(Crain’s) — Ibrahima and Fatima Doukoure started Bebenoir in 2004. At the time, he worked as an account representative at Mediterranean Shipping Co., and she was in advertising sales at Nielsen. The salaries and benefits were welcome, but Mr. Doukoure had always longed to start his own fashion line. At friends’ urging, the couple decided to follow that dream. Their first product was a brown T-shirt with the message “Born In Africa” written across the front. The two kept their corporate jobs and spent weekends “driving around and begging people to buy the shirts,” Ms. Doukoure says.
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