March 2024

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Egypt “Ify” Ufele is just 10 years old and she is making her mark in the fashion industry. She showcased her plus-sized clothing line at New York Fashion week. “People applaud me and tell me I’m good at fashion,” she said.

Bullied for her appearance

Ufele is in fifth grade and is a straight A student. But school was tough for her. She was bullied by other children due to her weight. Bullies tormented her by knocking her lunch out of her hands and assaulting her.

“I was bullied and they called me all kinds of names. One time I got stabbed by a pencil,” she shared.  

Ufele spent a lot of her childhood in hospitals because of her weight. On her Instagram account, appropriately named Bullychasers, she shared an old photo from the hospital with the following captionThis was my life hospitals. Cyber Bullies learn my condition before you say I am fat from food. I am 10 years old making power moves while you talk. #bullychasers

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 Instead of succumbing to the bullies, she decided to channel her energy into her designs.

“I turned negative attention into positive attention,” she said.

She learned how to sew from her grandmother, Nellie Rembert, who helped her with the negativity.  

“She started making doll’s clothes with a regular sewing needle with the hand. And she started designing clothes and sketching,” her grandmother said.  

Ufele’s mother, Dr. Reba Perry said that her daughter is incredibly dedicated to her craft – “She comes out of school, goes straight into homework, and when other kids are out playing, she’s either cutting patterns or she’s creating new ideas.” Her hard work paid off. She showed her designs at the New York Fashion Week. She was the only child designer to make a plus sized line.

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Celebrating her African roots

Ufele’s line is called Chubiline. The young girl creates all of her own designs by hand and her grandmother’s sewing machine. Not only is it designed for people with curvier bodies, but it also celebrates her African roots. Her slogan for the line is:

“Bringing Africa to America; one design at a time.” On her website, she describes herself as “a 10 year old designer taking the fashion industry by storm.  I consider myself nothing less than a chronicler of the human condition, for better or worse. When you see my designs, I think you’ll agree.”

 She envisions her designs “sparking conversations and inspiring the imagination, with a vision that cannot be taught, and must be personally experienced.” She listed several skills on her website including: advertising, anti-bullying, urban life, fashion, and empowering. Even though she has been sewing since she was three years old and has already accomplished so much, she is also looking to gain more experience in the industry. She is looking to start mass producing her designs and selling them online.  

“I’m only as good as my last design,” she said.

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SEE ALSO: Top 10 Most Beautiful Female African Models.