Oluwatosin Abigail Israel
also known as Oabbyisrael
My story
I learned tailoring in 2013 from a very skilled tailor who struggled with deadlines. One day I saw a bride cry because her wedding clothes were not ready a week before her wedding. I decided I would fix that kind of disappointment.
During my NYSC year I ran operations at a fashion house while my boss was away for a few weeks. I learned that deadlines can be met, and I built a digital catalogue — which sparked the idea of an online tailor shop.
I started Marble Stitches in 2017 with online-ordered tailoring. As the team grew, some hires came from a culture where disappointing clients was normal. I let some go and trained people from scratch myself, to build a culture of delivery.
I later earned an MBA in Production & Operations Management at the University of Lagos to build better systems for managing timelines.
Vision
10,000 African fashion businesses
My goal is to help 10,000 African fashion businesses build structured, profitable, lasting businesses by the early 2030s. It is a goal, not a result — and I am working towards it.
I am planning a doctoral study (DBA) on how operational systems and innovation improve the survival and scalability of fashion SMEs in Nigeria, to help inform industry standards for pricing, operations and management.
I also want children's fashion books to shape how young people see careers in fashion.