Top entrepreneur Jeff Bezos once said, “Success is a combination of luck, hard work, and perseverance,” and Reni Abina has certainly demonstrated the power of this statement. Beginning her entrepreneurial journey at age sixteen with her hair extensions brand, Reni has since branched into various businesses before settling on the one she truly enjoyed – her clothing outlet Rendoll.
Since its launch in 2019, Rendoll has achieved global recognition. The brand has been featured in prominent magazines and platforms such as Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Instyle, Harper’s Bazaar, Essence, Glamor and more. In addition, Rendoll has also been listed under “Best Women’s Fashion By Black-Owned Brands” by Metro Lifestyle.
Reni attributes the love of community as one of the reasons why Rendoll made waves in a cut-throat competitive industry. In this regard, Reni’s efforts to support her community are notable.
The textile industry in Nigeria is facing a major downturn. From twenty mills, the industry has been downgraded to meager operations. The owners are shutting down their textile plants due to a surge of inexpensive, prohibited imported textiles into Nigerian markets, and high cost of production which leads to a lack of access to the domestic market as Nigerian fabrics are too expensive to compete with cheaper fabrics.
As a native, Reni understands this situation and has decided to keep the labor local to encourage industry growth. She also ensures that her labor force is paid higher than average wages for their skill sets. This is her attempt to keep the community together, which isn’t just her clients but also her workforce. She also releases several collections every two and a half months to energize the industry.
Reni also takes care of her customers’ needs, even if it means going out of her way to get things done. Whether it’s about adjusting the size according to their needs without any price disparity or offering quality assistance, Reni strives to make sure her customers are satisfied. “It’s almost impossible to succeed without considering the opinion of your community,” Reni noted while discussing customer satisfaction.
Although Reni is running the entire operation alone and has only a fraction of the manpower compared to other leading brands, her brand still grabs the spotlight with a professional look that could rival any international fashion label. She knows where her strength lies and how to showcase it.
Reni elaborates on her creative strategy: “If you want to be taken seriously as a global brand, you need to know how established international brands function and what sets them apart from others. You need to research your competitors, study their moves, and use that as a reference when formulating strategies for your own brand. You can’t expect to be viewed as a Ferrari while you play like a Toyota.”
This mindset has enabled Rendoll to stand its ground and get recognition in the face of established and experienced leading international brands – Bustle acknowledges Rendoll’s forte, listing it along with brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M, and Mango.
Reni achieved all this with her dedication, strong will, and not letting fear and self-doubt get the best of her. Without a formal education in fashion, she was still able to take Rendoll to such heights with an innovative outlook. With Rendoll, she has effortlessly showcased her fashion sense in all the right places where style is king.
To learn more about Reni and Rendoll’s future endeavors, stay tuned on their website or follow them on Instagram.
