Thursday, March 28, 2024

Monif’s got it figured out

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Monif Clarke’s personality can only be described in three simple words: big, bold and beautiful!

The dynamic 35-year-old woman is the powerhouse behind the clothes line Monif C, an online business which is known on every continent.

Yes, Monif can quickly rattle off the big names in Hollywood she has designed for, including stars like Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Sherry Shepherd of The View, Raven Symone and singer Jill Scott, just to name a few.

But, flipping through her Instagram page on her cellphone, there is particular pride and joy as she highlights the regular people who are only too happy to take pictures, selfies and all, showing off their outfits, dresses or swimwear, which were bought from her website.

Monif is happy they took the time to share their Kodak moments with her.

Dressed in one of her popular designs, a bright yellow romper, set against her glowing skin tone and blonde-streaked tresses, Monif also delicately, yet fashionably accessorises with pink coloured nails and cream sandals.

She waltzes into the Nation’s Fontabelle, St Michael office with the confidence and flair that says “I am here”.

Monif is New York born, but spends quite a bit of time in Barbados.

She’s no stranger to these shores since she is citizen by descent with both parents being Barbadian.

Settling into the interview, Monif recalls coming to Barbados with her mother Sheila Elaine Clarke when she was a young girl and staying in Turner’s Hall, St Andrew.

At that time, eyes used to roll and there was the slumping of shoulders at the very thought of spending time in Barbados.

Monif admits that it was really her boyfriend who opened her eyes to different aspects of this country.

“As a 20-something-year-old woman, I saw the beauty of Barbados. I feel more at home here.”

So much so, that Monif reveals this is where she is most creative and gets most of the ideas for her designs – be it just relaxing on the beach or just driving around.

Monif is the first to admit, though, that she stumbled on to the fashion industry.

“This wasn’t what I planned. I stumbled on it.”

Monif was actually on course to follow in the footsteps of her father Earl Clarke. She pursued studies in math and computer science and graduated from Rutgers University with her degree in this field. Even then, she knew it wasn’t her love.

“I knew I wasn’t going to end up doing this. I didn’t know what purpose God had for me next but I knew it wasn’t that. My mother would always say to me, ‘You need to figure out a business because you are meant to be a CEO’,” she said chuckling as she remembered lazing around the house early on mornings when she should have been rushing to work.

She took her mother up on her suggestion and in fact roped her into a business they partnered in on eBay back in 2002.

At the time, the mother and daughter team was making about $30 000 a month, and that initiative earned them an award from the state of New Jersey.

Monif considers that her starter business, which had a three-year lifespan.

“That is when I understood how to deal with customers,” she said smiling.

Then, the businesswoman started to get itchy feet and looked for new ventures.

She pitched the idea of a cleaning business to her mother but that lasted for all of one month. Then she decided to head to England to visit with family.

Her cousin Tricia had a clothing business there and she was the one who really planted the seed after Monif visited a company and lamented there were not enough fashionable clothes out there for plus-sized women.

This was personal for Monif.

“My mum didn’t have an easy time dressing me. I figured if this is what I went through and was going through as a plus-sized woman, then imagine what others were going through.

“My mum, who would support me even if I wanted to run for president, said, ‘Why don’t you do it?’”

Monif flew home excited and eager to breathe life into this new idea.

Then, four weeks later she was back in England, where she spent a month at a factory soaking up and learning everything she could about the clothing industry and how garments are made.

“That was my crash course in fashion design,” she said.

It wasn’t easy sailing and, in fact, Monif and her mother travelled back and forth between New Jersey, where they were living, and New York, visiting garment factories and talking to people in the industry, including those who made zippers and buttons.

“We had many doors closed on us but we were determined.”

Lady Luck came her way when she attended a trade show Coterie and saw the line from Cary Marcus.

Shamelessly, Monif admitted she hounded him for a month, once every week without fail to get him to take her seriously.

“I had pitched my idea to him but he simply said to me, ‘This is small change’ compared to what I do’.”

She wasn’t discouraged.

Soon after, Marcus gave her three to four names of people he worked with in the business, and nine years later she still has business ties with them.

By September 2005, Monif had her business, which bears her name, up and running and from the outset she knew it was going to be a hit.

That’s not to say there weren’t haunting thoughts of “If I put clothes out how will anyone find us?”

With that, she set out to talk to different editors. In July of that year she was emailing Press kits all over. That bore much success for the entrepreneur.

On September 16, the Monif C line was featured on What Not To Wear, the American television series.

Monif’s designs have already been featured on BET’s Rip The Runway and in magazines like Essence and Glamour.

“When you are doing something different you stand out. I have fashionable plus-sized clothing that stands out from the pack,” she said.

Monif C, which features various designs, including swimwear from size 14 to 24, is mainly an online business (98 per cent).

She proudly boasts that her company, with a staff of eight and located in Manhattan, ships to countries all over the world.

Monif now has her eyes set on the next phase of her business. Her mother, who has now passed, continues to be her spiritual partner.

“We want to dress and educate plus-sized women who have been ignored by the fashion industry,” she said, happy that some of her customers are right here in Barbados.

With a new line set to come out next year,  Monif is scouting for distributors in the Caribbean and Africa.

Monif is also passionate about entrepreneurship and wants to work at bringing the diaspora into Barbados and creating more businesses for youngpeople.

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