Chapter 11: Senegal: Moussou’s Maribou Tailor Brand, the “African Zara”

Moussou Diagne is a 36-year-old Senegalese woman and the chief executive officer (CEO) of Maribou, a clothing design company which she established in 2016. Moussou holds a master’s degree in finance and auditing from the Supdeco Global Business School. She finds her educational capabilities to be a major advantage in the day-to-day management of her business. Her aim is to be the solution to the clothing problems faced by the African middle class by offering comfortable, elegant, and original daily outfits at affordable prices.

Based in Dakar, Senegal, the Maribou brand excels in tailoring basic outfits and accessories. Moussou uses African designs and traditional African clothing materials. Maribou designs are made with care and respect for detail to offer a high-quality wardrobe with an original touch but at a lower cost. Moussou offers the up-cycling of used clothes, although customer demand for re-tailoring is decreasing. She has recently opened a flagship store and is acutely aware of the market stakes and is tuned into what is required to leverage the opportunity of the demand.

She aspires to raise customer awareness by positioning Maribou as the “African ZARA,” represented in the biggest African capital cities. She has an awareness of building community around her business by hiring and training locals and strives for incremental international growth. Although she feels no apprehension about being a woman in her professional life where most tailors are men, time management and motherhood are a great challenge in her family life.