kwantuthu arts february march 2016 issue

MAGAZINEKA

FEB-MARCH 2016PLUS Knowlz:

Exclusive Video“If You Are Ready”

Mzoe7:Exclusive Video

“I Cry Too”

EXCLUSIVE:80 Seconds with Naboth Rizla

MAGAZINEINTERACTIVE

MUSICARTS&

27thI S S U U

NOBUNTUTurned a hobby into a proffession.

SHINGIMANGOMA

GROUNDED IN CULTURE www.kwantuthu-mag.com

Shares insights behind her World

Class Jewelry

EILEEN M

12ON OUR COVER

16

an acappella Vocal ensemble made up of young women from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

NOBUNTU

WHATS INSIDEFEB-MARCH

8 10

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EILEEN M 8Jewelry a Zimbabwean jewelry company.

SIGNATURE 12Tocise, one on one with one ofZimbabwe’s top fashion bloggers.

SHINGIMangoma her love of music has turned a bobby into a profession.

NOBUNTU

10

the proudly zimbabwean all female group taking Zimbabwean culture all over the world.

WHAT AREwe miss-ing a article looking at the Zimbabwean pagents.

20S’NINIcollectio n, one on one sit down with head designer.

22

16FEBRUARY- MARCH 2016 Kwantuthu Arts Magazine 5

6 Kwantuthu Arts Magazine FEBRUARY- MARCH 2016

First Word

LittchelCREATIVITYOur February – March 2016 issue is dedicated to Zimbabwean women actively building and mak-ing waves in the creative industries.

From Eileen M Jewelry a Zimbabwean jewelry company that is developing amazing and well-designed jewelry pieces.

We feature Shingi Mangoma one of Zimbabwe’s top female musicians headlining local and inter-national shows in Zimbabwe. We get an exclusive interview with fashion blogger Signature Toscie, we get the inside track on fashion trends and local fashion blogging in Zimbabwe.

On our Cover we have the amazing vocal group Nobuntu. We talk about their latest album and we also feature local fashion house S’Nini collection.

Enjoy our February – March 2016 issue.

Littchel MathuthuPUBLISHER & EDITOR

TERMS OF USEAll rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced or trans-mitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, includ-ing photocopying, recording, faxing, emailing, posting online or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the Publisher. All trademarks and brands referred to herein are the property of their respective owners. All references to Kwantuthu Arts Magazine™ and the Kwantuthu Arts Website KA Magazine™ are trademarks of Littchel Media (Private) Limited.

LEGAL NOTICESWhile all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for error, omissions or contrary interpretations of the subject matter contained herein. The purchaser or reader of this publication assumes responsibility for the use of these materials and information. Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, both referral and state and local, governing professional licensing, busi-ness practices, advertising and all other aspects of doing business in Zimbabwe or any other jurisdiction, is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader. The author and publisher assume no responsibil-ity or liability whatsoever on the behalf of any purchaser or reader of these materials. Any perceived slights of specific people or organiza-tions are unintentional.

CONTACT INFORMATIONKwantuthu Arts Magazine Customer Service+263 718 216 382

Websitewww.kwantuthu-mag.com

Copyright © 2016 Littchel Media (Private) Limited

PUBLISHING CREDITSEDITORIALCHIEF EDITOR Littchel Mathuthu

ONLINE EDITOR Tanaka Chinembiri

CONTENT EDITOR Angelbert Wamambo

WRITERS Angerlbert Wamambo, Littchel Mathuthu, Imelda Duduzile Moyo, Thembi Terry Zulu

PHOTOGRAPHERS Vumelwano Mulalazi, Mgini Nyoni, Cyril Ncube

KWANTUTHU ARTSPUBLISHED BY Littchel Media (Pvt) LtdCELL: +263 772 383 678CELL: +263 718 216 382ONLINE www.kwantuthu-mag.com

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*Please include your contact details. The Editor reservs the right to edit for space and clarify

CONTRIBUTORSARTHOR C. EVANSTV Personality, Motivational Speaker and MC.www.theaceevans.com

ALEXANDRA FRANZENA professional writer for ten years. Self-employed for the last five.www.alexandrafranzen.com

KATHY CAPRINOA internationally-recognized women’s work-life and career expert, speaker, and author of

“Breakdown, Breakthroughwww.kathycapriano.com

EILEEN M JEWELRY

One on One with

Who is Eileen Madzime in brief? (Background, child hood, where you did your primary and high school, your age.)

I grew up in Zimbabwe, I’m the middle child in a family of 3 children. I attended 4 primary schools and one high school Midlands Christian College. I was educated in Zim up to my A levels then I went and I did a degree in Jewellery design and Manufacture.

What inspired Eileen M Jewelry?My passion for aesthetics and quality.

Are you a professional jeweler and what made you chose that career?Yes I am. Metalsmithing is not something a lot of native Zim-babweans pursue. Our country is endowed with unbelievable natural resources that due to lack of resources and knowl-edge haven’t always been properly utilized. I wanted to go against the grain and do some-thing that whilst it sates my creative and inquisitive nature would also put me in a position to make a difference.

What inspired the three ranges in your collection?The three ranges cater to dif-ferent occasions and tastes. Bespoke Jewellery is typically specially created for individu-als, it takes form in pieces that are truly Eileen M style. These pieces take days and weeks to

manufacture, they usually end up big in terms of Jewellery and they take up a lot of metal thus they are highly priced and as such they are frequently reserved for special occasions by the people who buy them. Everyday jewellery are the pieces that customarily contain nuances of the bespoke pieces. They are comfortable for every-day wear and they are usually light in terms of metal weight so they are not as expensive as the bespoke pieces. Then costume jewellery is basically quality fashion Jewellery, it comes at a more affordable price than the other ranges.


Eillen M Jewelry: Gold-plated silver leaf earrings. Image courtesy Stripped Fox Photography

Be spoke is an inter-esting concept, what inspired the name and the collection?

Bespoke basically means cus-tom-made. At Eileen M Jewel-lery we specialize in Jewellery pieces designed and made perfectly for the unique indi-vidual. I am strong believer in individual style and expression; jewellery like clothing or hair is another way of expressing self. An Eileen M bespoke piece is essentially one that is made to resonate with the wearer

Do you have any retail shops and where can peo-ple order your jewelry?

We are based online, people can order Jewellery off our website or on social media. Zedlabel (Zim online shop) is currently stocking pieces off our everyday range. We also stock a couple of retail outlets across the country.

Any advice to aspiring jewelry designers.Quality and innovation is the foundation to a suc-cessful brand.

ARTICLE BY Imelda Duduzile Moyo

Kwantuthu Arts Fashion Editor

FEBRUARY- MARCH 2016 Kwantuthu Arts Magazine 9

Shingi Mangoma

Hobbyturned profession

Shingi Mangoma is one of Zimbabwe’s top female musicians who has been developing her own brand that is truly authentic and delivers

I think simple parts of the creative process can be challenging for a female musician. Most produc-tion and recording is done at night from my experience, depending on how liberal your set up is at home that is already a challenge because most girls I have encoun-tered can’t be out recording songs at 3am. An alternative is to find more formal studio setups but these are also pricier. There are also residual, subliminal attitudes towards women in music, old warped perceptions of women in music being loose and not being taken seriously etc. It is not always in your face but certain conversa-tions will leave you feeling it. But really it is nothing that can stop a driven female musician.

What inspired you to be a musician?If I’m to be honest I started to do music after recording Christmas Carols at church as a youth group. I continued to go to the studio because I was mesmerized by the process and ended up making my own songs. It wasn’t particularly planned.

Were your parents sup-portive of your musical dream?

My mother has been very a sup-posed to be of me yes. I am grate-ful for that.

Did you study music?I have not studied music. I was classically trained in high school as part of our choral music training but I have never formally studied music.

What are some of the challenges of being a female musician in Zimbabwe?


industry is not actually an industry in the truest sense of the word. By this I mean there are no constant and recognizable flows of money around a product. Neither are there structures to help this flow. I believe that this is also linked with the economy, most people don’t recognise music or art as a commodity as they don’t have the disposable income to add it onto their expenses. Musicians are find-ing their way around things though and are innovative in finding ways to monetize their work.

You are a songwriter, where do you find the inspiration for your music?Inspiration to write music comes from a life lived and a life being lived....everything and anything can find itself in a song.

You have a distinct style of music, how do you stay true to your voice?I make music exactly as I perceive it and I think most if it is molded by musical influences from my parents back in the day, my father in particular. He listened to a lot of jazz, Thomas Mapfumo, HughMasakela, Rod Stewart Nina Sim-one. Mom liked Leta Mbuli, Cephas Semenya, the group Stimela and Simon and Garfunkel. Nostalgia reigns strong in me especially when it comes to music. I listen to

a lot of hip hop and pop amongst other genres and I am quite cur-rent and urban however my music reflects the old soul that I am

Did you ever consider launching your musical career in South Africa?An album needs time, resources and extreme dedication, I doubt I will be releasing one in the near future. I will however be releas-ing lots of singles. it is my goal to release a lot of music to just get people super acquainted with my sound and style it just won’t nec-essarily be an album.

When can we expect an album from you?I feel that the Zimbabwean music

How do you stay in shape?

“I try to watch what I eat, to cut out excessive sugar and carbs. (Although I have a strong weakness for zinger wings) I drink lots of water too. And I try to go to the gym regularly.”

The Shingi Mangoma

brand is sophisticated,

authentic and bold.



SIGNATURE TOSCIE

How did you come up with Signature Toscie as your brand name?Signature Toscie is a combina-tion of my nickname and the French accolade. What’s actually interesting was it wasn’t the first initial blog name. As what goes through most bloggers starting out, I wanted to find a unique way to define myself so initially the first name was “GlamDoll Domination”. Three weeks later I came up with “Signature Toscie”, after going through a reflection phase and actually looking at what defined me as Tendai Kamusikiri. So “Toscie” (pronounced Tos-ki) is my nickname since primary school, the nickname came as a funny incident that involved a line of luxury suitcases and luggage called “Tosca”, based in Australia. The name was somewhat unique, rare and unknown at the time; since then the name became

associated with me and pretty much grew from there. At home my official second name is “Tosca” or “Toscie”, to which it blends well because I absolutely love hand-bags and luggage. “Signature” was pretty easy to choose because I love the French culture and so Sig-nature means the same thing both in English and French. Hence from a combination of luxury hand-bags and the synonymy with the French culture, Signature Toscie was born in 2012!

What are your educational qualifications?Well, I am actually a Social Scien-tist by profession graduated with a BSc. in Sociology and Gender Development with the Women’s University in Africa. I also hold a First Level Diploma in the French Language with Alliance Francaise de Harare.

Being a fashion blogger isn’t exactly an orthodox job. How supportive are your parents about it?I love how you used orthodox because it isn’t! To be honest I think any parent wants what’s best for their child and part of that aspect is having a self sustaining and fulfilling job. Unfortunately blogging in Zimbabwe isn’t a cred-ible nor self sustainable source; only a few have mastered the trick to creating sustainability in blogging. So I would have to say my parents are working around it since it keeps me busy especially in Zimbabwe’s current Entrepre-neurial economy. They are coming to terms with it slowly but surely.

Did you ever try to write for mainstream media about fashion?I have actually. Locally I was a Contributing Fashion Writer for JEWEL Magazine in 2013 – 2014

during my varsity days. Currently I am focusing more on New Media which is our Online/Digital Media where I contribute for INDUNA Magazine and INFINITY Magazine as their Fashion Editor.

How are you coping with the informal traders that sell second hand clothes?I am not a biased person since I am a fashionista, and if I feel I could find a gem at second hand bales or “kumabhero (khothama)” then I will gladly purchase. Eco-nomically it pulls down the textile industry in Zimbabwe, but like I said before we are operating in an Entrepreneurial based environ-ment, so anything and everything goes!

How do they affect or work, positively or negatively?Negatively they constrain the Textile and Creative industry which consists of our designers, jewel-lers, artisans, craftsman, tailors and textile factories; where trained individuals have built and exercised their craftsmanship over a certain period of time. In turn their work and intellectual prop-erty goes unnoticed and compro-mised as more and more Zimba-bweans prefer to wear second hand clothing than invest in a local designer piece. Positively it works for the individual on a budget. Yes there are scenarios where you spot a really good (if not great) second hand leather handbag or skirt for a fraction of the price if not more, when compared to local price listings of boutiques and designers. Negatively it is pushing our industry in the wayward direc-tion if we consider things as sales, tax returns, import and exporta-tion rates on the economy which only further constrain the creative industry as we know it.


How vibrant is the fashion industry in Zim right now?The industry is still growing, but increasingly becoming Vibrant! It is exciting to see new fashion bloggers, young designers and the millennia slowly taking onto the fashion industry. There’s expan-sion into online shopping with platforms such as zedlabel and the new Signature Toscie Online Store. I think as Zimbabweans if we also collaborated and worked with each other, we can make our industry even more vibrant and exciting by sharing our ideas and connecting with the other like-minded brands.

You recently opened an online store. What’s that about?The Online Store is the added expansion and growth of the

Signature Toscie brand. Besides blogging, I want the brand to be more accessible to my readers and the alternative market by means of purchasing and own-ing something that carries and completes that “Signature Toscie” feel you can find on the blog. The store aims to stay true to Class, Glamour and Refinement with both imported and local pieces true to the Signature taste. The store aims to be a platform for the real girl who loves a good fashion bargain.

What drove you to e-commerce?Sustainability and learning to monetize the brand drove me to e-commerce. The blog is continu-ing to grow and I wanted to find a way for it to generate income on its own.

How is the reaction from your readers?The reaction has been good. As with any new business venture research and implementation is required but I love that my read-ers were super open to the new addition.

You are a stylist and a fashion blogger which came first and what comes next?Being a Fashion Blogger comes first! I love blogging and the thrills it gives me every time I upload something new. Being a stylist comes second and actually came second as I got called on to add my input to photo shoots and magazine editorials, primarily just from the blog! So being a stylist is the exciting part that brings the Signature Toscie ideology to life!

What does it take to be a stylist in Zimbabwe? Is it

viable in Zim?Like any other stylist, not just in Zimbabwe you need to be articu-late, communicable and super cre-ative. You have to understand dif-ferent style aesthetics, body types, themes, look books and designers. As a business venture and cre-ative outlet, styling in Zimbabwe is not viable as the qualities of a stylist are not recognized nor acknowledged. It’s unfortunate to say people don’t understand the greater contribution that a styl-ist can bring to a brand, individual or corporate; so I will conclude by saying this particular sector has a long way to go.

How do you sharpen your skills and stay abreast of the fashion trends?I pretty much read around a lot! I read fashion magazines, fashion/beauty websites and interna-tional fashion blogs. I also follow a certain number of international luxury designers on social media who are always on point with their new season collections. I sharpen my skills by practice; practicing my writing and editing. I am pretty old school so I proof read at least three times before the final upload on the blog. And I always keep an open mind to everything, whether it is art, fashion or design.

What are some of the obstacles you faced in your various trades?A lot of ignorance and rejec-tion. Staying true to myself and being humble comes with a price, because often times people see an opportunity to manipulate you. Blogging is not a respected line of work in Zimbabwe and so a lot of the time people think we are free press or journalists which is not entirely the case! Styling as a business venture has proven to be a mammoth task as local celebri-ties and socialites don’t embrace the intellectual power that we possess.


How do fashion bloggers contribute to the creative industry in Zim?As New Media Activitists, fashion bloggers contribute with content creation and advertising. Social Media is the new millennia plat-form for communication and fashion bloggers have the power to communicate and market to the greater audience. Our ability to communicate and appeal to different style aesthetics makes us more accessible to the greater market of readers and potential consumers. Not only that but fashion blogging is a creative enterprise on the broader horizon of fashion; from clothing, shoes, make up, food, photography and travel. We are a creative junkie that pretty much live, breathe and consume fashion!

Who are some of the people that you have done stylist work for?I have styled Samantha “MisRed” Mussa for her website www.imisred.com. Tendai Karonga who is a TV Presenter and MC for her brand; and recently I had the opportunity to style Bulawayo based Hip Hop Rapper Cal_Vin for the Zimbabwe Music Awards 2016 (ZIMA) to which he scooped Best Hip Hop Artist that evening,

Who would you like to add to that list?

I have a full list, but I would definitely say Cindy Munyavi, Cynthia Mare, Queen Vee (Van-essa Sibanda), Tich Mataz, Butter-phly Phunk, The Ladies from the Breeze on STAR FM, KVG, Tonderai Katsande and The First Lady her-self, Mrs Grace Mugabe would be an absolute honour.

What is FBA?So FBA ZIM is Fashion Bloggers Association of Zimbabwe. A com-munity for Fashion Bloggers to come together to connect, col-laborate and share their blogging experience. The Fashion spec-trum includes notwithstanding to Lifestyle, Beauty, Travel, Food and Photography. Fashion is a vast arena of not only trends; but a choice in lifestyle, philosophy and application to one’s personal preferences.

What inspired you to start FBA?I was frustrated at how blog-gers’ work was going unnoticed and even moreso I only knew two other fashion bloggers at the time. Every other blogger was doing their own thing, some of which I wasn’t aware about. There was no platform or communicable base to represent my work or fully sup-port what I do. Nor was there any collaboration and engagement between us. So with FBA ZIM, bloggers get to meet each other,

share ideas, work together and support each other. And this is not limited to Zimbabwe, but to Fash-ion Bloggers beyond Zimbabwe’s borders where we can stay in touch via social media platforms.

What is your end goal for FBA?The end goal of FBA ZIM is to have it as an organizational platform in Zimbabwe. With interactive activi-ties, meet ups and events. FBA ZIM also plans to infiltrate Main-stream Media in Zimbabwe as a basis for the growth of New Media Activism in Zimbabwe through fashion blogging and commentary.

What are your time man-agement strategies to fit everything in?I try my best to plan everything and stick to a schedule to fit it all in. I plan my day the night before with all of my meetings, activities and things to do. When I wake up in the morning I try to push myself to work on the blog, whether be it checking emails, editing or shar-ing a new photo on Instagram. By mid morning I might be preparing for a meeting or updating FBA ZIM. Between midday and late after-noon I try to squeeze in reading a book whilst snacking in between. Some days can get busy and some days are not, but I try to have a set pace for my work so that I stay up to date.

FBA ZIM is to have it as an organizational platform in Zimbabwe. With interactive activities, meet ups and events.


PROUDLY CELEBRATING ZIMBABWEAN CULTURE Nobuntu is an acappella Vocal ensemble made up of young women from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Their repertoire is a fusion of traditional Zimbabwean rooted music, Afro Jazz, Gospel and Crossover in pure voices with minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as Mbira and some dance movements.


Nobuntu is an acappella Vocal ensemble made up of young women from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Their repertoire is a fusion of tra-ditional Zimbabwean rooted music, Afro Jazz, Gospel and Crossover in pure voices with minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as Mbira and some dance movements.

Nobuntu is a production identified by its concept and philosophy; a new gen-eration of young Women singers who celebrate and preserve their culture, beauty and heritage through art. This production was founded in 2011 on realizing the absence of an all-female professional Acappella group in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe as a whole.

The ensemble’s mission is the belief that music is the most important and original wheel of

change, way of expression of a new generation of young women singers with uniqueness to transcend racial, tribal, religious, gender and economic boundar-ies. Nobuntu celebrates through their songs and dance the identi-ties of being an African woman.

Their voices, energy and their breathtaking perfor-

mance. On Stage is an experience that

communicates with the human side of anyone.

The release of their debut

album in 2013 titled THINA

immediately took them beyond the

borders to countries such as Austria, Germany, Belgium and Czech Republic playing in concert halls, theatres and festivals such as “Voice Mania” in Vienna and

“Trans--‐Vocal” in Frankfurt--‐Oder in Germany. The name “Nobuntu” Is an African concept that val-ues humbleness, love, purpose, unity and family from a woman perspective.

Zanele Manhenga

Zanele Manhenga aka Uzah is a singer songwriter poet who has been singing from the age of 10. She has worked with numerous artists locally an internationally for the past 10 years and she is part of a very vibrant all female acapella group Nobuntu. To date Uzahh has released a single entitled “Nginje”. Uzah believes music is a tool that can bring about social change her music compositions depict that whenever she writes.

Thandeka Moyo

Singer, song writer who is also a Fashion Designer and Make-up Artist. Discovered her talents in St Columbus High School. She was part of the School choir which 8 years later designed School choir uniform for to partake in the District level competitions. Thandeka believes music brings people together.

Duduzile Sibanda

Musician, Songwriter, Writer and Session musician. Started singing at an early age at church gatherings and school. “Music is my first love and passion and through it I live”.

Heather Dube

Musician, Songwriter, Dancer and Percussionist

Joyline Sibanda

Started dancing and singing at an early age of 12. “I love what I do”

GROUP MEMBERS

NOBUNTU

a new generation of young women singers

with uniqueness to transcend racial, tribal, religious, gender and economic boundaries


Is there a story or a con-cept behind the name Nobuntu?Yes we are concept of young generation of women who celebrate their culture through song and dance and the name Nobuntu means mother of humanity what best person then is mother to instill such values in a society.

How would you guys

describe the Nobuntu musi-cal journey so far?Our musical journey has been challenging and exciting. We could say we have grown musically.

What is the concept or idea behind you latest album title?Our latest album is titled EKHAYA we really hope

people will get to experi-ence our home Zimba-bwe n Africa as a whole through the songs that are in the album.

How would you describe your cre-ative pro-cess in song compositions?We are blessed to have majority of us as com-posers so the creative process is an individual experience. However a song is brought to the group and we work at it to have a final product.

Their repertoire is a fusion of traditional Zimbabwean rooted music, Afro Jazz, Gospel and Crossover in pure voices with minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as Mbira and some dance movements.


What are the upcoming events, shows and performances?

We are working on another video for a song on our album. We are definitely looking at touring this year. We will keep you

posted at the year unveils.



WHAT ARE WE ‘MISS’ -ING?


he year never ends without receiving a message to vote for so and so to be Miss so and so. In my case most of

the ladies are either my friends or close friends of friends. Of course we vote, it’s free, I can’t deny my friend her dream of owning the crown. The shows are usually a touch of class from the ladies down to the MC & performances. So far all us well. My main concern comes after the curtains come down for the night.

There are so many pageants these days that aim at various aspects of life, social mostly. Every college & university, almost every town in Zimbabwe (including miss rural)

among others. Miss environment, miss professional, Miss Zimbabwe, Miss Culture, Miss this, Miss that. All these assure us that it’s more than just beauty in the run way but it goes way beyond. They now to fulfil some commitment, in most cases to the benefit of the communities around them.

The most common question asked the finalists is ‘how are you going to benefit your com-munity?’ or ‘what change will you bring during your reign?’ with the most common response border-ing around community service. U don’t know about you but I get excited to know that Miss Bulawayo or Miss Polytechnic will work with her community this

year. I even draft possible partner-ship. However a month after the crowning you barely hear or read about any projects being done. At best you see the diva updating her instagram and facebook with the crown. Some might argue that Miss so & so did a clean-up cam-paign or visited an orphanage to donate clothes. Well I’m sorry but those seized to be projects way back. They are neither sustain-able nor deemed as projects that someone in that position should be tackling. When asked during the last round none of them ever say anything about sweeping the CBD or donating second hand clothes.

This is why I’m asking what exactly it is that we are crowning since beauty seems to be taken as a ‘bonus’ and nor the main agenda. Again what’s missing? Funding? Support? Drive? What? At the cur-rent rate it is ‘safer’ not to be Miss Zimbabwe than actually being crowned (well for other recent obvious reasons).

All I’m saying is let’s get back to the drawing board and revise our

goals. Let’s put control measures and progress reports. Pageants have sponsors willing and ready to assist I’m whatever projects that need to be done especially those that benefit the community. Above all we are here for service, we voted so that we can help you help yourself & others. Let’s work. Show that you deserve the crown and more. Be an icon. Make us remember you when you pass the crown to the next lady. Make it a challenge for her to fill your shoes!

T

that it’s more than just beauty in the run way but it goes way beyond

ARTICLE BY Angelbert Mwamambo

Kwantuthu Arts Content Editor

S’NINI COLLECTION


Who is Lorraine Sinini Ndlovu? I am a young designer born in a family of six. I am the only girl and growing up among broth-ers taught me to be tough and to stand up for myself. My father runs his own business and I owe him the credit for my own enter-prising mindset; while my late mother ingrained a strong moral compass in all of us. Together they taught us to love each other even with our imperfections.

What inspired you to start sewing?Sewing has always been in my life although not as a profession. We all did home economics at school. And of course charity began at home with my mother’s lessons on taking care of personal belong-ings. And all this came together at a time when I didnt like what the market had to offer in terms of bags. To me they were all unorigi-nal and looked the same. So on a

whim I made my own bag. It was a hit. Soon there were two, and eventually it snowballed into what is now known as S’nini Collections.

Besides sewing what else do you do?I am a chef. I’ve always loved cook-ing and it’s something I learnt when I was a little girl. I also did a certificate in professional cookery to enhance my skills.

How long have you been sewing?I have been sewing most of my life but professionally I started sewing my ‘money’ bags in 2009.

Where did you learn how to sew?I learnt from a lot of places really; school, my mom, friends. Ulti-mately I taught myself through

repeated experimentation. When I have an idea I try it out. Usually it doesn’t work on the first try but over the years I have improved greatly and this can be seen in the quality of the bags, particularly the ones I have been making in more recent days.

What does the S’nini Collection include?Currently I am focusing on bags. I started out making hand bags exclusively but I do take orders from people with specific designs. So ultimately I also make other types, duffel bags, man bags, etc. But for now the main line is still hand bags.

What are the major obstacles in your craft?It’s a tough business when you are the brains and the manpower. You don’t always make as much prod-uct as you would like because you are designing and manufacturing at the same time, so the numbers are affected. On top of that a lot of people expect you to work for free, so when you sew bags with the little money you have it gets eaten up when you don’t get paid. So it’s quite easy to run at a loss. Also starting a business in this economy is a hassle, not to men-tion the red tapes!

Forge

Ahead

T H E T I M E I S N O W

ACT NOW BE

CREATIVESupport all forms of

artistic works and this will develop your own

creativity because through appreciation one learns and grows, support the creativite

industries


BE IMAGINATIVE


kwantuthu arts february march 2016 issue

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