If there ever was a girl who epitomises the rise from a humble background to stardom, then it has got to be Naomi Ng’ang’a (or Neomi, as she likes to be called).
If you google her, you will notice she has a Wikipedia page, and as much as the website gets a lot of flak for sometimes having inaccurate information, it is still safe to say you need to have some sort of celebrity to be on Wikipedia.
Naomi has taken the entertainment and, most recently, fashion scene, by storm. You might have watched her act on TV series such as Sumu la Penzi or Wash and Set. Or maybe you heard her take over the airwaves as a radio presenter.
No? Then maybe you have seen her represent fashion brands like Wambui Mukenyi, or represent plus-size women as a fashion ambassador.
In January, Naomi launched a plus-size fashion line, Style by Neomi, in to help curvy women look sexy and feel confident.
I met up with her in the city centre to talk fashion, career and work ethics. She arrived for the interview with a man in tow — Filbert — whom I later learnt is her assistant and best friend.
The Star: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born and bred in Huruma as the last born and only girl in a family of eight children. During the early years, my mother brought us up as my dad worked outside the country, but she passed away and my dad came back and took over. At university, I was never really sure what I wanted to study, so I did a whole lot of courses. I moved from hospitality to tourism to psychology. I have never completed my degree.
TS: Why?
Well, acting gigs came up and it reached a point where I was doing so many gigs, it became difficult to balance studies and work. I had to decide whether to chase after my degree or after money. And being the hustler that I am, I opted to do the latter. I do hope to go back to school later, and study architecture. I’m fascinated by real estate.
TS: Your acting debut was on the show Wash and Set back in 2007. How did you land that gig?
That is actually a really funny story. I was in town one day and some guy came up to me saying he was a producer and asked if he could take my picture and have my number to cast me for a TV role. At first I thought he was just joking, so I dismissed him. But he persisted. I reluctantly gave him my number. Later on that day, my phone was stolen. By chance, when I replaced the sim card a week later, I got a call from the producer saying he had been trying to reach me because he had a role for me and I got the job.
TS: You recently resigned from your radio job to concentrate on your fashion line. Many people thought you were wasting a great opportunity. Why did you quit?
What many people do not understand is that I did not just quit to only concentrate on my fashion line. Remember, I am also an actress and have so many gigs going on, including shooting my talk show Sema Nami. I sometimes do six shows in a day. That is a lot of work, plus the other projects I am working on, so that is why I quit.
TS: What inspired you to start a plus-size fashion line?
I used to see many plus-size women wearing unflattering clothes, saying they could not find anything fashionable in their size, so I took advantage of that gap to ensure women of all sizes have clothes that look good on them. I don’t like it when I see a woman in a baggy blouse and trousers instead of fitting clothes. A woman should look her best at all times.
TS: What style of clothes does your line focus on and what is the average
price of your clothes?
We make all kinds of clothes, from casual, to official to bridal party attire, as well as wedding gowns. We are pretty reasonably priced ranging from
Sh3,000 all the way up to Sh45,000. That is all I can say without giving away my profit margins (laughs).
Filbert chimes in:
The price really depends on the fabric and design.
TS: Do you design and make all the clothes in your line or do you have a team that helps with tailoring?
I come up with most of the designs, then my team of four tailors make the outfits at our workshop.
TS: What does it take to build your brand and how many people are behind Team Neomi?
We are about seven people (turns to Filbert, who nods). With the amount of projects I juggle, it is not possible to handle everything by myself.
For example, when it comes to my talk show, I have someone who books in guests. When it comes to pursuing commercial brands for endorsement deals, I have someone who is able to close deals, and so on.
TS: How has business been in the four months you have been in operation?
I cannot complain. It has been very good actually. We usually have orders of up to 12 outfits every day. We have big plans for the future and are just taking it one step at a time. We will soon have a website out. I have relying mostly on social media to get the word out about the fashion line. Everything is digital nowadays. You can launch and market a brand purely through social media. We have gotten orders from as far as Nigeria, Rwanda and Tanzania based purely on what clients have seen on social media.
TS: Who is your dream client?
I would love to dress First Lady Margaret Kenyatta.
TS: Who are some of the designers you look up to locally and internationally?
For local designers, Naomi thinks long and hard but no one comes to mind. But when it comes to international designers, she turns to Filbert to drop the name.
Filbert: She is feeling Balmain right now. She loves all things glitter and glamorous.
TS: What are your future plans?
We want to start a lingerie line. The lingerie currently available for plus-size women is not sexy at all. We are also thinking about a ‘Neomi Home’ line of products, such as towels, sheets and the works.
QUICK FIVE
1.
Describe yourself in three words: Fun, very aggressive and understanding.
2.
What is your favourite food? I like African food. Everything from mutura, to managu, chapati, you name it.
3.
Hobbies? I have found a way to blend my hobbies with my work, for example, fashion design. Other than that, I like trying out new restaurants.
4.
Do you cook? Yes I cook
(I ask Filbert if she is a good cook and he says:) She is an amazing cook.
5.
Any final words of advice to women trying to grow in whatever career they are in? Go hard or go home. What are you doing sleeping while there are people making money? You cannot afford to sleep. Chase after your goals.