On Monday, April 28, junior Faith Onukaogu placed first in the Northeast Wisconsin-wide entrepreneurship contest The Pitch. She presented her plans to launch Anima Unita (AU), a multipurpose clothing brand. According to the Lawrence University website, the event is organized by The Fox Connection for Creative Entrepreneurship, is open to the public and features students pitching their business ideas to a panel of judges from the regional business community for cash stipends. The website says the competition awards $10,000 for first place, $7,500 for second and $5,000 for third. Onukaogu is the third Lawrence University student in the last nine years that has taken first place, according to the Lawrence University website.
According to Onukaogu, she wanted to design clothes that are stylish, practical and versatile. She said that the brand was born from a desire to incorporate fashion and functionality and turn it into a positive impact. She said that AU addresses issues like waste, overpacking and limited accessibility. She stated that she wanted to create a brand that is affordable and comfortable. She initially pitched AU in an Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) course, “In Pursuit of Innovation,” and further developed the idea in her “Entreprenurial Ventures” course. She stated that she was inspired to create AU because she grew up loving fashion and noticed how much clothing goes to waste. Onukaogu said that the main product she promoted in “The Pitch” was a transformable gender-neutral jacket that can turn into a vest, pillow, blanket, cropped jacket and tote bag.
“The pieces [of the jacket] can be mixed and matched for different looks,” she explained. “It’s all about getting more out of fewer pieces.”
According to Onukaogu, “Anima Unita” means “united soul” in Italian. She said she chose this name because it reflects the brand’s core mission: bringing people together through clothing made with intention, care and purpose.
“The brand stands for unity, creativity and strength — values that apply to everyone, no matter their background,” Onukaogu stated. “I also minor in Italian, and naming the brand in Italian is my way of honoring the impact of my Italian professor, [Instructor of Arabic, Italian and Religious Studies] Massimiliano [Verita], and showing appreciation for the language and culture.”
Onukaogu stated that she plans to use the investment to finalize legal paperwork, complete the first collection and place a bulk order with her manufacturer. She also intends to set up an online store on Shopify and use part of the funding to test the products and gather customer feedback.
Onukaogu said that she wants to expand the collection with sweatpants that are converted into shorts or can be adjusted to look more business casual. She also has tops and hoodies that are reversible or can unzip to change style. She said she then aims to launch a limited-edition capsule collection within the next six to nine months. In five to ten years, Onukaogu sees AU as a trusted and recognized brand that blends fashion and sustainability.
“I want people to love it not just because it looks good, but because of the meaning and mission behind it,” Onukaogu said. “I also plan to incorporate a social good component — for example, a ‘buy a jacket, give a jacket’ model. Biannually, five percent of proceeds will be donated to a homeless shelter in New York City, where I’m from.”