It's one thing to spend hundreds of dollars on the latest iPhone or BlackBerry model.
It's another to drop thousands of dollars on a custom-designed handset covered in diamonds, crystals or precious metals.
Alexander Amosu, a London-based entrepreneur of Nigerian descent, is betting that wealthy consumers are willing to spend big bucks in exchange for one-of-a-kind ultra-opulent electronics.
Amosu, 33, was inspired to launch his luxury line two years ago, when a friend asked him to help design a glammed-up cell phone as a Christmas gift for his wife.
"I made the phone after a month of playing with it; the whole front was encrusted with diamonds," Amosu said. "My friend gave it to his wife and two days later, I got a phone call from him saying, 'you don't know what you've done -- you've changed my sex life.'"
The eponymous company most recently released a $26,000 "Black Diamond" BlackBerry set in 18-carat gold and covered in nearly 1,400 tiny diamonds.
His product line also includes Apple headphones covered in hundreds of Swarovski crystals, diamond encrusted Mont Blanc pens, and bespoke custom suits.
We caught up with the entrepreneur and designer; his condensed answers and a look at some of his wilder creations follow.
His first entrepreneurial experiences:
When I was in school, I set up a football tournament where I charged five pounds to be on the team. I ref'ed the game, and at the end, the winner would take home a trophy and I would walk away with a few hundred pounds.
When I was 18, I had an idea to start a business when my aunt was pregnant and wanted her house cleaned, and I did it -- reluctantly. But I thought of how many pregnant people would want the same service, and that turned into a cleaning company I ran for four years.
The company's unique marketing strategy involves creating buzz around superlatively expensive items:
We wanted to start off making a name for ourselves -- having people hear what we do and what we create. If you look at other luxury brands, they spend million making a name for themselves. We wanted to do that by creating "the world's most expensive" iPhone, BlackBerry, or whatever the case may be.
The impact of the recession on his super-luxury line of products:
The recession never really had an impact on business. The issue was more that people who had money during the recession felt embarrassed to go out and spend money because other people were suffering.
We didn't have much of an issue because our products are very personal, and people use them in their own environments. Even at that time, if a wealthy person wanted to buy a gift for his wife, he wouldn't buy a cheap product because of the recession.
What's next for the fledgling brand:
Next up is men's and women's bags and shoes, and a few other ideas. We're naturally introducing products as we go. We're not introducing mass products -- these designs are not for everyone. If you want to buy something, we customize it.
The business is mostly online, and we retail in (London department store) Selfridges and in stores in Dubai and Monaco. In the next five years, our focus will be on standalone stores in different cities throughout the world.
My vision is that one day, you'll be able to walk into an Alexander Amosu store and get everything you need from head to toe. We want to be seen as the next Gucci or Louis Vuitton -- that's our aspiration as a brand. We'll keep on creating things that will be seen as luxurious and sexy.
Source: Business Insider
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