Over a glass of fizzy Pamplemouse in the busy city of Douala, Mammypi meets up with Miss Sandy Dynamics; a young and upcoming designer who has already rubbed shoulders with prominent names in the fashion scene like Pathéo and Alain of Burkina Faso. We had a chat about her journey into designing and her vision for the brand.
P- What is your name?
SD- Sandrine Aboh but warmly known as “Sandy Dynamics”. Sandy is short for Sandrine and Dynamics is derived from my dynamic skills, talents and achievements from over the years.
MP- How long have you been a fashion designer?
SD- For over 10 years I realised I had a burning desire to create or let me say recreate clothes. When I was in the University I used to buy ready to wear pieces and alter them to something I had imagined and drafted and wanted the item to look like. This went on for a long time until I came to the realisation that my love for fashion was not just about wearing beautiful clothes but making them for others to wear. However, the concept of Sandy Dynamics was fully birthed in 2014 when I decided it was about time I put my signature down in Cameroon and the larger fashion industry.
MP-Have you ever received any formal training in style and fashion design?
SD- I have never had any training in the past. My skills and talent are raw and purely original. If I imagine something, I immediately put it down on paper and work on the concept alongside with my team of embroiders and tailors.
MP-What drives your work ethics?
SD- My originality is unique and dynamic in what I do. I do not copy from existing catalogues. I create from my vision and even though I often get challenged by the team I work with, we end up achieving great results. Sandy Dynamics aims to keep designs simple and practical for more ‘wearability’ as this is a problem most people face when making a choice of what to wear.
MP-Does your childhood or background influences your style?
SD-My family is from Batibo in the North West Province of Cameroon. I was born in Yaoundé and raised in the South West Province. I am an intricately complex mixture of the Cameroon fashion landscape. My mum was a local seamstress in my early days which I took no interest in her work. Until when I went to university and I realised that somethings just cannot be changed. I started making clothes naturally and soon realised I wanted to make embroidery my signature as it was something I was particularly interested in.
MP-Who are your fashion icons?
SD-Pathéo from Burkina Faso based in Ivory Coast and Alain from Ivory Coast.
MP-Where can fans purchase your designs from?
SD- Currently at CARM STORE Bona Priso Douala and Maryland in the USA.
MP-What is your greatest achievement to date?
SD- Immediately after the “Annual Show” in Cameroon, I got contacted to present at SAAMHA in N’djamena in December 2014. I proudly represented Cameroon’s fashion designers and was also the youngest designer to showcase my designs alongside veterans like Pathéo.
MP-What are your dreams for the future?
SD- I dream of dressing African leaders, celebrities and to become a household name in Africa and the world.
Sandy Dynamics was former beauty queen of Miss North West 2011 and 6th Miss Cameroon 2011. She has also made her mark in the sporting industry winning Gold, silver and bronx at the university games for University of Y’de II playing basket ball.
