Prynce Clothing taking the fashion industry by storm

Emmanuel Ndizihiwe’s fashion company, Prynce Clothing, is thriving after receiving support from CDEM.

Prynce Clothing is Emmanuel Ndizihiwe’s clothing brand. The designer has gone by the nickname Prynce since he was a boy, so it seemed the obvious choice when he was looking for a name for his company in 2015.

Emmanuel Ndizihiwe, designer and owner of Prynce Clothing

In June 2017, Emmanuel Ndizihiwe took part in his first fashion show in Toronto and went on to show his creations at the Fashion on Ice event at this year’s Festival du Voyageur. Hoodies, t-shirts, headgear… Prynce Clothing boasts a total of nine collections, available online (1).

The company has taken off in the last few months, thanks to CDEM and its Été en affaires business start-up program. “I took a business course that helped improve my understanding of the company. It was a three-day course on how to start a business and prepare a business plan. We looked at all the little things you need to know when becoming an entrepreneur.

“I also had to explain my business concept. I used to be really shy about talking about my company in front of business people. Overcoming that is half the battle. And your business takes off.”

Emmanuel Ndizihiwe rebuilt his website with a $1,000 grant from the Été en affaires (summer in business) program and is already seeing a positive impact on sales. He also organized a photo shoot to promote his latest clothing lines.

In addition to this financial support, Ndizihiwe also took advantage of other resources offered by CDEM. “I was able to use one of their offices for my business meetings with potential partners aimed at getting my products into stores.”

The young Rwandan-born entrepreneur is on a roll, drawing his creative inspiration from African customs and culture. “One of my t-shirt slogans is “Hunt or Starve,” inspired by Kenya’s semi-nomadic Maasai herders and warriors from East Africa who must hunt to survive.”

“They are the inspiration for my t-shirts and logos. I chose the lion because, while he may not be the smartest or strongest animal, he is King of the Jungle because of the way he thinks. My business is built on that idea. You can achieve anything in life if you have a goal and work hard.”

The multitasking business owner, who also works for the Lifetouch photo studio and is house manager at the CCFM, is grateful: “Sometimes, people in business think they are all alone, and that nobody is there to help them. But there are actually many programs like Été en affaires for young people like me who want to succeed. The funding and support they offer help us realize our projects and dreams.”

(1)  www.prynceclothing.com

Instagram and Facebook: @prynceclothing