Nathifa Efia, Founder Lait de Coco/DJ
Born and raised in Amsterdam, Nathifa Efia is a multidisciplinary creative, the founder of Lait de Coco, a timeless brand with one-of-a-kind handmade and vintage pieces, a DJ, co-owner of the club night 'Chocolate City,' and a mom. Ever since she turned 19, she has been creating spaces around everything she does and building an inclusive community of like-minded people. In the interview, she talks about her journey in building a brand, combining it with her other passions, and offers advice on how to pursue your own path while doing what you love.
How do you juggle having a fashion brand, being a DJ, having your own club night, and being a mom all at the same time? Could you give a piece of advice for others in the same position?
It's challenging. No day, week, or month is the same. Mostly I can balance it all, but sometimes, I go far beyond my limits and need to slow down. Then I need to listen to my body and be very selective in what I'm taking on. I ask myself: 'Is this realistic'? For example, I choose not to do a lot of club nights anymore because I have a daughter to take care of the next day, so you need to have the energy to be a mom too. My main focus now is Lait de Coco, and music comes second.
“You have to prioritize, and for me, it helps to really focus on doing what gives me the most energy, what makes my heart beat faster, then you can never go wrong. ”
How did you get into fashion?
It started in high school when my teacher told me he saw me doing something creative, like designing my own clothing pieces or having my own clothing store. Then I began discovering these possibilities and found an internship at a boutique store in '9 streets' in Amsterdam. Working closely with the owner, I've learned a lot there and started creating my own things, like making jewellery, t-shirts, and customised vintage pieces. Then, through a family member, an opportunity came to have my stand at the Keti-Koti festival, and eventually, before the end of the day, I sold everything! I got many positive reactions and questions about where people could buy my things, motivating me to continue.
You come from a very musical, entrepreneurial & creative family. Your dad is an entrepreneur, your mom is the queen of reggae and has her own children’s daycare, your sister has her own artist management agency, your brother is a DJ and his own clothing label, and your brother-in-law is a musician. How much did your environment influence you to do what you do?
My family played a huge part in the way I saw the world. My dad is very entrepreneurial; he always had his own businesses and worked very hard, so naturally, we had him as a role model to pick up on our own entrepreneurial endeavors. My mom always believed in me and supported my choices. She said, if you want to do something for yourself, do it. Even when I wasn't admitted to AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute), it didn't stop me from pursuing a fashion career. It's crucial that your family has your back; I couldn’t have done it if my mom had told me to do a traditional study and get a corporate job. Everyone in my family always did their own thing. To help each other, we even had official family meetings where we would talk about our projects and ambitions.
Let's talk about Lait de Coco. What's the concept behind Lait de Coco as a brand?
Lait de Coco values sustainability through a different experience as the primary focus. This way, Lait de Coco delivers fashion to a world that desperately needs improvement. Putting vintage into a new and visual way to present sophisticated items makes Lait de Coco unique. The assortment of the brand is based on a mixture of various styles.
“Inspiration comes from European romance with a tropical touch. Sunsets and palm trees, combined with the exposure of the female body, create the formula for Lait de Coco.”
The brand Lait de Coco wants to take individuals to a place where they want to be, what they aspire to be, and, most importantly, what they can be. Besides the timeless- and handmade pieces, the brand also puts a great effort into expressing the female body in the most sophisticated way.
“Lait de Coco sends an important message of uplifting women, including all forms and shapes. The aim is to give women a sense of power while raising environmental awareness.”
What is your ambition for Lait de Coco as a brand? What can we see in the upcoming year?
My ambition for Lait de Coco as a brand is to be internationally known and offer women one-of-a-kind timeless pieces they can keep in their closets forever. In addition, I want to give women a special feeling when wearing my pieces, making them feel unique. I hear from women who wear Lait de Coco items that they always get compliments and that all eyes are on them because the items make them stand out.
This year, I plan on making more one-of-a-kind pieces and creating real-life experiences where women can come together, celebrate and empower each other. I also dream of creating art through Lait de Coco and having my own exhibition in a museum.
Do you do everything alone, or do you also have people working for you?
It depends; sometimes, I get help from an atelier to create the pieces, and sometimes I feel like doing it myself. Sometimes I hire an intern to help me with practical things, but most of the time, I'm the creative brain of the brand. I'm doing everything from designing to art direction, styling of the campaigns, photography and marketing. I'm very perfectionistic and like to have things under control, but I do understand that sometimes I need to delegate and trust that other people can also see my vision and deliver high-quality work. I need to learn how to ask for help.
How did you build a following for your brand?
It grew organically. I got to know people by being present with my brand at festivals and through two of my pop-up stores. I did various brand activations and interacted with my audience in real life. We always tried to create unforgettable experiences, from making installations where you could take photos with your friends at festivals to organising dinners and talks at our pop-up stores or collaborating with other creatives and brands and throwing parties around it. It helped build that real connection and further grow it online.
Is it easy to set up your own label in Amsterdam?
Yes and no, these days it's easy to start something and drop it online; you see that happening a lot. If you want to start big, you will need to have an investment. But if you start small, you can easily do it. It will take you a while to make it though, because you will have to grow your brand organically. You have to invest in creating awareness and nurturing your brand, and launching something unique and never seen before can be pretty challenging.
What advice would you give young creatives who want to start their fashion brand?
Try to create something that has yet to be available on the market. If you copy what someone else is doing, it will be more difficult for you to stand out, as the market is already very saturated. I see that happening a lot, people start doing something, and then they realise: 'Oh, this is not working', so they quickly give up. If you find something that is still missing on the market, you'll have more chances to get noticed. Then you offer something authentic and unique that people would want to have. And also, find something that you are really passionate about. If you believe in your idea and stand behind it, it becomes easier to work on, as it energizes you.
“Try to create something that has yet to be available on the market. Something authentic and unique that people would want to have.”
Tell me how, next to all of this, you became a DJ and now also have your own club night.
It's funny but also typical of me; I really like trying different things. We had a DJ set at our store, and as I mentioned before, we often organised parties with DJs who came and played for us. At some point, I thought: 'But I can also do this myself, right?' So I just started experimenting, then took some lessons from Jarreau Vandal and Abstract (Dutch DJs) and my brother Ike. I wasn't seriously thinking of a DJ career because I already had a lot on my plate with my brand; I just thought it would be nice to play at our own events. But then, people started reaching out to play at their events and parties. And during the pandemic and the lockdown, there were no parties, of course, so we launched our own little secret club night, just to bring together our friends and people we knew. A bit unruly, I know, but we just went with it. So it started really small, and after the pandemic, people kept asking: 'When is the next Chocolate City party?', so we decided to continue to build a community around Chocolate City, which is still with us today and growing.
“We launched our own little secret party for friends during the lockdown. I bit unruly, I know, but we just went with it. Now it’s grown into Chocolate City.”
What special ingredients must you have to create awareness around a club night and attract people to attend? There are so many options! How do you stand out?
Honestly, I am still quite humble about our club nights; we mostly play at small venues. But I think it's just about creating and building a community where everyone feels welcome to come as they are and offering a safe space with good music and vibes. It's about being one big family for me. Also, your party just has to have that sauce, if you know what I mean (laughs).
Yet you've managed to have your own Chocolate City ADE Night with Lojay as one of the international artists; then he booked you to play during his European tour. How was this experience for you? Do you have international ambitions as a DJ?
It was a fantastic experience. Performing together with an artist is very different from just DJing. You have to go through a whole preparation process and rehearse together. We sat down, went through all of the songs and the structure of the show, and went over the special moments within that show that had to surprise the audience. During the show, the artist may change the setlist, and you have to improvise and be able to respond to changes quickly. I felt like a real music band member and had never experienced that before, so that was awesome and exciting.
“Performing together with an artist is very different from just DJing. You actually have to go through a whole preparation process and rehearse together.”
I would love to do more international gigs, but I also need to prioritize my time, and this year's focus will mainly be developing Lait de Coco as a brand.
Last words of wisdom?
When going through challenging times, try thinking of solutions instead of problems. It's all about your mindset. Try to manifest your dreams and believe in yourself and the things you do. And most important: trust the process. Nothing comes easy; when dealing with setbacks, try not to dwell on them for too long. Keep going; you got this!
