Closet Case
The secret is out.
Cee Cee's Closet has everyone talking—and for good reason. The newly launched line fuses West African fashion with a touch of East Coast flair in a way that's never been done before.
Exhibit A:
Sister Sister
The founders of Cee Cee's Closet are none other than ultra-glam sister duo, Chioma and Uchenna Ngwudo.
At the ages of 22 and 24, respectively, these young entrepreneurs are determined to make their fashion footprint. I had the pleasure of speaking with the power pair in this exclusive interview.
Check Out Chi & Chen
Describe yourself in one word.
Chioma: Vivacious
Uchenna: Clever
What's the best part about working with your sister?
Chioma: I can trust her without question and we both have our collective interest in mind.
Uchenna: Chioma has a contagiously positive spirit that's nice to have when we're working long hours.
Fashion is ____________________.
Chioma: Self expression.
Uchenna: Authenticity.
Who's your biggest fashion inspiration and why?
Chioma: Olivier Rousteing. He makes these beautifully intricate designs that manage to be both striking and classy. Plus that Balmain H&M collection is amazing!
Uchenna: I'm constantly inspired by the beauty of traditional African fashion thanks to having an absolutely fabulous mom! On special occasions she's usually adorned with bold colors, satins, laces, sequins, laces, beads, and pearls. African fashion has a certain elegance that's not captured anywhere else in the world. Her most memorable pieces have been created by my aunt, Violet Hecksher, founder of Belle Fille in Lagos, Nigeria. Under her tutelage, I have been able to hone my talent in curating fabrics and understanding the functionality of different pieces. She's by far my biggest fashion inspiration.
In three words, describe your style.
Chioma and Uchenna: Chic, Classy, Clever.
(This also happens to be their tagline. How do you like them apples?)
What's your least favorite fashion trend and why?
Chioma: Jean shorts with black tights, I'm not sure why, maybe it's because I feel that jean shorts are just not meant for the colder months of the year.
Uchenna: Heeled sneakers. They're just not practical and they make your feet look huge.
What's the best piece of style advice you've ever received?
Chioma: Accessories can really bring any outfit to the next level.
Uchenna: One statement piece per outfit.
Beyond Handbags & Headwraps
How did Cee Cee's Closet NYC come to be?
We founded Cee Cee's Closet after a trip to Nigeria. Chioma brought back these beautiful ankara print clutches that both of us fell in love with! We saw that all of our friends fell in love with the bags too. We designed some bags, created them with the help of Nigerian artisans, and tested the market to see if we could sell them in the US. It was extremely important to us that the purses were made in Nigeria by local artisans to insure that we were not only celebrating the beauty of West African culture and design, but also the craftsmanship of local artists. After selling purses exclusively for a few months Uchenna's recent trip to Nigeria helped us expand into headwraps and jewelry as well.
What make's Cee Cee's Closet unique?
For us, Cee Cee's Closet NYC is not only about expressing our own personal tastes and creativity, but also celebrating the beauty of West African prints and the craftsmanship of the local artisans who bring our designs to life. We bring a well made, unique, and beautiful pattern to your wardrobe in a sleek and fashionable way.
What's your favorite piece and why?
Chioma: My favorite piece is the Luscious in Lekki. The pattern is one of my absolute favorites and I think the unique structure makes it one of those pieces that can really bring a look to the next level.
Uchenna: I'm always down for something bold to complete my look so I love the Lady in Red clutch.
Where do you see this business in 5 years?
In 5 years we see Cee Cee's Closet available globally with a broader product offering including shoes, and maybe clothes.
What impact are you hoping this line will have in the fashion world?
We're hoping that this line will bring African prints and aesthetics to the forefront of everyday street style. We want people from around the world looking to add African inspired pieces to their wardrobe.
What is the biggest mistake you've made as an entrepreneur and what did you learn from it?
Chioma: Not having business cards as soon as we got started. When you want people to purchase a product from you, the professionalism that a business card adds goes a long way towards building trust.
Uchenna: I guess we may have underestimated the power of social media influence. We're currently working on expanding our presence on various channels.
What advice would you give to young women who want to start their own line one day?
Go for it! If you have the opportunity to pursue something that you're really passionate about, you have to go for it. And if you fail, that's completely OK, learn from it and try again.
Without giving too much away, what's next for Cee Cee's Closet NYC?
There's so much that we're excited about! We working on some beautiful new designs for our spring collection and some really cool collaborations with bloggers and other designers.
Do You Cee What I Cee?
What's that? Still stumped on what to get yourself, your mom, bestie, sister, daughter, girlfriend, side chick, or other special lady in your life for Christmas?
As the great philosopher and renowned connoisseur of fashion Carrie Bradshaw once said:
I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet.
What more motivation do you need? This line is selling out fast. Put Cee Cee's Closet in yours today.
Editor's Note
For those who were:
# Hoping R. Kelly would be mentioned somewhere in this article
# Simply don't get the reference
This is for you!