#BlackHistoryMonth: 6 questions with Dechase

This February, as part of Black History Month, we are spotlighting some of the inspiring stories of Black-owned businesses and exceptional people behind the brands that we’re proud to work with on Zalando. 

In the first of three interviews, Milki Abadura, Digital Marketing Manager of Dechase (pronounced De-Chass) who has been around since the very beginning, (virtually) sat with our team to shed some light on Dechase’s journey, how they work with Zalando, as well as their future plans to take Africa to the world.

(Pictured is Tewodros Dechase, the founder of Dechase)

1. What is the story of Dechase? What inspired your creation?

I love telling this story because it's an interesting one!

Tewodros Dechase, the founder of Dechase, started as a physiotherapist in Utrecht. He had an internship with the Ethiopian athletics team and in 2016, he went to Rio de Janeiro. He packed a bag full of white sneakers and set off to travel. As part of that trip, he traveled to Ethiopia, his motherland.

While in Ethiopia, and in between having a great time, he visited a barber shop. When there, Tewodros noticed the barber was looking fresh in some super comfortable and trendy leather boots. Because it was rain season in Ethiopia, his sneakers had gotten wet and dirty, so he asked for the connect to get some boots. When he got to the small factory, he immediately loved the setup where you could design your own boots. A complete focus on craftsmanship. You order your shoes and the same day, you pick them up. As simple as that! Really old school, you know?

When he came back to the Netherlands, Tewodros brought the shoes with him and everyone was asking where they were from. Slowly but surely, the word spread and a small concept store heard about the shoes that were being made, there was interest! They ordered a batch, and then they ordered some more because the shoes sold out within a month, they were a success! That’s pretty much how the brand came to be. Tewodros left physiotherapy to focus 100% on shoemaking. What a transition, right?

2. What is your main assortment and who do you imagine shopping for it?

Our main assortment is shoes. Our shoes combine contemporary style and design with culture to make globally impactful moves.

We imagine adventurous, new age customers shopping with us. The type of customers who are interested in purchasing a brand with the intent of being loyal, not just for hype and aesthetics. We are changing perceptions of quality from Africa and want our customers to walk with us in that journey.

3. What were the biggest challenges you encountered when establishing your business? How did you overcome adversity?

Neither myself nor the team came from a shoe-making background. With our first production, there were complaints about sizing. The shoes didn’t fit so well because we needed European sizing standards and that didn’t exactly match with what was made in Ethiopia. So we had to set about introducing a European sizing chart, making new molds, and continually making investments to produce new laces and fittings to ensure consistent production.

Then there were customs issues with getting products from Ethiopia to Amsterdam. It was a lot of learning on the job, especially as some of our craftspeople had over 60 years of experience and we were trying to work with them to develop new and more efficient ways of producing and working together to yield higher qualities. It’s taken some time but we’re getting there with open knowledge sharing and collaborating to innovate.

4. How has your identity shaped your entrepreneurial journey so far?

Our journey has bonded us together as a company. We all have a shared common interest in contributing to Ethiopia’s socio-economic development. I discussed with my family how I could give back to Ethiopia, so when I met Tewodros back at the start of this journey, I immediately clicked with his vision. 

We take pride in the complete supply chain being in our motherland. The shoes are made completely in Ethiopia keeping most of the value in the production supply chain in Ethiopia. As we’re growing the business, we’re investing in our motherland and having an impact on the local economy. The fact that this project provides educational and economic investment to Ethiopia is everything.

5. How does Zalando support your journey?

Zalando is incredibly supportive and welcomed us as a brand that brings more to the table than just an aesthetic. The team understood our brand story and DNA and encouraged and supported us in telling that story to customers.

Our partnership with Zalando is one where both parties invest in each other. We use the platform for more visibility and to engage with new customers. We see this as the start of a long lasting partnership where we’ll continue to invest, tell our story, and excite customers on the platform.