At The September Standard, we believe that the only way fashion can become a truly viable industry in the country, is when designers finally prioritize the comfort of their customers and invest not just in delivering quality product but ensuring that the customer also leaves happy. Nigerian ‘couture’ designer Ogugua Okonkwo has gained reputation for horrible customer service and substandard products, a far cry from the glossy and excellently cut pieces we’ve become accustomed to in her Instagram photos and on her runway shows. We were approached by Bisola Akinduro, a former patron of Style Temple with complaints which we feel we should publish verbatim to give the real heft of the disappointment that was meted out to them. We hope Ogugua sees this, and responds robustly, for the sake of her business and brand. The complaint is reproduced below.
I hope you’re doing well, thank you for all you do news wise. I am writing to report Og of Style Temple so her true scamming nature can be publicized, and hopefully I can save some people their money. As you know Nigeria doesn’t have a working system including for things such as Business Bureau, so it is up to us as journalists, and citizens of the world to look out for one another. I know you feel passionately about such issues and I hope you can post this. I have also attached screenshots below of proof.
Og was contacted to make a reception dress for my sister’s wedding, my maid of honor dress, and a veil for my sister. We paid on February 1, and kept chasing Og to make these items on time. Every time we called her store or her phone she never picked up. We desperately took to her Instagram page to comment asking about the status of our dresses after which she blocked my sister, the bride. She also blocked me on what’s app because I called her out for being a fraud. The dresses were not ready till May, literally days before the wedding, even though we paid months in advance and she had said it’ll take 3 weeks for the dresses to be ready.
After much stress on my sister, the bride, and calling non-stop everyday from America to Nigeria. She finally sends the dresses, but they’re poorly made, dirty, and already decorated with holes. I immediately messaged her on my sister’s WhatsApp since I was still blocked to let her know she was a fraud, and a horrible person. There was absolutely no reason for her to send us such nasty outfits considering all the trouble she put us through, and all the time she had to make them. Og proceeded to call us cheap, and insult us. The fabric she is calling cheap is supposed to be a $400 fabric by the way. It also does not look the the original fabric we chose neither does it look $400. Og does not pay attention to her customers needs, and was never accessible to discuss issues with the outfits. I also sent friends in Abuja to her store but to no avail. I also asked more people about her while we were going through this stressful time, and no one had anything good to say about her service. My sister was not the first bride she’s tried this with, but we were lucky to able to pay another designer to make a dress within a week so the wedding could go on.
I hope you retract your post so people do not fall into her deceiving hands. I was extremely hurt watching my sister get played by Og with barely any options until last minute. You can imagine how stressed she was about her wedding dresses. I would hate for someone else to also waste their money. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am happy to speak up for the many people she’s wronged in the same way, but kept silent for one reason or another. I have also attached their stories which came up as I posted about her on my IG.
I hope you retract your post so people do not fall into her deceiving hands. I was extremely hurt watching my sister get played by Og with barely any options until last minute. You can imagine how stressed she was about her wedding dresses. I would hate for someone else to also waste their money. Please let me know if you have any questions.
PHOTOS OF THEIR TRANSACTIONS
PHOTO EVIDENCE OF IGNORED CORRESPONDENCE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
THE DRESSES AGREED ON
