Moroks Xpression is a Nigerian shoe and apparel brand owned by Akinyode Moronkeji. His vision is to build a world-class fashion brand while offering captivating customer experiences that drive long-term loyalty and this, according to him, has been the driving force of the brand’s long-lasting service in the fashion world. ROTIMI IGE sat with him recently to discuss his decade long journey in footwear fashion, and how he was able to engage the upper class in Nigeria to buy his locally-made shoes.
Why did you decide to venture into making footwear at a time when foreign brands were most popular?
Before venturing into footwear, I had a friend who would always spend so much money to get his shoes from abroad. It seemed like a good way to get great footwear until one of the batches he ordered came back damaged beyond repair. While my friend was lamenting about his shoes and how much money went into getting them, I asked myself, why go abroad to buy shoes when we can make better ones here in Nigeria? That was a defining moment for me. I gave myself two years of research, studying different materials and which would stand the test of time in the production of quality and beautiful shoes, at the same time I wanted material that would exude luxury. Soon enough, I started Moroks Xpression which has now grown into what it is today.
What would you say makes your foot wear unique?
Since its inception, my approach to Moroks Xpression has always been to put customers before profits and I have always wanted to find solutions to their footwear challenges, this is why I put painstaking efforts into research so we are delivering value constantly.
The Moroks Xpression you see today is the result of hardwork and an unrelenting commitment to our clients and this is reflected in our vision and mission statement.
We have put in effort to gain mastery of our craft such that a Moroks Xpression can confidently compete with international footwear brands in quality and sophistication.
Have you experienced any challenges?
We are constantly learning, unlearning, and relearning the art of shoe crafting because it is important to us that our clients get top-value for any purchase they make with us.
Although some people hesitate to patronise Nigerian brands because of the notoriety of local talents and their lackadaisical attitude towards excellence, I have taken extra care to hire a team that is rigorously trained in the art of shoe crafting and professional ethics. This was and continues to be of utmost interest to me because of the kind of clients we serve. As such, if you visit any of our production houses, you will find our team designing every shoe with our customer in mind.
But Nigerians feel that locally made products have quality issues?
Footwear does not suffer the sameness of mass-produced ones at Moroks Xpression because we craft every detail of MX footwear with precision. So far, this has been instrumental to our delivery of excellent footwear to every of our client. Likewise, people who choose MX do not have to worry about dealing with the peculiar Nigerian trait of late delivery. We deliver when we say we would. We have a track record that supports this claim. It is partly why our clients trust us as much as they do. Everyone who patronises Moroks Xpression can be sure that we would treat them like the kings and queens that they are. This means honouring our word to them and, importantly, donning their feet with quality footwear for all occasion.
So, can you say that the mantra of service delivery has earned trust for your brand?
Today, Moroks Xpression boasts of loyal customers across various parts of the world, and it is not news that we are Nigeria’s finest bespoke footwear brand. Not only do we offer bespoke footwear, we also offer bespoke apparel to clients who want to wear premium, well-tailored Nigerian wear. As I like to say, at Moroks Xpression, anything and everything fashion is our forte.
Do you cater exclusively to male or females?
Our collection of shoes for men ranges from sneakers to corporate shoes, slippers, and loafers. We also have slippers and sandals for women, as well as unisex accessories, bags and belts, all of which can be tailored to our clients’ specification.
You say you have grown beyond making only footwear?
Moroks Xpression is constantly evolving; as such, we are growing into an all-inclusive fashion brand. In addition to our footwear and accessory collection, we offer a clothing and exclusive personal style service which includes a detailed style assessment, personal shopping, image consultation, and wardrobe services.
How would you advise Nigerians about patronising and being proud of locally made fashion?
I would like to encourage Nigerians to patronise home-made brands more. This strengthens local trade, promotes Nigerian-made products, and encourages Nigerian entrepreneurs who are doing everything to create products that provide good value for money.
What is fashion to you?
At Moroks Xpression, fashion is a way of life, and this is evident in the potpourri of ideas which we deliver with precision to diverse clients all over the world. We create magic from scratch!
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