Sioux Falls couple brings inclusive fashion, unique vintage to their businesses

It all started with a white lie next to a food truck at a music festival in Maputo, Mozambique.

What a cliche, right?

Sam Jacomet was hanging out in the country’s capital city on an off day during his stint in the Peace Corps in 2018. He had a friend in town, and they were grabbing food when they ran into fashion designer Nadia Muando-Jacomet.

She asked what they were eating, sparking a conversation that spanned into the waning hours of the morning. In it, Nadia mentioned she had a photo shoot the next day and needed more models. Would Sam want to come?

“I didn’t need more models,” Nadia confessed later, with a laugh. “I had everything figured out.”

The move worked, though. Two years later, the couple is married, living in Sioux Falls and running two clothing businesses, InsideOut Moz and ClothingMyVintage.

Sam’s Peace Corps service ended in July 2019, but it took until October for Nadia to get a visa – yes, the same visa they use in “90 Day Fiance.” The couple was married Nov. 30, 2019, in an intimate ceremony during a blizzard.

They launched InsideOut Moz about six months later in May 2020. The business is the realization of a longtime dream for Nadia, who said she’s always wanted to have her own brand. Her designs combine African prints with modern style in cotton fabrics.

The brand started when Nadia was making face masks early in the coronavirus pandemic, and when those became popular, she added fanny packs to her product line. She’s now expanding to make more bags and clothing, including sweatshirts.

One of the unique perks in her clothing line is that items are intended to be gender neutral.

“We trade clothing,” Nadia said of the couple’s closet. “We want to try to bring that outside. Just buy one, and you can wear together.”

The couple’s other business, ClothingMyVintage started with Sam’s personal hobby of finding unique items in Mozambique’s outdoor markets. He would find vintage items that had been given to the Mozambican sellers, including popular brands like Nike. By the time he returned to the United States in July 2019, he’d amassed 100 pounds of clothes.

The collection grew when the couple would find unique or brand-name clothing in thrift stores. As the pile of clothes in their apartment got bigger, the couple got more serious about starting a business to resell those items.

ClothingMyVintage has sold items nationwide, and Sam has even shipped packages to New Zealand. InsideOut Moz also has shipped products nationwide, and Nadia said she’s surprised by how many customers she has had from California.

Down the line, the couple envisions a bricks-and-mortar location in Sioux Falls, with a welcoming environment people are drawn to for more than just the clothing, Sam said.

“We want a place where we’re able to work out of … creating a space that creates an atmosphere where people are not only going to shop but maybe have a coffee or tea,” Sam said.

The couple also wants everyone to feel welcome expressing themselves wearing InsideOut Moz clothing.

“I’m Black,” Nadia said. “Sam is white. … The fact that we make, let’s say, ethnic clothing doesn’t mean that ‘ethnic’ is just for Black people. It’s really for anyone that wants to feel different or express or have curiosity about culture.”

As their product line grows and adds more items, the couple also is conscious of offering a range of options so people can shop their line at any price point.

At the end of the day, though, it’s just about finding joy in their work.

“We’re just trying to do our thing and be happy about it,” Sam said. “We like to shine that light through our brand.”