Cerumi started with a simple problem. Founder Princess Ucheobom loves fashion. She is also a minimalist. She likes simple designs and simple colours, but she wants pieces that still make a statement without much effort.

When she looked around at Nigerian fashion brands, she couldn’t find that. Most Nigerian brands lean into Afrocentric designs. Those designs are beautiful, but they didn’t match the style she was after.

So she started looking outside Nigeria. She found brands like Babyboo and Oh Polly that had the exact silhouettes and designs she loved. House of CB was on that list too. There was one big problem though: most of these brands don’t deliver to Nigeria.

The Gap She Found

Princess tried working with personal shoppers to get around this, but it didn’t work well for her.

• Personal shoppers are expensive and slow to work with
• She likes to get her outfits close to an event, sometimes a day or two before, and personal shopping couldn’t keep up with that

Even the international brands that do deliver to Nigeria come with a high price tag. They charge in dollars and pounds, and once that converts to naira, the cost climbs fast.

Nigerian brands had their own issue too. Many call themselves ready-to-wear, but they are really made to order. You place your order and wait, sometimes up to two weeks, before it gets to you.

Princess saw a clear gap. Nigerian women needed a brand that could get outfits into their hands fast, ideally within 24 to 48 working hours. That gap is what pushed her to start Cerumi.

She Wasn’t the Only One

Once Princess had the idea, she didn’t just run with her own opinion. She ran a survey to see whether other Nigerian women felt the same way. They did.

She also found something interesting. A good number of the customers that brands like Babyboo and Oh Polly serve are already Nigerian and African women. That told her the demand for what she wanted to build was already there, not just in her own head.

Building Cerumi the Right Way

Princess knew that if Nigerian women were going to trust Cerumi with their money, the quality had to match what they’d get from an international brand. So she travelled to different countries to find factories and manufacturers that could deliver that same standard of finishing and precision.

She found them, and building started properly from there. Cerumi has been in the works since last year.

The Launch

Cerumi launched on August 15. The focus right now is Lagos and Abuja, with plans to reach more cities like Port Harcourt and Owerri.

Here is what shopping with Cerumi looks like:

• Orders in Lagos arrive within 24 to 48 hours
• Orders outside Lagos arrive within 3 to 4 days
• Cerumi also delivers to Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, and Togo
• Women in the diaspora are part of the plan too

Where Cerumi Is Right Now

Cerumi is still in its early days. Right now, the goal is to sell out the current 79-piece collection so the brand can move on to the next one.

A second collection, Tender, is coming in December. Expect the same care and attention that went into the first collection.

What Cerumi Stands For

Cerumi dresses are made with the wearer in mind. Take the Yasmin dress, for example. It has internal support built into the design, so you don’t need a bra no matter your bust size.

This is a brand for women, built by a woman who understands what women want to feel like when they get dressed. Cerumi wants you to feel seen and confident in what you’re wearing, for dinner dates, weddings, girls’ nights out, and date nights alike.

Mission and Vision

Cerumi’s mission is to give Nigerian women access to body-flattering, feminine designs without making them jump through hoops to find them.

The vision is bigger than Nigeria. Princess wants Cerumi to grow across Africa and eventually the world. Nigerian and African women shouldn’t have to deal with high exchange rates and long waits to get a dress they love. Cerumi wants to bring that experience home, at a price and speed that make sense for you.

What’s Next

Tender launches in December. Beyond that, Cerumi is focused on growing its reach and sharing more of its story, including what actually goes into getting ready and creating each piece.

If you’ve been searching for a Nigerian fashion brand that gets your style and gets it to you fast, Cerumi is worth a look. Shop the current collection at cerumi.com.