MADISON, Wis. — A Madison mom built a business creating clothes with authentic African prints and designs. 

It all started when Nina Akli’s daughter, Alise, was about a year old. 

“I was looking for African print clothes for her in Madison, and I could not find any. So then I went online, and it was just way too expensive,” Akli said. “So I was like, 'You know what, I'm just going to make my own.”'

People took notice of Alise’s clothes right away. 

“We started going to different events around town,” Akli said. "People started asking me ‘Oh, where'd you get your clothes? We want to buy some too.'"

That’s when Afribbean Baby was born. Akli, a student services coordinator at UW-Madison by day, already knew how to sew. But she had to hone the craft. 

“I had the basic skills, but I'm a visual learner,” she said. “I just hopped on YouTube, and I would watch videos of people sewing, and then I would just try to go and sew things.” 

Occasionally, her "assistant" lends a hand. 

“Sometimes I help my mommy sewing,” Alise said with a big smile on her face. 

Her son JJ is only one-year-old, so he’s not able to help out yet. 

Akli finds the fabric online, mostly from African artists. 

“I have a few different go-to suppliers. I love to make sure that they’re authentic,” she said. “Most of them are coming from Ghana.” 

The Progress Center for Black Women has been integral to her success. It’s her home away from home, and a way to find resources and support for her business. 

Over the last few years, her customer base has just kept growing. 

“Around the holidays, like Christmas, is really busy for me,” Akli said. “Black History Month, and Juneteenth, too.”

She can get busy around Mothers Day as well, making matching mommy-and-me sets. 

It means the world to her that she can help other families wear the styles of their cultures.

“I am half Congolese myself, so central African, and my husband's from Ghana. African print is like really important to us,” she said. “To pass it on to our children, but also to share it with other people.”

Akli will be set up at the Madison Makers Market on June 18.