Adrian Azodi has always known he had it in him. Having grown up with “artistically-inclined” parents, this Dubai-based business development manager knew he had to find a creative outlet. The result: A men’s accessories brand called Monsiuer Fox, which he launched last year.
Azodi’s quirky take on cufflinks, pocket squares and ties has already made an impression on the UAE’s fashionable men, but he’s now taking it to the next level. The Harvard-graduate designer has launched a campaign with crowd-investing site Eureeca. Through the campaign, fans of the brand can choose to provide investment commitments in return for shares in Monsieur Fox.
The Directory recently caught up with Azodi to discuss fashion, the challenges of running a start-up and how he plans to let his brand fly:
Q: Firstly, why the fox?
A: The fox has a couple [of] meanings for me. I’ve always thought the fox is a smooth, svelte animal, and in many cultures, there’s a sort of admiration for him. For me personally, when I was about nine, my mom took my brother and me on a summer road trip across the US to find a new house to make a home. For the entire summer, we drove and drove, exploring the country. In rural, forested New Hampshire, a small red fox jumped out into the road in front of us, and as we slowed down, we all looked at each other and then it sauntered off to the other side of the road and through the woods. Through the trees we could see a big white colonial house with a bedraggled For Sale sign in the yard. My mom got the number and we basically forgot about it. About three months later, we bought the house and officially moved in. So, that little guy really changed my life.
Q: Why did you start with cufflinks?
A: Cufflinks were a great way to start, as they are small and just about anybody can wear them. I wanted to focus the brand online, and I realised that producing a range of clothing, in all the different sizes, dealing with overstock, returns, fitting, etc. would just to be too much to handle. So, cufflinks presented an interesting avenue to begin. Now, we’ve been able to expand to other accessories that similarly don’t have size or fit issues; pocket squares, ties and scarves.
Q: What challenges did you face getting Monsieur Fox off the ground?
A: These were the biggest challenges: Finding the right partners to work with, who could help me produce the pieces I wanted to make, to the quality I expected, as well as with low quantities. It’s not an easy combination unfortunately, and not one that the industry is geared for any longer. Luckily, we’ve met a few workshops that are open to working in this way, and have been able to move forward with them as dedicated partners.
Q: What’s the reception to the brand been like in the UAE and the region?
A: The reception has been pretty good, actually. We definitely are a bit different from most of the brands in the region, both in what we make and how we make them, but both locals and expats in the community have responded positively to what we’re creating, which is always a great feeling.
Q: You recently launched a campaign with Eureeca. Why?
A: This was actually a result of participating in Fashion Forward Season 3 here in Dubai. Fashion Forward is making a great platform for local/regional designers to showcase their collections on a global worthy stage, and we were lucky enough to be part of the show last April. As part of their mission to promote the growth of local brands, they partnered with Eureeca to pick the designers Fashion Forward feels are ready to move to the next level. From there, Eureeca helps the designer sort out the business and financial side of their brand, and supports them through the fundraising process. We were chosen by Fashion Forward, and with Eureeca’s help, launched our crowd-investing campaign this past June.
Q: Why do you think having multiple investors works best for the future of Monsieur Fox?
A: Crowd-investing is a great avenue for us, and for other brands/companies that are looking for ways to grow without going through the often impossible route of traditional bank or loan financing. Even venture capital firms, at the stage we’re in, we’re probably too small, and in an industry where few VC firms operate in.
The biggest advantage really comes from the fact that once you’ve found your core group of investors, they become your brand evangelists and the best source of public awareness and honest marketing.
Q: What has the interest been with the crowdfunding campaign?
A: The interest is strong, although I think the Middle East is still quite young in this regard to the other parts of the world, it’s certainly something the region needs, and is enthusiastic about being a part of.
Q: Where would you like to take Monsieur Fox?
A: So many places! Honestly though, our first plan is to create a small collection of leather goods, and then to expand from there into a few other menswear accessory categories. After that, perhaps working on capsule collections of ready-to-wear garments, always focusing on bringing our aesthetic and perspective to the piece.
Go online
To find out more about the crowd-investing campaign with Eureeca, go to www.eureeca.com. Monsieur Fox can be ordered online on www.monsieurfox.com
