From $100 to going national on zulily: A Fashion Designer

  HARRISBURG, PA - 01/17/2017 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

Pennsylvania based designer, AMMA JO will make national debut, featured on zulily on January 17 – 19.

Johnson, who started her collection with one handbag and $100 in 2014 landed a partnership opportunity with eCommerce leader zulily.

“I’m really excited to officially debut my brand in front of a national audience. This opportunity is especially important because the audience is my target…moms”, says Amma.

Amma, a mother of two, former non-profit executive pitched her business to members of the zulily executive team, shark-tank style at the Pennsylvania Conference for women in 2016.  The conference convened over 8,000 women for a full day experience.

“I was one of the handful of people selected for the pitch opportunity and getting in front of people to tell my story is really incredible”, shares Amma, “and now that opportunity has leveraged me into a national debut launch. I really remember the day I only had one sample a little less than 2 years ago.”

Johnson hopes to grow the zulily partnership on a long-term basis. With over 50 stores selling the AMMA JO brand and the onset of growth for the Harrisburg, PA showroom, Johnson’s next step for 2017 is to focus on eCommerce opportunities, such as the zulily partnership.

Johnson’s love for retail began when she interned for Kaufmann’s department store downtown Pittsburgh for nearly 4 years.

Johnson’s parents, who are immigrants from Ghana West African settled in Pennsylvania in the early 60s.  Fast forwarding, a few of AMMA JO’s accessories collections come from Ghana, made in the area where her dad was born.  She and her sister, who currently lives in Pittsburgh, are currently working with West African artisans on a beaded jewelry collection.

“Pennsylvania is a huge part of my story.  Africa is a huge part of my story.  It’s now extremely exciting to have a showroom in Harrisburg, the Capital City while also helping artisans in Africa! I’m really excited to officially debut my brand in front of millions of customers, but this partnership is so special because the audience is my target…moms”, says Amma, who enjoys fusing cultural inspirations into her designs.

“I think the trend for retailers, especially for me building my brand is a strong mix of three basic foundations- number one, a great product that people love.  Secondly, a physical presence and the ability to sell directly to the customer whether through brick and mortor operations or pop-up experiences and thirdly, a stong eCommerce presence”, explains Amma.

The AMMA JO zulily flash event will be hosted on January 17 – 19.  Visit www.zulily.com on those days and shop AMMA JO’s fashions which include her eclectic colorful handbag collections, items manufactured in Ghana and Kenya as well as a debut of a newly introduced jewelry and soft accessories collection.