CEO Magazine looked up the proprietor of the curiously named (to the layperson) fashion brand that has carved a niche for itself as a bridal designer and go-to option for the woman looking to make a statement, because, we had questions, inevitably:
Where’s the name Dyna Vence Couture from?
It’s actually my name. Dyna Vence is my name and I am the proprietor of Dyna Vence Couture. My maiden name was Dyna Vence Ahimbisibwe. When I got married that changed to Dyna Vence Ruvuza.
So you named the brand after yourself…how long have you been in the fashion business?
Dyna Vence Couture is 12 years old.
What’s your specialty? I imagine there’s a certain level of diversity in terms of the areas one can get into in fashion…
Yes. Our speciality is couture…that’s why it is in our name.
I looked up couture before coming to meet you… I know that the phrase ‘couturier’ refers to‘an establishment or person involved in the clothing fashion industry who makes original garments to order for private clients’
That sounds about right. I am a couturier.
So you make original garments on order for private clients…
You would have to change that last bit. I am open to making these original garments for everyone.
How did this all begin?
I started small, about 12 years ago when I left fashion school
I see couture gets specialised even further – is the couture you do high-end?
Yes, it is high couture – haute couture. Even when I was just starting in my tiny, one-bedroom apartment, and I had people coming through. I was doing all kinds of stuff, kitenge dresses, small-time party dresses, until my wedding, which was 10 years ago. I did my own bridal gown, and it was such a hit that I realised I could go into the wedding gowns business. My first attempt at high couture was my own wedding gown. Friends and family reached out, asking if I could do the same, trusting me with their dresses, and slowly I started leaning more towards high couture.
Is that where Dyna Vence Couture is locked now? High couture?
We intend to examine other aspects of the market where some inquiries have been made in our direction. We are not blocking off anything. But yes, high couture is a strong point for us, a significant income stream for us, and what we have built the brand around.
What stood out for you most when you started the journey focusing on high couture or haute couture?
When you say high couture, the immediate implication is high prices – the fabrics involved are pricier, the time taken in design and tailoring is longer, that sort of thing. These are not dresses for everyday functions – they are for standalone events, glamour events, red carpet events. If you are going to some random party for a friend, there is a certain amount you are just not going to pay for a dress. So I understood that these were not everyday designs and dresses I was making – I was targeting a market where the people had to be willing and ready to invest in the dress. Inevitably, I end up doing a lot of bridal gowns, but high-level events on which people place a lot of value or impact also fall into the category of dresses we do.
How have you handled the question of scaling the business?
We have done that in several ways. I am no longer operating from a one-bedroom apartment (laughter) so we have dedicated space to operate from in terms of the administration of the business, and the tailoring and the fitting space for clients. We are a lot more focused on being able to put out more units of couture designs, and now in terms of capacity, we can do 5 pieces within a month – 6, if we push it.
Those dresses must cost a pretty penny…
It really depends on what the client is willing to invest in the dress, but for the most part, the average starting price is UGX5,000,000.
You obviously have a team working for you – how big is your team?
I have 10 people working for me.
You mentioned your bridal gown from your wedding 10 years ago…does your partner ever get involved in your business?
My husband? No, he stays in the background, providing moral support. He knows nothing about fashion but encourages me when I feel overwhelmed, that sort of thing. He has no idea what dresses are supposed to look like.
What about children?
We have three.
Does it look like any of them is going to join fashion?
Yes, my middle daughter. Oh my God she gets really excited whenever I bring her here to the office. Once, when she was just 6 years old, she made some flower designs that were just perfect, like a professional’s work. I think that will be her path.
What sets you apart in the industry from other brands that attempt to do haute couture?
My attention to detail. I just love detail. When someone shows me their vision, I break it down to the smallest crystal. I immerse myself in the project. Alongside this, we do not cut corners or compromise. We will travel to the furthest corner of the world to find the fabric we need and if we need a type of fabric that is USD100 a yard, or USD200 a yard, we will use it, as long as that is what the dress design needs. Even when it cuts into our profit. We also research a lot on what is new in the market, what is trending, and we source our fabrics from all over the world. Our fabrics tend to be rather unique because of this.
So someone can say on the red carpet in response to the question, “Who you wearing?”, “I am wearing Dyna Vence…”
(Laughing) Yes.
And your networks?
I have so many levels of friends. I have friends who inspire me, friends for drinks, and then friends in the industry that I approach for advice. I learn a lot from them, soaking in everything when I share spaces with them.
And networking? Partnerships and collaborations? Sponsorships, that sort of thing
Very much so. It is vital to us, opening us up to audiences whom we typically wouldn’t reach. More commonly, we are often involved in collaborations. Often it is with partners from the industry – we will team up with hair stylists, makeup artistes, modelling agencies, and photographers, and once we have decided on the muse, we put all our creative efforts into the muse, using them as a showcase.
A lot of people regard being fashion-conscious as too much work, and an unnecessary expense. How would you respond to that view?
Well, I simply focus on the people who do not think that way. For instance, there are people that need to stand out in a room because of the nature of the event (brides come to mind) or who simply want to stand out in a room at an event, say a red carpet event, like your typical celebrity. These are the people we focus on, our target market. The funniest thing is that typically, I do not like to stand out – I prefer being in the background. The only time I was ever my target market was at my own wedding!
Do you only do products for women or do you also do products for men?
I only do products for women. A lot of men have approached me to start a men’s line but I didn’t major or do classes for men’s wear, so I am reluctant to try out a line involving something I didn’t study for. I am trying to research on it, and figure out how to acquire the technical knowledge needed to put together something for men. I have thought about it, it’s the construction that I need to finesse first. It’s a market that I think would be interesting.
What would you say to an entrepreneur thinking of joining the fashion industry? Is it viable? Would you encourage them to join it?
I don’t think anyone thinking about the industry needs encouragement or urging. When the industry is your calling, it will haunt you. You will have no option but to heed the call – I have seen people with formal degrees in other industries simply throw in the towel and turn their attention to fashion. The industry is not for everyone. The fashion industry is very specialised – you have illustrators who can sketch a design but cannot sew. You have designers who are not able to sketch but who know exactly what they have envisioned. You have people who can sew but have no idea about how to create patterns. You have people who specialise at creating patterns but cannot put together an actual dress. You need to have a vision bearer, usually a creative director who comes up with a direction for a particular season. If fashion is something you are passionate about, you have to figure out what your role is going to be. It can be a cutthroat business, the competition is ruthless, and you must find a way to stand out.
To the layperson, especially in Uganda, it feels like the industry has lost some of its oomph or wow factor. Back in the day you had fashion brands were part of the mainstream conversation, people like Santa Anzo, Sylvia Owori, we had magazines like Elyt Magazine, Flair, and things of that nature. Magazines have been killed by social media, Sylvia and Santa have moved on to other things…even Abryanz skipped his year-end event last year, possibly because it no longer made economic sense. What do you think is going on, and what do you think can spark things back to life?
You are right. Growing up, Sylvia Owori was the sort of brand name you fantasized about, I couldn’t wait for the chance to get to Kampala (I studied from upcountry) and tell her that I adored her. You won’t believe I still haven’t met her to this day. I am not sure what is going on with the fashion industry, but I think things are bubbling quietly under the surface.
You have brands like Abass Kaijuka who are holding fashion shows across Africa. I feel like Ugandans are rather risk averse – if you look at West Africa, say Nigeria, Ghana, you will notice their fashion industry dominates daily life, and with significant flair. Uganda is a lot more conservative, so when you try something of that sort, you start to get whispers of all sorts. In Uganda you have to decide, once you are in the fashion industry, between being creative and pleasing the client.
A lot of clients prefer to play it safe – the only time you get to really use your creativity is when you meet a celebrity who wants to try something new or something daring. Those let you maximize your creativity. Everyone else here will only try something if they have seen it somewhere before. So in the end we wind up suppressing our creativity just so we can earn. Part of it is also the economy – the kind of dresses we do; we get paid 10% of what we would be paid in a larger economy but that is sort of expected.
You must love working with celebrities…
I love it. They think out of the box, they are daring, they need to stand out, and so they let your creativity run riot. But playing it safe is what’s holding back the industry and affecting its oomph factor. A small economy, and a conservative society, and so these are the limitations we have to work with.
What would you point out as the good, the bad and the ugly of the fashion industry?
What I have already mentioned – we live in a poor, conservative country so creativity is limited drastically here.That falls under bad of course.We love what we do, I will say that for the fashion industry. Everybody in it is pretty passionate about what they are doing and it can be amazing to watch. It would be impossible to get anything done otherwise. And that’s a good thing. Also, you get to do something you love and make money from it, and few things are better than that. The ugly part is when you are dealing with people who are impatient or have no idea how much of a process this can be. Or dealing with clients who have no idea about fabrics and design which often results in miscommunication. So these days when taking a client’s order, we try to take notes and get them to sign off on an assignment they have given us.
Is it easy juggling your profession with your personal life? Family and all?
It is actually a lot easier for me than for most of my friends involved in other jobs or work. My home is 400 metres from my office and I have a flexible schedule, so there’s always time for family. I have days when I work up to midnight or 2 a.m. but it is easier than a 9 to 5, so I feel lucky and blessed that this is the case.
Think you could point out to us which notable personalities have worn Dyna Vence Couture?
Oh yes, we are one of the most sought out by the biggest celebrities if they have a red carpet event. We have dressed Zari, Rema Namakula, Barbie Kyagulanyi, Spice Diana, Helen Lukoma, Pia Pounds, Lydia Jazmine, Anita Fabiola, Juliana Kanyomozi, Zuena, and almost all of them. Everyone wants to work with me, something I am grateful and thankful for.