Genet Q&A
Tell me about yourself? My name is Genet Kebede, Founder & Creative Director of Paradise Fashion, “GENET” a well-known fashion brand in Ethiopia that I established in 1992.
What interests you about this role? I was inspired by Ethiopian “Hager Lebse” (traditional Ethiopian cloth) and authentic Ethiopian handwoven textiles.
What are you passionate about? I am passionate about what I do! Creating a contemporary design using authentic Ethiopian handwoven textiles. I love what I do !!
What are your greatest strengths? My greatest strength is the passion and love that I have to create and offer a wide range of products and high-quality services to our customers that love fashion plus working very closely with our artisans to create excellent quality handwoven textiles.
What are your goals for the future? I want to promote excellent authentic Ethiopian hand-woven products (MADE IN ETHIOPIA )globally and in doing so enable sustainable livelihoods for our local artisans here in Ethiopia.
Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it? Receiving woven fabric on time is always difficult because it is detailed and sophisticated work so I always give more time for fabric production to overcome delays for export or any custom-made orders.
How does it feel to have had 30 years in the business? It feels great. With GODs grace, celebrating 30th years in business with all the ups and downs is the greatest success for me and my team.
Why are you interested in a career in fashion? I have loved fashion ever since my childhood and when I left Addis for Buenos Aires (Argentina) I went to attend fashion design college to pursue my dream.
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? My greatest strength is my attention to detail for each design and every finished product. My weakness is that I am too detail oriented!
Who do you follow in the fashion industry and what are your favorite brands? I love Armani, and Christian Dior but I follow my own style and creativity. My favorite brands are Gucci and Channel.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I love spending time with my friends and I enjoy walking.
Which social media platforms do you use the most? Instagram and Facebook but I am not a frequent user.
How do you define fashion and what is your personal style? I love to look sharp and elegant.
What type of fashion are you most interested in working with? I love high fashion but I diversify to include luxury beach wear because after I designed a collection 10+ years ago, the demand continues to grows significantly.