IN CONVERSATION with Denim Designer Ibrahim Diakité

He's all about denim and drama. Philly-bred with Malian roots designer Ibrahim and I sat down to discuss his new brand. Watch this space to learn more about this emerging designer.

Mar 01, 2023

Focus, vision, and courage. These are the qualities one needs when venturing out into the world of entrepreneurship.

A few years ago, I came across a young designer who epitomizes these three qualities. A friend of mine was wearing a very interesting pair of jeans that caught my eye immediately. They were stylish, eclectic, edgy, and definitely unique. “Where did you get these jeans from!?” I asked excitedly. She told me they were custom-made for her by a friend who was an emerging designer.

I reached out to him soon after with an idea for a jeans skirt that I wanted him to create for me. He went above and beyond my expectations, bringing to life exactly what I envisioned… and more. This timeless piece ended up being the first skirt he created for his brand.

Since then, with amazement, I have watched the brand grow and I was curious to find out more about his journey. The opportunity for an interview soon presented itself and here it is!

Let’s get to know the designer.

Amarissa sits down with Ibrahim Diakité…

Before we get into your brand Diakité Denim, can our audience get to know Mr. Diakité himself?

My name is Ibrahim. I’m about to be 26 in March. I'm a Pisces. I went to college for Criminology and Psychology, that’s what I got my degree in. I'm West African from Mali. Actually, let me start there. My parents are from Mali. I’m a first generation Malian American. I’m also from West Philly, 215, born and raised.
Some of my hobbies include fashion and online shopping. I also like art and nature. I like going out for walks and stuff like that. I like being chilled up with my boo or doing stuff with my friends and family. I like trying new things. I'm always open to trying anything new, as long as it's like, nothing to do with heights or getting dirty.
I also love helping people! Fun fact: I'm a Behavioral Health Technician by day, which a lot of people don't know. I work with children who are autistic. That's why I got my degree in psychology. I teach them social and life skills so they can hopefully one day get to the point where they can be independent. Just seeing them grow every single day makes my heart warm. I love being able to be a positive influence on these kids and guide them in a meaningful direction.

Wow, a Behavioral Health Technician by day and a designer by night. So what inspired you to start a fashion brand, specifically, a denim one?

Okay. So I have a short story. One day I saw a pair of jeans I really liked and I wanted to buy them. I'm very much an “if I want it, I get it” type of person you know? But when I saw the price, I was like, “Oh, whoa!” Listen, this was in 2019 when I was fresh out of college. I didn’t even have a job in my field yet and I believe the person wanted almost $700 for those pair of jeans. I was lowkey thinking, “I can definitely make these by myself” because I've always played with denim.
This might be a Philly thing, but there was a point in time when cutting your jeans, ripping them up, and bleaching them was a thing. Everyone used to make their own jeans and shorts and things like that. My mom would buy me jeans and I would cut them up and destroy them and basically do what I wanted to do with them. So I think that's the first time I was like, “Oh, wait, I can do something here.”
One day, a friend told me to buy needles and thread and to start sewing jeans how you would sew a wig (she sews her own wigs). So that's when I made my first pair of jeans and my boyfriend told me I should keep making more and that I should sell them. At the time, I wasn’t confident just yet because the first jeans I made were ripping as I was wearing them. It looked nice in pictures, but it wasn't sustainable at all. I knew I had to perfect my craft.
So I really took time and practiced. I would make jeans for my friends and boyfriend. One day, my boyfriend was like “Yo, I think it's time. I think you should really do it.” And that's when I decided — I’m going to start my own denim brand. From then, I started taking orders. By the way, I started making the jeans in 2019, but I didn't start taking orders until 2020.

Your brand is very new. Has it been three years yet since you launched?

This will be the third year since I started during the pandemic. During that time, I used to just be in my room, sewing and making jeans all day. I know everybody picked up on something during the pandemic, and I guess making jeans was my thing.

Would you call yourself a self-taught designer?

Definitely. To this day, I’m still learning new tips and tricks. I'm trying to go about designing in a more….appropriate way, if that’s what you’d call it. I’m learning how to use the sewing machine and learning the name of different techniques.

I’ve watched your growth since the pandemic and I’ve noticed the improvement in your craft. But even when you crafted that skirt for me two years ago, the fit—especially at my waist—the cut, and the overall design was perfect. It’s definitely a timeless piece for me.

Yes! And let me say this on record… your skirt is the first skirt I ever made. I'm so happy you love it. I’m happy that it fits you and that you love the way it fits you. That’s the biggest thing for me when it comes to fittings. In the beginning, I was worried that things wouldn’t fit people properly since I do everything virtually through Instagram DMs. For each order, I have to have faith that the sizing information customers give me is accurate and that I translate it properly. It's hard when you're not there physically.

Let’s get into brand storytelling. Iconic brands such as Nike, Levi’s, etc. usually tell narratives—whether it’s through their campaigns, social media, products, etc— to create emotional, value-driven connections between their customers and their brand. What would you say is the story you’re trying to tell through your brand?

I'm big on the idea of “it was made just for you”. That's something that's special about my brand— everything is custom. Everything is made just for you and no one else in this world has the exact same piece as you. The item was literally sewn and created because you ordered it. And throughout the process of me making it, I think about you. My goal is to make everyone feel special because we all are one of a kind. There's no one else that's like you and that concept is important and runs throughout my brand’s DNA. My brand story focuses on individuality.
I always want my customers to feel special. I want them to think “Oh, yeah, this was made just for me. I look good in it.” Everyone should feel confident in everything that they wear you know? As humans, we always deal with our confidence going in and out. One day we're feeling good. The next day we’re feeling down…but despite that, when you put on my clothes, I want you to feel good and feel that you look good! That’s the energy I want from anybody that wears my jeans or anything that I sell.
When you’re walking down the street wearing the skirt I made for you, you know that nobody in this world has that exact same skirt. No one—you’re the only person. Doesn't that make you feel special?

For sure! There’s definitely a boost in my self-confidence when I put on that skirt. Individuality… I love that your brand focuses on that.

I feel like that is what fashion is lacking right now, individuality. So I definitely want to be a part of bringing individuality back and being creative and wearing whatever you want. I know some people think my pieces are too much … but that’s okay. It wasn’t meant for you, it’s meant for somebody else.

So there’s constant chatter in the fashion world on the importance of brands connecting to culture so that they stay culturally relevant, provide value to their consumers, and form real connections with them. In what ways does your brand authentically connect to culture through storytelling?

As a first-generation Malian American, and being African in general, I’ve always felt like we are hardly represented on those big stages in the fashion industry. I want Diakité Denim to be a household name. I want to represent and connect to Malians/Africans because a lot of us are dope and unique and I feel as though we don’t get the recognition we deserve. We’re very talented.
There's not enough of us in those rooms so I want to make sure that I am one of those people that's in those rooms so I can kick down doors for others like me. The more of us, the better!
Similar to household names like Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent, I want people to know my brand and want to pronounce the name correctly. One of my biggest inspirations is Rihanna. Her naming her brand Fenty is what inspired me to name my brand Diakité denim. She did that for Caribbeans, to represent them.
Also, if you notice, a lot of my models are Black. I created a space for my people to see themselves being represented in each and every way. I also try to connect to everyday people. I'm not going to use popular people to sell my products. I use regular people like you and me. This brand is meant to connect to Africans, Black people in general, and the everyday person.

What would you say has been the most difficult part of starting this business?

“Is anyone going to buy?” (laughs). No, but seriously, I used to always think “Will my stuff sell? Are people going to buy it? Will they even want this?” When I first started out, people didn’t know me, so I thought maybe they wouldn’t care about my brand. That was one of my biggest fears because I feel like—this is a background story about me—I feel like growing up, I was not the way I am now. The way people view me now and the way they viewed me growing up is very different. I was one of the kids that always got bullied and stuff like that. So I had to find the confidence within myself to believe that I could successfully create this brand.
Thinking about the way people treated me when I was younger, sometimes those fears would pop back into my mind and I would have thoughts that nobody is going to like my brand. But now I feel more confident when I drop my pieces. Despite what anyone thinks, I know the stuff is cute as s***…if you can't dress just say that! (laughs). But as I said earlier, everything is not for everybody. I'm really aware of that now.
When people don’t buy a piece, it can be discouraging, I’ll definitely say that. But once you get to that point of knowing you can't give up, that you have to keep pushing no matter what, your confidence grows. I knew I had to keep putting my stuff out there. What’s funny is that one of the jeans I made that I thought nobody was going to like, ended up being my best seller. The jeans with the paint on them. I created so many of those pairs that I ended up having paint on the floor in my apartment. From then on, I knew I had to get out of my head.

So if you drop a product and no one buys it, right, how do you personally bounce back from that? How do you take those learnings and figure out what your next product will be?

So this is the thing… because all my stuff is made to order, I’m not taking a huge loss or even wasting my time when I put out a new piece. I usually create one or two pieces for promotion to test demand. I don’t make anything in bulk, besides the handbags I sell. I've been dropping those in bulk because demand is pretty high for them. But with jeans, people usually want something custom. As I mentioned earlier, everything is custom. People want different details incorporated into their jeans. So I don't want to make something and have it sitting there for so long.
When I put out a new product and I don’t receive any orders, I just think, “Okay, this didn't work. I got something else for you though.” I'm always coming up with new ideas. One thing about me… I don't drop everything I’ve created all at once. The reason behind that is that I don’t want to be perceived as a fast fashion brand. I don't like fast fashion. Nowadays, people spend a couple hundred dollars on clothes and in a couple of months they say they have no clothes. This is because many people are buying pieces that are trending. I don't want my pieces to be a trend, I want them to be timeless staple pieces in people’s wardrobes. Pieces that they can dress up or down and style however they would like.
I understand the world is moving fast and that’s why there are a lot of fast fashion brands, but to me, that takes the joy out of designing. You have to keep thinking about what’s trending. You never get to sit and enjoy the things you create.

What is the greatest piece of advice you've received on your journey so far and from whom?

Hmm…I’m not sure if I’ve received the greatest piece of advice yet. But I will say that a celebrity that motivates me to work hard and stay the course is Beyoncé. I’ve watched her Homecoming documentary several times and it is always so inspiring to see how determined she is to bring her visions to life! Sometimes we have these pictures in our heads and we wonder how we’re going to bring them to life. To see her accomplish everything that she said she was going to do really inspires me to make sure I do everything I want to do. Every time Beyoncé gets on stage, she goes all out. She doesn't want to look back at a performance and think she didn’t give it her all. That’s the same approach I take when designing. One thing that I never want to come out of my mouth is that I wish I did something better. I wish I did this better. I want to look back and think I did my best for the time period I did it in.

We can all learn a thing or two about perseverance, hard work, and determination from Beyoncé. Based on your journey so far, what advice would you give an emerging designer?

Take your time. Take your time. Take your time. There’s literally no rush. So many people ask me why I haven’t quit my full-time job yet. Or why didn't you do this or why didn't you do that? The answer is…I'm taking my time. I want people to see the quality, time, and effort I put into each piece and into growing this brand. My goal is to put a smile on people's faces through my designs and I can’t do that if I’m rushing through everything. Taking my time is what got me to where I'm at right now.
I don't want to fold under pressure and end up putting out work that I’m not passionate about. It's not about the money for me. It's about putting out good quality work and I feel like I can achieve those things by taking my time and not feeling threatened by others around me that’s going a faster pace. There are a lot of designers making jeans, but it's about how you put your own unique touch on them. That’s what I focus on. When you force things and rush them, it kills your creativity.
Also, another piece of advice, only create a brand if you’re passionate about it! If you're not passionate about it, don't do it. If you're just trying to make a quick lick, you're going to be a quick lick. But if you're passionate about it, it's going to be a fun life long experience for you. You get to see yourself grow. I’m seeing myself grow and I'm loving every bit of it. I'm cherishing these memories!

Thank you so much for sitting down with me today. This has been a very inspiring conversation. Your brand has grown so much in the span of 3 years and I hope you continue to see more success and growth.