AQUA7EVEN TIMELESS ELEGANCE

Interview by JOSE-MARIA JIMENEZ

In the ever-evolving landscape of fashion, where trends flicker like stars in the night sky, there exists a constellation that remains constant, shining with timeless elegance and innovative design. Join us as we embark on a journey into the realm of contemporary fashion with Cynthia Wordu, the visionary creator behind AQUA7EVEN.

Aqua7even isn't just a clothing brand; it's a testament to the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and meticulous craftsmanship. With a penchant for blending minimalist aesthetics with striking details, Cynthia's designs speak volumes about individuality and refined taste.

As the owner and creative director of AQUA7EVEN, Cynthia infuses every stitch with passion and purpose, crafting pieces that transcend fleeting fads, embracing instead the enduring allure of sophistication. Handcrafted with care and attention to detail, each garment is a testament to the brand's commitment to ethical practices and impeccable fit, tailored to adorn the modern woman who revels in standing out.

Can you tell us about the inception of AQUA7EVEN? What inspired you to start this brand, and what does the name signify?

Honestly, it all started with my love for sketching moving things as a kid and my love for cute elegant clothing, I loved my clothes as a child, I never wanted to share my clothes or wear the same thing as my sisters, I always wanted a different color than theirs. If I am honest, AQUA7EVEN inception was from a Little age.

I had all these tons of sketches of clothing I wanted to créate and I was getting overwhelmed with more ideas and decided to finish school to please my parents and still go back to study fashion, which I did with the London College of fashion, UAL after this I went back home to Nigeria and started my label. After this I got an invitation to showcase at Vancouver fashion week,Canada which I did. The feedback was promising and I’ve just kept pushing since then.

AQUA7EVEN , is a combination of my zodiac sign “AQUARIUS” and my date of birth on the -7th. AQUA-7EVEN we are working with ethical minded manufacturers who shares our views within their work place, providing fair wages and safe working conditions. I’m a small brand and sustainability is important to me, not having to populate the environment with yet another wasteful brand adding to the issues of environment degradation , we manage inventory by having limited edition releases, once it’s gone it’s most likely not coming back which helps manage waste and having recycled packaging helps too.

AQUA7EVEN is known for its creative yet minimalist aesthetic. How do you balance these two seemingly contrasting elements in your designs?

Our environment is begging us right now to take care of it, it’s the only one we’ve got.

Your pieces are said to transcend time. How do you ensure that your designs remain relevant and timeless amidst changing fashion trends?

I have a deep affection for fun feminine clothing with a subtle infusion of strength. These can either be seen in the color choices or in the design of our pieces. It’s more of what I like which is usually translated to our designs so it comes easy in my creativee process.

Sustainability and ethical practices are central to AQUA7EVEN's ethos. Could you elaborate on how your brand incorporates these principles into its production process?

I am very particular with the manaufacturers I work with, sometimes this could be a slow process because I like to ensure

I have never been a trend person, I like value. When I design our pieces I put into consideration designing most of our pieces to be worn in all seasons, any time. I want people to feel that in 5 years or more they can pull out that dress to head out and it’s still giving them value while they look good in it.

The AQUA7EVEN woman is described as one who loves to stand out and appreciates attention to detail. How do you infuse these qualities into your collections?

The AQUA7EVEN WOMAN is confident in who she is, she doesnt need validation, she has her eyes for details, she likes to stand out not in a loud way but in a subtle way, she’s elegant yet fun. These qualities I tie into my creative process when designing a collection.

Could you walk us through your design process? How do you go from concept to finished product?

Our design process starts with an idea, and then refining the ideas and sketching each idea and fine tunning it, until I see a collection that can be cohesive. We créate simples and test fit them, and sometimes some dont come out great as in seen in my visión (laughs) and some do, I scrap some and continue with others, I approve the final designs and they go into production.

Collaboration is becoming increasingly common in the fashion industry. Have you collaborated with any other designers or brands? If so, what was the experience like?

No, I havent, I’m hoping I can have a spectacular collaboration one day…. One day.

What challenges have you faced as a sustainable and ethical fashion brand, and how have you overcome them?

There are so many challenges, especially moving from a different market back in Nigeria to creating a sustainable brand in a broader market here in the United States. Some of these challenges include:

– Sourcing sustainable and ethical materials can be challenging. We still do our best in sourcing sustainable suppliers.

–Production cost can be more expensive when looking for sustainable materials and ethical labor practices.

- As a small brand we are trying to differentiate our brand in a crowded market place which requires heavy marketing and branding strategy.

Last but not least –Scaling UP, scaling a sustainable fashion brand while maintaining ethical standards can be challenging.

AQUA7EVEN's fit is praised for catering to a wide range of body types. How do you ensure inclusivity in your designs?

I’m always thinking of the AQUA7EVEN woman, who she is, I try to design ítems that they feel comfortable and look good in, our designs are centered around our women.

The fashion industry is constantly evolving. How do you see AQUA7EVEN evolving in the future while staying true to its core values?

Very true, the fashion industry is always evolving, I plan to stay on top of the evolution and grow with the industry while staying true to our values.

AQUA7EVEN's pieces are described as having a "heart" inspired by the AQUA7EVEN woman. Could you elaborate on this concept and how it translates into your designs?

Yes, As I mentioned earlier, our designs are centered around the AQUA7EVEN WOMAN, they are the heart of the brand.

Social media plays a significant role in promoting fashion brands. How do you leverage platforms like Instagram to connect with your audience and showcase your collections?

Instagram is an amazing platform to showcase and grow your brand, the reach it has, with engaging and interacting with your audience is amazing. Announcing launches and its call to action feature that enables potential customers act, is a great platform to leverage. What advice would you give to aspiring designers looking to create their own sustainable and ethical fashion brands?

My advice will be source suppliers that can help promote your mission with ethical and sustainable practices. Educate yourself on more ways you can achieve this as well and implement it. I´m wishing you all the best.