{"id":1666,"date":"2025-06-29T19:33:47","date_gmt":"2025-06-29T19:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/29\/interview-exclusive-why-i-created-sdebstore-with-founder-samuel-silmon\/"},"modified":"2025-06-29T19:33:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T19:33:47","slug":"interview-exclusive-why-i-created-sdebstore-with-founder-samuel-silmon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/29\/interview-exclusive-why-i-created-sdebstore-with-founder-samuel-silmon\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview Exclusive: Why I Created SdeBStore \u2014 With Founder Samuel Silmon"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t see ourselves in the digital world\u2026 so I decided to build a space for us.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Tell us who you are and how SdeBStore began.<\/span><\/h2>\n

I\u2019m a 3D artist, entrepreneur, and digital creator born in Guadeloupe<\/strong>, living in France<\/strong>. My journey started back in 2010<\/strong>, when I discovered a software called Daz Studio<\/strong>. I was fascinated \u2014 it allowed me to create virtual characters and scenes in a new way \u2014 although I had already been working as a 3D modeler for several years using 3DS Max.<\/p>\n

By 2012<\/strong>, I was using it regularly as a personal creative outlet. But I quickly hit a wall: I couldn\u2019t find any 3D characters or hairstyles that looked like me or the people around me \u2014 nothing truly Afro<\/strong> or Black<\/strong>. That\u2019s when I decided: if it doesn\u2019t exist, I\u2019ll make it myself.<\/em><\/p>\n

So it started as a personal need?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sam:<\/strong>
Exactly. I started designing Afro hairstyles<\/strong> and Black characters<\/strong> for my own scenes. But when I began sharing them on platforms in 2017<\/strong>, something surprising happened \u2014 the demand was huge. Other artists, especially from the diaspora, were asking for these same assets. Afro hair, in particular, was almost impossible to find.<\/p>\n

So I kept creating. And slowly, I realized this was about more than just 3D art \u2014 it was about representation<\/strong> and visibility<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

When did SdeBStore officially launch?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sam:<\/strong>
In 2020<\/strong>, after testing my products and building a style on various platforms, I decided it was time to build my own space. A direct platform where I could sell my creations, control my brand, and stay close to my community.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how SdeBStore.com<\/strong> was born.<\/p>\n

What does \u201cSdeBStore\u201d mean?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sam:<\/strong>
It comes from “S.de.B”<\/strong>, short for “Silmon De Basse-Terre”<\/strong>, which was originally a fashion brand idea I had back in 2010. I planned to use Daz Studio to generate virtual models for clothing design.<\/p>\n

\u201cSilmon De Basse-Terre\u201d means \u201cSilmon from Basse-Terre\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Basse-Terre being the southern part of Guadeloupe, where I was born. It\u2019s a way to honor my origins and carry them with me in every creation.<\/p>\n

What makes SdeBStore different?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sam:<\/strong>
SdeBStore is Afrocentric by design<\/strong>. It\u2019s not an add-on or a category \u2014 it\u2019s the core. We create digital 3D assets that reflect the richness, beauty, and complexity of Black identity<\/strong> around the world.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Authentic Afro hairstyles<\/strong>\n<\/li>\n
  • Detailed melanin skin shaders<\/strong>\n<\/li>\n
  • Characters inspired by African heritage, street culture, and Afrofuturism<\/strong>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    We\u2019re not just selling models \u2014 we\u2019re building a cultural visual library<\/strong> for artists, game developers, animators, and creators who\u2019ve been left out for too long.<\/p>\n

    Is your focus mostly on Africa?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Sam:<\/strong>
    My vision is diasporic<\/strong>. We represent Blackness in all its shades and stories: from Kemet to Kingston<\/strong>, Dakar to Detroit<\/strong>, Basse-Terre to Brooklyn<\/strong>. Wherever our people are \u2014 that\u2019s where our spirit is.<\/p>\n

    What do you want your customers to feel?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Sam:<\/strong>
    I want them to feel seen<\/strong>, inspired<\/strong>, and empowered<\/strong>. I want them to open Daz Studio, Blender, or Unity, and finally say:
    \u201cYes \u2014 that character looks like me. That hair, that skin, that vibe \u2014 it\u2019s us.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

    What\u2019s next for you and SdeBStore?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Sam:<\/strong>
    More characters, more hairstyles, more accessories. I\u2019m also exploring tutorials, collaborations with other Afro creators, and even an Afrocentric 3D universe \u2014 where our aesthetics set the tone.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019re not just reacting to the industry. We\u2019re creating our own.<\/p>\n

    Final words?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Sam:<\/strong>
    Thank you to everyone who supports what I do. Every model you download helps keep this vision alive \u2014 of a 3D world where we don\u2019t have to beg for space, because we\u2019ve already built our own.<\/p>\n

    This isn\u2019t just a store.
    It\u2019s a declaration.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    #s3gt_translate_tooltip_mini { display: none !important; }<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \u201cWe didn\u2019t see ourselves in the digital world\u2026 so I decided to build a space for us.\u201d Tell us who you are and how SdeBStore began. I\u2019m a 3D artist, entrepreneur, and digital creator born in Guadeloupe, living in France. My journey started back in 2010, when I discovered a software called Daz Studio. I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1667,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1666\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sdebstore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}