Jade collection fashion house has grown from a very humble beginning as described below by the founder, Director and CEO of the company.
“Looking Good had always been my weakness until I made it my strength by venturing into the fashion industry. I love looking good. It’s my passion, it’s me! Even while I was a teacher in Nakuru, things did not feel right, because deep in me I was not satisfied with teaching.
During the school holidays I could take a trip to South Africa to buy fashion items which I would hawk during weekends and school holidays. Before long I realized I could not serve two masters, teaching and ‘hawking’. Since I always loved business and had that burning desire in me to venture into it, I took a risk and followed my heart, to do what I love most. I quit my job. I knew that since this was in me, I would do it passionately with all my heart. I became confident in my decision and believed that I had made the right choice.
Having decided to follow my dream, I started my journey into business in 2000 by opening my first exhibition table in Nakuru which soon became too small to contain my dreams. I later opened my own exhibition called Millennium and set aside half of it for my own products which I sourced from Dubai. I leased the remaining half to other exhibitors. Within no time the ambitious me needed a bigger challenge, so in 2004 I got a shop in Embassy house Nairobi, which soon led to the expansion of a second shop. It was during this same period that I ventured into supplying fashion items to supermarkets. I opted to concentrate the business in Nairobi, leaving the Nakuru shops under the trusted care of my sister.
By 2005 most of my time was spent traveling to the Far East and Turkey, and it was during this period that I made the decision to close down the two shops at Embassy House and fully concentrate in the supply business. This went well until 2007 when my biggest customer made that dreaded call. Having ordered a 40 foot container of assorted supplies, they cancelled while it was already in the high seas. I was taken aback because I did not have a warehouse or a shop. I had apparently zeroed in on that one major customer whose consignments I used to deliver directly to their warehouse. I later came to learn that my client had without alerting me, started bringing in their own goods. This unexpected turn of events marked the birth of Jade Collection Limited.
Today I can look back without any regrets because I am certain that this experience was God’s Plan, to get me on course to open my own Fashion House, Jade Collection. I recall during my wholesale business, I noted that the main clothing retail stores in Kenya were South African and it really bothered me why we didn’t have our very own Kenyan Fashion Retail brands. God had given me the perfect opportunity, to fill the gap. God provided the ideal premise which proved perfect as the Tom Mboya branch in Nairobi opened its doors to the public on 10th April 2008. Here we are today.”