Paint & Pipette: The Art & Science of Innovation Ep 01: Going Against the Fashion Grain with Diarra Bousso
In the notoriously unsustainable world of fashion, daring to do things differently is no easy feat. Yet, it is something today's guest, Diarra Bousso's conscious lifestyle brand, DIARRABLU, has managed to excel at. Divided between her home country of Senegal and the U.S., DIARRABLU draws on Senegalese artisanal skills and clothes-making principles. These are the clothes you will have for life. Along with being a serial entrepreneur, Diarra is also a creative mathematician and multidisciplinary artist. In this episode, Diarra shares her journey with us, from growing up in Dakar to working on Wall Street and everything in between. We hear about the accident that changed her life and how she had the confidence to step out and try something new even when she did not have a clear idea of what she wanted to do. Diarra talks about the instrumental role her family has played and still plays in her success, and she reflects on the benefits of having a constant and consistent hype team. Our conversation also touches on how DIARRABLU stays true to its ethos, why Diarra loves teaching, and what's on the horizon for the company.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Get to know today's guest, Diarra Bousso.
- What Diarra's upbringing in Senegal was like and the philosophy of excellence that was instilled in her.
- Diarra's winding career journey and how she came to combine her range of skills.
- Why Diarra decided to be an entrepreneur despite not knowing what she was going to do.
- The event that led Diarra to quit her job in finance and pursue a creative path.
- How Diarra started her business in Senegal.
- The challenge Diarra had teaching high school math and what she learned from it.
- Growth diarrablu has seen since it started and how it remains true to its roots
- How many people work at diarrablu currently.
- An example of how diarrablu has stayed true to its ethos while reaching a broader market.
- The community that diarrablu has built and the level of consciousness they have.
- Something Diarra has recently learned.
- The role that Diarra's parents played in instilling confidence in her.
- A recent time Diarra needed to be hyped up.
- What the future has in store for diarrablu's company structure.
- How teaching inspires Diarra and the role it has played in helping her be a better leader.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: