The Sunday News
Peter Matika – IN last week’s edition I spoke of how wearing designer labels does not warrant being stylish, the main reason being that they are foreign.
I know most people don’t agree with that because they believe or rather have been led to believe that foreign labels such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton among many other labels signify wealth and style. I will repeat myself again, I THINK NOT. Indeed they do have stylish apparel and other accessories but those are foreign labels.
I do admit, however, that our textile industry isn’t doing so well and perhaps that is why people are opting to buy foreign labels.
Because we appreciate foreign stuff more than our own local products, our industries are obviously bound to suffer a setback. With support I know and do anticipate that it will be revived and blossom into something bigger than some of these foreign items we see.
There are of course a few people, fashion designers working on promoting local products, but I, however, feel that because they are “individuals” they are not taken seriously.
They can only be taken seriously once the industry is revived and by industry I am particularly talking about the textile industry.
I do understand that some of the companies that had been shut down are on the verge of re-opening and I hope this will help in people appreciating the importance of supporting our own. Despite other elements having pushed our industries to shut down, we too should accept responsibility and shame in not supporting our brands.
I recently learnt that Bata Shoe Company Zimbabwe recently clinched a deal with South Africa and would soon be exporting some of its products to our neighbour.
The main product that caught the attention of neighbouring South Africa being the Tommy sneakers . . . I don’t know whether most of you are aware that the Tommy designs have changed from the 90s designs and have been modernised to suit the current era.
Look around the streets when you walk almost everyone, women mostly don a pair of these nifty sneakers. They come in different ranges and colours.
Subconsciously people are in a way promoting local labels, even though they don’t want to. I know for a fact that many people think that what is manufactured locally is well . . . not trendy. Coming back to footwear, Tommy sneakers are slowly but surely replacing All-Stars, I am not sure whether this is a South African or American brand.
But anyway it is sort of making its way out of the market in Zimbabwe and we hope to see local brands trending globally. I read that Bata has been influencing trends and dressing our feet with elegance and character for 120 years throughout the world. Since it was founded in 1894, the company has been at the forefront of innovation, not only in the production and design of new styles, but in the creation of business models that permit a quick response to rapidly changing markets.
“Today, Bata offers you a vision of style and fashion to reflect your own image, created for you as well as with you,” reads a statement on their site. Nonetheless also in South Africa our local “boy” Mike Danisa Nyirenda, who prefers to go by the name Mikel Zee is setting the pace with his Ankara designs, which he sells under his trade name Bow Afrika.
In just less than two years, what started off as a hobby has seen him making the covers of magazines, with even celebrities grappling to get some of his designs!
I remember chatting with him a while ago; he has hopes of setting up a shop in Bulawayo. He even tasked me to find him a shop with reasonable rentals . . . which reminds me that’s a task I really haven’t gotten round to do.
When he and his partner Khulekani Mxotshwa bought their first five sewing machines in 2013, neither imagined they would one day own four shops in South Africa.
Their stylish African-print designs with a modern flair are not only elegant, but are also comfortable and flattering on women of all shapes and sizes. Being in the arts industry seeking greener pastures in South Africa they sought to make their dreams come true.
“We started as a group of five individuals who wanted to start a company that did anything to do with art, whether it was music, fashion or film, but we didn’t have capital. While we were looking for capital, the other guys dropped us. Khule and I sat down and looked at various ways we could build the capital ourselves,” said Mikel.
They decided to venture into the fashion industry, an industry that has high returns and is fast paced.
“We decided fashion was our best bet. And since we didn’t want to compete with notable retail stores, we decided to do African print designs. But we also wanted to make it different, so we did a few sketches and tried to make them modern,” he said.
He and Mxotshwa are said to have bought two sewing machines and started making clothes. Within three months they were able to hire two people to work with them.
“Starting the business was not easy. We had to make a lot of sacrifices, and Khule and I didn’t earn a salary for a year.
We only took enough money for our rent, and to pay our staff,” he noted.
Today Nyirenda and Mxotshwa employ over 30 people.
“The demand for our clothes is very high and we are currently not quite meeting it. We have clients all around the country, so our plan is to open shops around the country by the end of the year,” he added.
So there you have it . . .
Till next week let’s keep styling. For feedback Sms or WhatsApp ONLY 0772 337 433, you can also reach me on my email – pkmatika@gmail.
