Local designer communicates culture through fashion

21 Dec, 2014 - 00:12 0 Views

The Sunday News

“WOMEN think of all colours except the absence of colour. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony,” said renowned fashion designer Coco Chanel.

True to the saying, most fashion designers are inspired by colour and the need to see a fashion savvy world that seek to give more meaning and attention to what it wears. They don’t just dream and end there. Their success has always been in pursuing those dreams and making sure the world around them live and shares their dreams.

This can be said of a Bulawayo girl, Nkanyeziyethu Malunga, who is fast becoming one of the fashion names in the city.

And her uniqueness is that she uses various natural resources such as pumpkin seeds, amarula seeds and other African material as beads to enhance the looks of her designs which she said was purely African although with some traces of modernity.

Born in Emakhandeni suburb 25 years ago, Nkanyezi is one person who believes fashion is a means of communicating cultures. Her fashion design brand, Ganu Creations which is Ndebele for amarula is growing steadily since she took part in the Sadc fashion week.

The designer recently showcased her designs at the Intwasa fashion show which was held at Hope Centre and Sunday Leisure reporter Thobekisiwe Gumede (TG) had the opportunity to talk to the budding designer (NM) who prefers to be called Nkanyezi about her venture into the fickle world. TG: How did you get into fashion?

NM: I love the power of clothing and the transformative quality of dressing up. I was fascinated by fashion even when I was young. I remember dressing up for different events at school and I took pride in having the best outfit, or at least making the biggest effort, but my interest really escalated later when I had problems continuing with my Human Resources degree at the University of Tshwane in South Africa and because of that I saw myself shifting from school to designing.

TG: Was venturing into the fashion world the best choice after failing to continue with your studies?

NM: The first thing that I asked myself was if I would make enough money out of it but then because I was being driven by passion I ended up settling for it.

TG: Are you self-taught or you studied designing?

NM: I’m self-taught, well of course I have met a few people who have added a great difference to my work. My mother also helped me with some things as she is a tailor herself. Everybody needs such people in their lives to grow.

TG: How best can you describe your creations?

NM: My work is an extension of my personality, it describes me. I love old things; I basically appreciate everything that cuts across the globe. They speak the language, culture and heritage of a people.

TG: Have your designs become more appealing to people as a result?

NM: Yes, I think so. People today seem willing to dress a little bit differently from one another. I definitely see young people today making more effort in the way that they dress than young people did ten years ago. People are getting tired of just wearing a t-shirt and jeans every day and it’s great to see people express themselves more through what they wear.

TG: What are you fascinated with at the moment and how does it feed into your work?

NM: I love talking to young people and I work with lots of young people. Their insights definitely fascinate me but so does talking to older people, people who are just as tuned into fashion but from a different perspective. I’m fascinated by seeds at the moment. I love looking at the different types of seeds and how they are used, how they are formed, the amazing variety in colours . . . everything.

TG: Where do you go for inspiration?

NM: I love travelling, so I try to pick out anything that I feel will assist me in coming up with something classic. I want to create something that even twenty years from now people will still love.

TG: Any prominent designers you have worked with so far?

NM: I have worked with the Bulawayo Board of Designers and Melusi Nengo from Harare. I am just hoping to mix with more designers in future.

TG: That’s interesting. So who would you say inspires you?

NM: David Tlale in South Africa. I don’t just love the way he designs, but the way he puts together his outfits.

TG: Recently we have been reading in the papers that you participated in the Sadc fashion show. How was the experience?

NM: I didn’t manage to go but my samples were sent there. So I would say Intwasa fashion show is where I really got to meet people and showcase my stuff. I would say it is great having to engage so many people because all along I have been dealing with people on a personal level or online.

TG: How best can you describe the state of the fashion industry in the city?

NM: There is room for improvement. People are very creative although I feel there is not much support coming from the stakeholders. Whenever there is a show there are one or two people willing to support, so the question is how then does the industry grow if the resources are not there.

TG: What is the biggest lesson that you have learnt since you joined the fashion industry?

NM: Your moment will arrive and you have to be ready for it. You have to be focused on what you are hoping to achieve and be committed. I’m very happy with what we have achieved so far but sometimes I think I could have been more business minded earlier in my career – then again you can never know, because you know certain things now that you didn’t then.

TG: What do you think one has to do to be a successful fashion designer?

NM: Well I think you really do have to eat, sleep, and breathe fashion. You have to analyse every design you make and make sure it is the best it can be. You need to have an intuition and eye for design that cannot always be taught. Nothing is handed out in this industry, so you have to be on top of your game and work hard. Always work on networking, developing your skills, and making fashion part of your life.

TG: What’s your motto?

NM: The future is handmade; it’s something that I truly believe. We can already see that people want to balance their technological, mass market lifestyles with handmade goods, analogue equipment and organic goods. For me it goes back to this idea I have of seeing myself as an old soul living in the future. Sometimes the simplest things give us the most satisfaction.

TG: What’s next for you professionally?

NM: I would love to have my own small business where I can find my niche in the market and run with it. Big things are coming next year as well; I should be going international so just watch the space.

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