MEDI1TV Afrique : De l'ombre à la lumière : Le parcours d'un jeune créateur - 16/03/2025
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00:00Welcome to Medihan TV, ladies and gentlemen, welcome if you join us.
00:17In the demanding universe of fashion, making a name is a true journey of the fighter.
00:23Some creators, discreet but very talented, work in the shadows before they glow under the spotlight.
00:30Today we highlight one of these promising talents, Vatoga Baikayoko, who has already passed on our
00:37plateau and continues his ascent with passion and determination. What path has he traveled
00:43since his last appearance? What challenge has he overcome to impose his vision, discovering
00:49his resemblance, his evolution from the shadow to the light? And it's in Africa, Chika, I wanted to say
00:57Medihan TV, Vatoga, welcome to our show. It's a pleasure to see you again.
01:02Thank you, Jessica Babar.
01:05So, the last time you came to our show, I told you, we were able to discover your universe,
01:14but how did you experience this first experience of being on a TV set?
01:20First of all, thank you. I wanted to thank your TV channel for giving a lot of opportunities to young people
01:28who are trying to fight for African fashion, especially Ivorian.
01:36Then, other passages from here, it did us good, because we realized that where we were yesterday,
01:46it was work to go up again, to go forward, because going in front of a TV channel is not easy.
01:52Then, it's better work, for the image you gave, it's better work to be where you want to be.
02:00So, it's true that the TV channel boosted you, but concretely, what are the setbacks you felt in your work?
02:12I wanted to say something that did us good, because first of all, not a TV channel, people don't have the same vision on you yet.
02:26So, when we come here, it's about going to work again, to be able to stand up again, to be able to fight against the grains,
02:37in a positive way, because already, my passage here, it did me good.
02:43So, when I came here, the clients didn't see me in the same way.
02:47They think that Vatonga is coming, yet Vatonga is still working.
02:51God, thank you, the channel discovered me and gave me the chance to express myself.
02:55So, it did me good.
02:57When you say that the clients think that Vatonga is coming,
03:02that is to say, you have become a great couturier, a little stronger, a little more famous, is that it?
03:12That's what I'm talking about.
03:13Because already, for a long time, Vatonga has been working on what?
03:16On the environment.
03:18On the environment, because we work to be great, and to be great, you have to work on appointments.
03:24When you work on appointments, you also have to work on the clientele.
03:27Sometimes, we tell clients that we create situations that don't suit us.
03:32So, when they give you a place, after having been on a TV channel, it means that they have given you a voice.
03:40When they give you a good voice, sometimes you have to know how to say no to a certain clientele, to be great.
03:45So, it's okay.
03:48After I moved here, it allowed me to be pushed, and it also allowed me to find another place.
03:56Very good.
03:56So, speaking of this other place, we know that you were in a given commune today.
04:03You are expanding to other communes.
04:06What is your current situation?
04:08Today, what is Vatonga becoming?
04:12Vatonga is still in the early stages.
04:15I am used to talking about it.
04:18We are still in the early stages, because we are working in Jaméville, to be more precise.
04:24There, we consider it as an industry.
04:27We had a shop in Angreville, in Nouveau-Chu.
04:30We are exposing there.
04:32We are working in the industry.
04:35We are exposing in Angreville, in Nouveau-Chu.
04:38I think that there, it allows us to work even better, because since our childhood,
04:45we have dreamed of being in a well-organized place, and then in a place where it is too big,
04:52to confuse ourselves with the big ones, to be big too.
04:56So, it does us good.
04:57When you talk about big, I suppose you are talking about a certain clientele.
05:01Of course.
05:02Very good.
05:03Vatonga, we will remind those who have not had the opportunity to see you for the first time,
05:09what kind of creations do you make?
05:11Vatonga is a mix.
05:13He does everything.
05:15Because I am used to dedicating myself to all the fashion workers.
05:22Fashion varies.
05:23It varies.
05:25So, you always have to work.
05:27What you can't do, you have to learn.
05:29You always have to work.
05:30You don't have to have a single network.
05:33Vatonga is perfected in all kinds of areas.
05:37Wedding dresses, boubou dresses, like the ones my mom imported.
05:43We do everything.
05:46We do everything.
05:47Very good.
05:48Have the sources of inspiration changed, or are they the same sources of inspiration
05:53that allow you to create, to highlight what you are doing?
05:58No, the sources of inspiration have changed.
06:01Because we started three years ago, when we were doing it.
06:05Every time, you see that there are other people coming.
06:09You have to be inspired to believe, to always be on the same level.
06:13So, every time, you see, as soon as you go to bed the next day,
06:17you see a new generation that works better than you.
06:20So, it's always about working even harder.
06:24So, inspiration, we can only look for it to be able to develop it.
06:28Very good.
06:28When we hear, we always have to work, I suppose you are referring to training.
06:35Has Vatonga had a recourse to certain training, to perfect itself,
06:40or to learn a domain that it didn't master before?
06:45Yes, well, already, more than our training, when we had it, we say, thank God.
06:51Because we are talking about the old generations in terms of training.
06:56So, even when we are passing by a boutique, or in front of a clothing store,
07:00right away, we can have a training, without even going into the workshop.
07:05Because, already, you have to know how to read things.
07:08When we say know how to read things, not on paper,
07:10when you see an object that is well exposed,
07:13like now that you are very well dressed.
07:15Already, I found a little bit of inspiration in your outfit.
07:19So, from here, I have already taught something.
07:22I was already taught by your outfit.
07:26So, coming to my boutique, it is to try to develop even more,
07:30as I saw on you, to be still in fashion.
07:34That's right, and to be competitive.
07:37Okay, so Vatonga, before going on our set,
07:44the challenges that you encountered,
07:49what were your obstacles before your very first set?
07:53Yes, because after here, things have changed.
08:00You have to be clear.
08:01But before here, what were your realities,
08:04your difficulties, your obstacles that you encountered?
08:08Okay, the clientele.
08:10Because already, I started to say no to other clientele.
08:15Because it was a difficult moment.
08:17Because when you help others, you have to know how to say no to certain things.
08:21Even when you are in the products, in the kisses.
08:24So, I was helping others.
08:27After here, they saw that really,
08:29the others that I was helping in my work,
08:33it started from a certain place.
08:37So, this visibility that also allowed me to show people
08:45that I was helping them.
08:46I was helping them with a team.
08:51This team always allows me to say no to clients that can't help me move forward.
08:57There are clients that can create a lot of problems for us in terms of renewal.
09:02So, when it happens, we always come in the same slogan,
09:05the couture is done here, the couture is done there.
09:08So, it happened, it was a moment when I said no to the clientele.
09:12It was a clientele to be able to move forward in terms of renewal.
09:16There was never a time when we said that we were doing our heads.
09:19We glorified ourselves, we were not like that.
09:22We wanted to respect things in the right way.
09:26Okay, so, once a couturier in the town of Bidanseville,
09:31today you have a store, a showroom in the town of Cocody.
09:39Did you receive any particular support,
09:43institutional support or from a mentor or a parent?
09:48Yes, I received support, but not from a mentor.
09:52I received support from a brother, a childhood friend, a colleague.
09:58We have the habit of working together,
10:01to help each other, to help each other move forward.
10:04Because we were alone, we couldn't do it.
10:06Because, as a mentor, I don't see how I can become a mentor.
10:11Because the only problem is to fight to become someone's mentor.
10:16So, today, I am a mentor for my environment.
10:20So, today's mentors don't have much time for those who are going to be mentors tomorrow.
10:28So, it's about working, working.
10:30You also have to collaborate with people, so we go like mentors.
10:36Very good.
10:37So, we're just going to take a break and see a show.
10:44This is the show of the Senegalese creator Lampfal.
10:50So, we're going to discover his collection of basins and then we'll be back.
13:31Lampfal, the creation
13:50Here is a very beautiful collection of Lampfal, the creation.
13:54Vatoga, we continue our exchange.
13:58So, what makes you the most proud of the job you do today?
14:05Being the leader of the family, that's not easy.
14:10So, already, this job allows me to be the leader of the family,
14:15in terms of finance, in terms of morals, physical.
14:21So, really, this job allows me to face all the difficulties of life.
14:29No matter what happens in my life, as in my family, this job allows me to break everything.
14:37So, I say thank God for this job.
14:42Do you have new collaborations, new opportunities that have allowed you to gain visibility?
14:51Well, I think I can say in a personal way, because I already had a team that I have been working with for a long time.
15:04It's been a long time, it's been a little while, it took a little bit of a hit, but we held on well.
15:10I don't know if you remember, in the last show, where I talked a lot about my colleagues.
15:16So, there was a time that came, which was very difficult in my life.
15:21I had one of my colleagues who was faithful to me, my first minister.
15:27We worked together on the 19th of November, and on the 20th, I prayed to him, I reminded him.
15:34So, it played a lot on me, in terms of morals.
15:38So, it took a little bit of a hit to go a little behind, but we held on well.
15:46Because, already with them, I always held on, with the clientele, with the loaners, I held on very well.
15:55Because they are very loyal to me.
15:57So, even if I have a full 20 straight, I help them, we have five days to deliver.
16:01I was not afraid to take appointments with them.
16:04So, we are still re-establishing appointments to go ahead.
16:08So, really, everything God does is good.
16:10I'm going to take advantage of your antenna, to pay tribute to him, who is called Diomande Lamine.
16:20In any case, all our condolences and so on.
16:24Life, unfortunately, unfortunately.
16:26We were talking about workers.
16:30Is it always complicated to have apprentices, as we say?
16:36It seems that it is something very complicated for you.
16:38The apprentices do not stay, the apprentices do not stay.
16:40When they come, they do two months, three months, then they leave.
16:44So, you don't have such a solid team.
16:49Is this also the case on Vatouga?
16:51Yes, it is also the case on Vatouga.
16:53Because already, with the team I had, I didn't bother anymore.
16:57It was my friends, my little brothers, who were my children at the same time.
17:01He told me, a family.
17:03So, I always told them, even when there was a new person coming, I always told them,
17:07if you should criticize someone, it's me.
17:11You have to associate yourself with them to criticize me.
17:13Because here we are a family.
17:16A family, the head of the family is always criticized by his children.
17:20So, if you have a problem with someone here, it's me.
17:24The others, you always have to associate with them.
17:26People refuse to learn today in our field.
17:30People refuse, there are no more apprentices.
17:32Once, a person offered me one who should come.
17:34He told me, but Monday he doesn't work.
17:36What do I do?
17:38And the one who will come after?
17:40If the person tells me, Monday he doesn't work.
17:42I can't stay without that.
17:45If you want to learn a job, the job has principles.
17:47You accept these principles, you learn, you move forward.
17:51If you can't accept these principles,
17:53well, I don't think you can learn anything else.
17:55Absolutely.
17:57So, how does your guy manage to manage production,
18:01and the supply of raw materials,
18:03everything you take to work, let's say?
18:05Well, every time we go to the market,
18:07we find new things.
18:09Because we don't have basic materials.
18:11Above all, we say, God, thank you.
18:14Today, our parents are starting to look at
18:18how to dress in our raw materials.
18:20Yesterday, when we went to the market,
18:22we wanted to confront the West.
18:24We saw that we have to refer to our own raw materials.
18:28Today, as it is on a Spanish shirt,
18:30with the fabric mixed in it,
18:32it's the same for you.
18:34So, today, when we go to the market,
18:36we try to find something good,
18:38but that is African.
18:40That is African.
18:42So, this tendency to value African fabrics,
18:46is it something you take into consideration
18:48in your creations now?
18:50Yes, for a long time.
18:52It's something I've taken into consideration
18:54for a long time.
18:56Very good.
18:58So, where do you find the funding?
19:00Is it easy to find the funding
19:02when you know you have big projects?
19:04The funding is not easy.
19:06It's like we ask our mom,
19:08when dad gives you $10,000,
19:11how do you manage?
19:13The whole house?
19:15Yes, the whole house.
19:17Hope always comes first.
19:19Even with half a franc,
19:21when you go to the market,
19:23you can create something.
19:25Even with half a franc.
19:27Because sewing is something mental.
19:29It goes through your head.
19:31You shouldn't rely on just one person.
19:33If you have half a franc,
19:35it means you can buy a product.
19:37It's not certain that the first one
19:39will be liked by everyone.
19:41So, what you can produce,
19:43you produce.
19:45But you always have to record
19:47what comes out quickly.
19:49When you finish something,
19:51you always have to keep it in mind.
19:53Then you can make a line.
19:55That's what Vatoga does.
19:57And when you finish recording,
19:59what comes out the most?
20:01The most requested collection?
20:03How many collections
20:05does Vatoga have today?
20:07I don't know.
20:09I want to collect past collections.
20:11We can't count.
20:13We can't count.
20:15If I have to do a simulation,
20:17I'll tell you about 20.
20:19Because Vatoga
20:21is a great cheater.
20:23He's a great creator.
20:25Cheater in a good way.
20:27He's a great cheater.
20:29He's a great creator.
20:31I create well.
20:33I always have my secrets.
20:35I always have my secrets.
20:37Has the number of collections
20:39doubled since then?
20:41It has doubled a lot.
20:43How many collections
20:45per month, per season?
20:47Per month, we could do
20:49at least 50 collections.
20:51Today, we are in the 70s.
20:53With the disappearance
20:55of my son,
20:57we were already close to 200.
20:59Very good.
21:01How do you
21:03make yourself known
21:05in this competitive environment?
21:07There are a lot of creators.
21:09There are a lot of seamstresses.
21:11Everyone is starting
21:13today in the ready-to-wear.
21:15How do you make yourself known?
21:17Vatoga is not ashamed.
21:19He's a man of the field.
21:21Vatoga didn't have the chance
21:23to go to school.
21:25He can't control it.
21:27I can see you
21:29passing by.
21:31I have a suit that can go with you.
21:33You don't have to buy it,
21:35but I can approach you
21:37to offer you my product.
21:39Maybe next time,
21:41you'll come and buy it.
21:43That's how Vatoga made his place.
21:45Every time, when a client
21:47comes to his house,
21:49he tries to offer it.
21:51When I meet a client,
21:53I cook something
21:55to her or her husband's taste.
21:57When she comes,
21:59it's because
22:01we don't have the same finances.
22:03Even 5,000 francs,
22:05you can see that I'm at Vatoga.
22:07Do you have
22:09a vision,
22:11a collection,
22:13or an initiative
22:15that you'd like us to talk about now?
22:17Yes, of course.
22:19It's the BV boutique
22:21with EB Elegance.
22:23When you
22:25arrive at the boutique,
22:27there are a lot of things
22:29that you can have.
22:31As soon as you're associated,
22:33you get a lot of things.
22:35Old things stick right away.
22:37Every time
22:39we sit down,
22:41we look at what we can bring
22:43to the boutique.
22:45We always try
22:47to excite people
22:49to come and visit our boutique.
22:51We do a lot of things
22:53there,
22:55whatever you want.
22:57Is there
22:59a new collection
23:01on the market?
23:03Yes, we're preparing
23:05Easter and Ramadan.
23:07We're preparing
23:09a new collection.
23:11There are already
23:13at least 70.
23:15What do we have
23:17in this collection?
23:19We have boobs
23:21and sexies.
23:23The two holidays
23:25that are coming,
23:27there is a holiday
23:29where other people
23:31like to wear the sexies.
23:33They want to mix the fabric
23:35a little with the bread.
23:37There are other people
23:39who like to wear the basins
23:41with the lace fabric.
23:43You can have all of that
23:45at home.
23:47Is there a vision
23:49for the future?
23:51Do you plan
23:53to see your brand
23:55in the next
23:57five years?
23:59Of course,
24:01because when you do a job,
24:03one day you want to show
24:05your children
24:07your career.
24:09I think you have a lot
24:11of things to do.
24:13You have to work
24:15so that your brand
24:17can become
24:19a success.
24:21They will learn
24:23a lot.
24:25In the next five years,
24:27we are working
24:29on it
24:31so that it can happen.
24:33The next five years
24:35are very close.
24:37If God shows us this,
24:39we will come back here
24:41to talk about it.
24:43The majority of everything
24:45has started here.
24:47That's what will happen.
24:49By the grace of God.
24:51What do you think?
24:53Is fashion
24:55accessible to young people
24:57in Africa today?
24:59Yes.
25:01Can all young people
25:03go to fashion?
25:05Is it easy for young people?
25:07It's not easy for young people,
25:09but it's not impossible.
25:11If young people accept
25:13to be trained,
25:15it will be possible.
25:17But young people refuse
25:19to be trained.
25:21They don't learn.
25:23They become competitors
25:25in the field.
25:27It becomes difficult.
25:29If you haven't learned,
25:31someone who has already
25:33made a place,
25:35he has his clientele.
25:37You have to deal with him.
25:39Two things cannot move forward
25:41unless you think
25:43about your market.
25:45But I don't think
25:47it's a long-term thing.
25:49When you learn,
25:51you don't count on someone else.
25:53But when you don't learn,
25:55when you count on someone else,
25:57when he is not happy,
25:59you see that fashion is declining.
26:01But young people see
26:03what I want to advise them.
26:05Today, in the whole world,
26:07fashion pays off.
26:09You have to train yourself
26:11so that you can make a place.
26:13Otherwise, in the next 10 years,
26:15there won't be people
26:17who understand
26:19and advise.
26:21Very good.
26:23It's good to note the next 10 years.
26:25Very good.
26:27Vatoga, thank you
26:29for being on our show.
26:31I remind you
26:33that you were here today
26:35to talk to us
26:37about your evolution.
26:39Thank you for coming.
26:43Thank you very much.
26:45We wish a good
26:47continuation to our guest of the day.
26:49Thank you for following us.
26:51Thank you to the team in charge.
26:53See you next week
26:55for another episode.
26:57Until then, take care.