About me

My name is Dawn James-Okonkwo, a UK fashion designer with Postgraduate  Qualifications in Design and Garment technology from the London College of Fashion, and for as long as I can remember, clothing has been my passion.

Clothing is powerful. A great outfit can improve mood, build confidence, and most of all, express individuality.  It was my desire to help women everywhere look and feel their best that led me to create Imhotep International, an online clothing skirt company offering unusual print skirts for ladies in a variety of different styles. The bold colours and abstract prints draw inspiration from West Africa and North Africa(Ancient Egypt), and I draw, print, and sew every one of them myself.  I have put all my time and effort into creating the most unique design ideas for  as many women as I can, but if I want the  business start-up  grow, it will become more and more difficult for me to go it alone.

I chose the name Imhotep International, because it was my ultimate goal to provide women anywhere in the world with great skirts that fit them perfectly, allow them to express their individuality, and make a statement, whether for work, holidays, or a night on the town.  Many women from various countries have contacted me asking about an official website, and for larger orders, but with current resources, I am unable to deliver.

I have  many many different designs ideas, I just need to get them produced.

And I really need your help.

What I need the funding for:

With the £25,000 raised from this campaign, I will be able to purchase better machinery, employ assistants, create a website, and most of all, reach a wider audience. Your donations will also help cover the cost of manufacturing equipment, fabrics, promotional and marketing materials, and help me to purchase an apple-mac computer, where I will be able to design and create prints using the adobe illustrator and photoshop software, upgrade my design workflow, have better client record keeping, and a good database for my creations.

I need to create an excellent website, it’s such a powerful tool and a ‘shop window’ into my business a way for people to browse at what I do, to see how different I am from my competitors and why they should use me.  But it’s also  a powerhouse of information, which through careful management can really facilitate business growth.  By not having a professional website I am losing out on great opportunities for my business.

Also as I design ideas  and print  my own fabrics, I want to print my designs on a wide range of fabrics using a reputable fabric printing company.

I need to recruit a Social Media Assistant to constantly add and update information daily to my facebook, Instagram, pinterest and twitter accounts, so that I can have more time to  concentrate on the task of creating new skirt designs and constructing paper patterns.

If I can hit my goal of £25,000 I will be able to produce the skirts in affordable quantities and purchase the fabrics and materials required for production and assembly.

Please check out my reward tier, where I will be offering several well-made items along with a few extras for those who wish to assist me with this venture. Even if you cannot donate at this time, please share this campaign on your social media, with family and friends, or anyone else you think might be able to support my dream. And if you could be so kind to share using the indiegogo share tools.

PERKS:

100% cotton canvas bag with the original hand-drawn picture of Ancient Egyptian Dancers standing on top of the lotus flower, signed and autographed by the Designer. You can purchase in black and white or have the design coloured in if you choose.

Below  100% African-Print fabric good quality cushion, signed and autographed by the Designer. You can choose from  a variety of different fabric swatches that can be sent to you in the post, for your ideal cushion.

Below: The Mituku Print inspired by the fighting shields used by the Zulu tribe of South Africa.This print design will be used to make the hand-printed thank you card.

Below: Showcase of the skirt designs on live fashion models in an upmarket venue in central London.  There will be nibbles. 

FAQ

1. What type of skirt styles do you design?

     We design a variety of styles, long skirts short skirts, a-line pencil and fish tail.

2. What sizes do the skirts range from?

     Our sizes range from 8-16 uk sizing 

3. What fabrics do you use to create the skirts?

     We use 100% african print cotton, silks, wools,to create the skirts. 100% african print cotton       is used to produce the cushions.

4. Can I choose from more than one fabric colour for my cushion in the rewards section?

     Yes there is more than one fabric colour choice. Contact us for different colour choices.

A Special Thanks to:

Aubrey Fagon@aubsmedia, Joe Gilbanks photography, Julia Blundell make-up,  Migle Kazlauskaite, Hanna, Marissa Charles and Diana Kendirbekova, Paris Hernandez and Alex Moty.