Aspiring entrepreneur Azuka Obi, who calls himself “unapologetically Caymanian”, says he wants his 1503 Apparel clothing label to be a conversation starter for those who may not know about the Cayman Islands.
Obi, 22, who is pursuing his master’s degree in strategic marketing and consulting at the University of Birmingham, is the designer behind the 1503 apparel label which he says channels his love for the islands.
“Anybody who knows me, knows my passion and knows how much I love Cayman. I always wanted something to reflect Cayman as well as Cayman culture and, before starting this, I never really saw something that did that. I also really wanted to start a clothing business, so I said, ‘Let me put these two interests together and see what would happen,'” he said.
Conversation starter
Obi’s designs, though simple, are deliberate.
“I wanted something a little bit different from [other local brands] and 1503… that’s when the Cayman Islands was discovered,” he said, adding that not many people outside these shores know that.
This, he said, is why he is using the year 1503 as his trademark, with no explanation contained in the design so when people see it, they will ask what it means.
“All I wear is 1503 shirts and 1503 slippers. When I wear them in the UK, for example, people come up to me and [ask] ‘What does 1503 stand for?’ And then that’s a conversation starter about Cayman, about the brand… That’s also why I didn’t want it to specifically say Cayman on it because I wanted to raise the question.
“I wanted you to have a conversation, to tell people about Cayman and be proud of it. Just all part of being unapologetically Caymanian,” he said.
Obi, who is of Nigerian and Cameroonian heritage and the son of Cayman Islands Red Cross Director Jondo Obi, said his love for these islands motivates him to change perceptions of Cayman.
He also operates Cayman Wastes Instagram page which offers a platform to young Caymanians to talk about issues that matter to them, as well as see the lighter side of life.
Starting with a slipper
COVID-19 forced many around the world and here in Cayman into lockdown, leaving young people like Obi struggling with being away from friends and having no real means to earn money.
But it sparked inspiration for Obi, who was then just 19, to pursue his dream of launching a clothing business and also connect with fellow young Caymanians.
He said, during that period, he and his friends attempted to earn money and tried selling different things.
Eventually, he said, he was able to earn enough to kick-start 1503 in late 2020.
Beginning with his simple 1503 design on a pair of plastic, open-front slippers, Obi launched his label.
“I ordered 200 of the first batch, which was probably the biggest risk that I had ever taken in my life because… the quality could have been terrible, the design could have been not what I wanted… [but] luckily when I received the items, they were almost perfect,” he said.
After that success, Obi said he knew he had the support to grow his label, so he went full steam ahead creating hoodie and T-shirt designs.
He said the first time he came across someone wearing his hoodie in Camana Bay, it felt surreal.
“I was like ‘Wow, I really did that’,” he said, adding that he gets messages from people when they see someone wearing 1503 apparel from “head to toe”.
“I feel like my 19-year-old self would be proud of where I am now,” Obi said.
While he loves running his business online, he hopes to expand to have a storefront carrying his designs. But, for now, the personal touch means the most to him.
“My ideal store would be a store right on [the] waterfront and have all the tourists come in… But I like the fact that’s not the case because I am obviously a ‘people person’ and I like… that you’re able to make an order on my website and I personally am the one to see it.
“I can sort out your order, I deliver it to you,” he said, pointing to “that sense of relationship with all my customers”. Obi added that probably 90% of his customers have had a conversation with him while ordering.
“I love that so much because I don’t want to be somebody… who you can’t reach,” he said.
Obi has been collaborating with others as he moves to expand his offerings, stating his vision is to have a 1503 product in every home in the Cayman Islands.
Though he knows he is young in business, Obi said he would encourage others to follow their dreams.
“I’m learning as I go every day. So there’s no real perfect time where you can plan everything and it goes smoothly. That’s [why] I try to encourage [others]… not everything is going [to be] perfect, life is not perfect. My life, especially, is not perfect and neither is 1503. But the fact that I’m doing it and trying my best, all that’s enough for me,” he said.
His advice, which he said can work in business and in life in general, is simple: “There’s no perfect time, so go with your gut and see what happens, and if it fails, get up and try again.”
Related Videos
