. So I love creativity,” she admitted.
Still, despite the successes Abike has achieved, despite the giant strides she has taken, it has not been an easy ride. She has had to deal with the challenge of retaining her staff, most of whom don’t have a passion for the job.
“It’s difficult to tie most of these people down because they don’t want to work for anybody. Or they have a boyfriend who is catering for them somewhere. It’s crazy. Because you are the one with the vision, they don’t care.
“You are the one who wants to kill yourself over your business. They care less. All they do is look at the time. But God has blessed me with good staff. I am not saying they are the best. But we are managing each other. And God has been faithful. It’s God. It has nothing to do with me,” Abike said.
Where does she see herself in the next five years? “I’m already a brand name, ” Abike enthused. “So I see myself internationally. I see my name at international airports, Harrods, etc. I’m a go-getter. For me, I set the post and I shoot the goal. That’s how I am. So, I’m relentless. I do not relent until I get to the finish point. That’s how I am. We’ll keep growing, keep bringing new ideas, keep making our clients happy. And like I said, I see my name above the sky. I don’t have any limits,” she maintained.