From Senegal to Seattle: RAFFETT’s Brand Marketing Stands Out at Fashion Week Debut
In preparation for their debut at Africa Fashion Week Seattle, the owner of RAFFETT, Mamadou Fofana, partnered with King's Dream Business Consulting, to enhance brand positioning and awareness by improving its online presence and customer engagement.
The Client.
RAFFETT: Where luxury meets representation.
RAFFETT proudly defines itself as more than just a handbag brand—it’s a Black-owned fashion company committed to uplifting and empowering its supporters. Rooted in a deep appreciation for artistry and quality, RAFFETT’s products are handcrafted in Senegal using premium leather and sleek, luxury hardware that seamlessly blends style and functionality. The brand’s name, “RAFFETT,” is derived from the Wolof language, spoken in Senegal. Meaning “gorgeous” or “beautiful,” it reflects the brand’s dedication to creating stunning designs while honoring the culture and craftsmanship of local artisans. Their commitment to craftsmanship and empowerment is a key part of their growing recognition in Seattle and beyond.
The Objective.
RAFFETT approached King’s Dream to address challenges in enhancing its brand recognition,
establishing a strong online presence, and increasing sales.
Specifically, RAFFETT needed help consolidating its social media accounts, revitalizing its posting schedule, resetting its algorithm with new follower base accounts on Instagram that were not inactive, and offering an improved online shopping experience. These changes would simplify the company’s marketing, improve its online visibility by building community and trust with potential new customers, and improve monthly sales leads.
The company requested the migration of their activity from the raffettsenegal Instagram account to a single account, @raffett_, and the deletion of the raffettus account. This change was necessary due to technical issues with Shopify integration, which had been hampering the brand’s ability to optimize e-commerce operations in the U.S. market and make sales. We advised Raffett that this transition might temporarily affect campaign performance due to the lower engagement levels on the new account.
The Solution.
To improve RAFETT’s brand visibility KDBC did the following:
Community Financial Development Institutions – Introduced to representatives from two CFDIs: Denkyem Co-op and Beneficial State Bank.
These CFDIs support small businesses and will work with you to secure a business loan to grow the business.
Tabor 100 Introduction – Recommended membership and application for their Technical Assistance Program.
Tabor 100 is an association of entrepreneurs and business advocates who are committed to economic power, educational excellence, and social equity for African Americans and the community at large.
In-person Business Consulting Session – The King’s Dream Principal Consultant discussed several key topics, including the website, promotions, manufacturing process sharing, and market competitors.
Networking Events –
Invited RAFFETT to register for Africa Fashion Week Seattle to showcase the handbags and provide promotional, networking, and partnership opportunities. In support, KDBC attended the casting call and the event, capturing promotional content.
Recommended attending Denkyem’s Third Thursday events. At an event, RAFFETT was approached by ARTE NOIRE to discuss featuring the bags in-store.
To address concerns with RAFFETT’s online and social media presence KDBC did the following:
Social Media Strategy – Developed a comprehensive social media strategy to help guide the planning, implementation, and management of social media activities to ensure they align with RAFFETT’s overall objectives. Successfully migrated all social media activity to the new @raffett_ Instagram account, ensuring a more streamlined and unified digital presence. Focused on improving follower count with accounts that were not dead, inactive, or bought.
Content Calendar – Provided a content calendar outlining three months of content plus four content pillars, hashtags, and a tracker. Content pillars included: social media posts and reels for building brand awareness and educating the audience.
Analytics – Our team prepared two social media analytics presentations for April and May outlining insights, top-performing posts, and an action plan for the next month.
Commerce Integrations – There were a few issues with successfully integrating commerce on different social media platforms.
TikTok Shop Application
Rejected due to the business name associated with EIN. KDBC resolved the issue by sending a letter to the IRS.
Facebook & Instagram Shopify Integration
KDBC researched the issue, provided a link to the Meta help center article, and gave instructions to connect the accounts.
The Deliverables.
Timeline & Budget:
2 months; $3,000
Business Consulting: KDBC provided business consulting services to support improved marketing efforts, business development, financial consulting and modeling, human resources, operations, and brand development. We also made key introductions to local stakeholders and partners for collaboration.
Social Media Management: KDBC managed RAFFETT’s social media, utilizing best practices, analytics to identify top-performing posts, and a content calendar to plan and organize content sharing. The Social Media Manager provided the following deliverables:
The Result.
Through strategic planning and execution, we helped position RAFFETT as a standout luxury brand, perfectly aligned for future success in the U.S. market.
The results of the new social media marketing and brand strategy were remarkable. The Social Media Manager created content that was relatable and easy to share, implicitly showing the product made it easier for us to reach our intended audience quickly. This strategy led to improved reach without the use of paid ads, which was our goal. Over a 2.5-month period, audience reach grew by approximately 400%, while overall impressions soared by nearly 900%.
King's Dream is passionate about supporting minority-owned businesses, and helping RAFFETT achieve its goals was a proud milestone. Our dedicated approach to social media management proves that minor investments can yield major results. Discover why partnering with a professional business consulting team is essential for elevating your brand.
With our guidance, RAFFETT improved its brand visibility on one of Seattle’s biggest fashion stages! RAFFETT was accepted as a designer brand at the 5th Annual Africa Fashion Week Seattle, where they showcased the handbags to new customers and potential partners using a diverse cast of professional models. In support, KDBC attended the casting call and the event, capturing promotional content for their social media.
Throughout the two-month process, we remained flexible and communicative with the client, ensuring they were informed about each strategy we implemented and were staying true to their brand voice. Dedicated to supporting new Black-owned businesses in Seattle like RAFFETT, the team delivered impressive organic growth with minimal capital investment.
King's Dream's business consultants and social media strategists proved that big results don’t require big budgets, reinforcing why we’re one of Seattle’s leading business consulting agencies!
“The use of Africa Fashion Week footage and photos featuring the models from the show did very well and was our highest viewed and engaged video and posts. Tapping into that audience pushed our engagement and gave the client some brand authority and social proof.” — Alesha Faulkner, King’s Dream Business Consulting
Media gallery.
Want to be our next success story or looking to grow your social media presence? Book a Discovery Call today for a free consultation.
Tyra Douyon is an Atlanta-based journalist, content writer, and editor. She developed her unique writing style and media correspondence skills in print and digital publishing, specializing in education, real estate, advertising, marketing, and arts/entertainment news. She’s a graduate of Kennesaw State University, where she earned her Bachelor's in English Education and Master's in Professional Writing. Along with freelance writing, she is a published poet and staff editor for an independent press/literary arts magazine.
