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ENTER NOW. BEHIND EVERY SUCCESS, THERE’S AN UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT.
GO TO WWW.CANDO.SA.COM FOR MORE INFO
THE TEAM FOUNDER Caron Williams EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Naledi Sibisi COVER STARS Farah C. Fortune Mashudu Modau Zoe Msutwana PHOTOGRAPHY Austin Malema | Pixel Kollective MAKE-UP Caroline Greef RETOUCHER Adelina Tibesigwa STYLING Chelsea Pitt Nkuli Masemola ISSUE DESIGN Chelsea Pitt COVER DESIGN Glenn Kisela SPECIAL THANKS The Fashion Agent
CON
TENT APRIL/MAY
Fashion Trend: Red Rooms LVMH Prize: The 2019 Edition Kendra Hunsley Farah C. Fortune cover story Naledi Sibisi
Mashudu Cover story Naldedi Sibisi Zoe Msutwna cover story Naledi Sibisi
Current state of SAFW Naledi Sibisi Influencer of the month: Tshepi Vundla
Photographer of the month: Cedric Nzaka Designer of the month: Orapleng Modutle
EDITOR’S NOTE I do not often speak about a previous business venture on record whenever I am questioned about it. To some, I may be recognizable as the co-founder of a cosmetics range circa 2016. I am gradually finding ways to accept and appreciate the failure of that project because as much as it was a moment - it did not make it for a reason. Nonetheless, it was a moment that taught me so much both personally and professionally. Most importantly, it propelled me to push myself to where I am positioned currently. Last year, I saw the sentiment “I cannot wait to be the girl who packs up her life to live her dreams”, and I promised myself I would do that. Around the same time, I was living in Zambia full time while working and simultaneously running my self-titled blog. I had just found my rhythm with my first brand collaborations during the second half of the year. Around December, I received the Ed offer which would commence full time in May 2019. I packed for a two-week long trip in February to meet the team while also looking around for a place to live in preparation for my final move; but I never ended up returning to Zambia. I really became the girl who packed up her life - to live her dreams. Our Mar/Apr issue was one of the most nerve-wrecking experiences. It was one thing to put my intro issue out there; it was another to see how people reacted to what we put together. As much as I appreciated all the positive feedback as well as every critique in order to guide us going forward, there was one fundamental thing that stood out for me following that. I have been placed on the most inspiring team of young, independent entrepreneurs and professionals.
I continue to learn so much from Chelsea Pitt who I work so closely with every day; another girl who packed up her life to live her dreams. These lives would not be a reality without the guidance and trust that Caron Williams continues to place in both of us. We also welcomed writer, comedian and filmmaker Kabelo Sedumedi on board this month; I urge you to remember his name. With this in mind, it gives me the greatest pleasure to present our Entrepreneurship Issue to you - presented by CAN DO! This is an initiative close to all of our hearts, because we understand how quickly and drastically one’s reality can shift when the right individuals or organizations take a chance on you and invest in your dreams. The Unbreakable Entrepreneurs’ campaign was conceptualized by CAN DO!, Nampak Bevcan’s consumer facing brand to drive the narrative of why it is important not to break during the course of your entrepreneurial journey. Every success and most importantly, every failure is designed to set you up for something greater ahead of your journey when you make the conscious and active decision not to break. Our digital issue follows the journeys of three inspiring entrepreneurs as they take us through their challenges as well as what kept them going in order for them to achieve all they have to date. Having worked closely with them while putting this together, we cannot help but be moved and encouraged. I trust that it will have the same impact as you browse through our pages. Let us know what you think and what you would like to see more of on @ TheThroneSA Twitter account and we will consider any and all feedback in our future issues. -
Naledi Sibisi
FASHION TREND: RED ROOMS
Images by Eunice D
To most, the colour red symbolises presence, power and the ultimate sex appeal. This season comes bearing gifts as the sultry hue comes in a wide range of romantic, sexy, fierce and assertive moods - sure to validate and impose. The colour does not only resonate with the runway, but through every tastemaker’s keen eye for fashion; even on what may not necessarily be considered an “occasion”
FASHION TREND: RED ROOMS
Driver Photography
This may be expertly executed in a multitude of ways; whether it is through a draped coat, a belted dress or flared skirt - roll out your winter closet collection with crimson shades. The infamous saying “devil in a red dress� may be perceived in a variety of ways but the saying does hover on the reality that failing to spot a red dress, in any setting whatsoever, is exceptionally difficult, especially this season.
LVMH
PRIZE: The 2019 Edition
LVMH PRIZE: THE 2019 EDITION
JACQUEMUS by Simon Porte Jacquemus, Spring Summer 19 | LVMH Prize Winner 2015
LVMH PRIZE: THE 2019 EDITION For many of us who experience the phenomenon of fashion’s upper echelon through glossy publications and the webpages of the media juggernauts; it is possible to subconsciously solely see fashion as an entity exuding glamour, exquisite garments and close-to-perfect models in editorials and campaigns. It may very well be all of the above. but the level of skill and a couple of ‘Hail Mary’s’ it takes to not only bring to life and sustain such mastery (both behind and in front of the view-finder) goes without saying. Creating, growing and sustaining a fashion label is a grueling endeavor that requires precision, strong business acumen, grit and an exceptionally talented and efficient team. To possess only design and creative skills is not nearly enough to create a thriving business. Almost every other day we read of the many stumbling blocks that celebrated and up-and-coming labels continue to face. Young designers are met with countless challenges that can be the demise of their label - regardless of potential, talent and craftsmanship. Factors such as a lack of resources, funding and business skills are common hurdles that can threaten prospective brands. As a result of globalization and the undeniable level of artistry that permeates the continent, we are beginning to see a rise in African designers making strides. These designers are occupying spots on international fashion week calendars, opening curated pop ups in and around fashion capitals and having their lookbooks featured by the messengers of cool such as i-D, Hypebeast, Dazed Digital and Highsnobiety. The world has and continues to look to Africa as a creative source. Although this kind of exposure has been proven to be beneficial for local brands, fashion still remains an emerging market with limited resources and support allocated to designers. They face obstacles such as lack of fabrics, defected supply chain and distribution networks, lack of skills development as well as internet infrastructure. Nonetheless, the outpouring of talent and craftsmanship that exists on this continent does not go unnoticed.
Initiatives like The LVMH Prize are vital in championing young designers for the overall advancement of the fashion landscape. The competition acts as a springboard for emerging young designers - giving them the kickstart they need to build not only a revered label, but a lucrative and sustainable one. The LVMH Prize, spearheaded by Delphine Arnault, (Director and Executive Vice President of Louis Vuitton and the daughter of Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH) was put in place to “honor and support young fashion designer’s around the world.” This annual young fashion designer prize includes a €300,000 grant along with a year of mentorship. The winners receive personalized creative and technical support such as intellectual property, production and distribution, advertising and marketing and so on. To qualify, designers need to be under the age of forty and have produced and sold at least two collections. The initiative also provides an opportunity for scholars in the form of a Graduate Prize which is open to students of fashion schools whilst in the process of completing their degree. The three winners, along with their respective institution receive €10,000 and a yearlong internship as part of the design team at one of many LVMH prestigious brands within their conglomerate. The prize continues to cast a bright light on young designers who have now been propelled to higher heights within their career and are currently trailblazing the fashion design scene and making strides in the industry. LVMH Prize winners like Simon Porte Jacquemus, Grace Wales Bonner and Marine Serre have cemented their places in the fashion industry and continue to produce successful collections. There are a number of finalists who, despite not winning the grand prize, have proceeded to forge their own successful paths within the industry; proving that a seal of approval of that magnitude can be a much-needed boost. Multidisciplinary artist Samuel Ross who produces enthralling bodies of work that intersect design and art describes his line A-COLD-WALL* as “theorized social commentary in the form of wearable garments, echoes of art history… hues of hardship” was an LVMH Prize finalist in 2018.
LVMH PRIZE: THE 2019 EDITION
For their sixth edition, the LVMH Prize kicked off with twenty semi-finalists this year. Two of those designers hailing from the African continent, namely South African womenswear designer Thebe Magugu and Nigerian menswear designer Kenneth Ize. Ize has gained adoration and garnered praise from illustrious individuals like Naomi Campbell for his colorful and majestic creations using traditional Aso Oke fabrics (hand-loomed cloth woven by the Yoruba people of West Africa). Magugu’s designs dismiss African aesthetic clichés and bridge the gap between culture and contemporary while exploring the many facets of African identity. Magugu was the winning designer at the International Fashion Showcase 2019 in London. The contemporary designer recently launched Faculty Press, a stirring youth-inspired zine that features and elevates creatives who are pioneering the current fashion zeitgeist.
KENNETH IZE by Kenneth Ize, Spring Summer 18 | LVMH Prize Finalist 2019
It is hard to deny the powerful effect that an endorsement from LVMH could have, especially for an African designer. The opportunity to take up space in rooms filled with fashion’s most esteemed heavyweights who have the power to evoke international expansion and critical acclaim can be huge. It widens the pathway for future African designers who, prior to its inception, may not even have thought it possible. Still, this pictured outcome is rooted in hope. Our fashion industry requires more functional solutions in order to accelerate our slow-moving fashion market. “… And therefore it is important to note that Africa is not rising, it is here!” – Stories Of Near
THEBE MAGUGU by Thebe Magugu, Collection 3 | LVMH Prize Finalist 2019
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WIN R100 000 WORTH OF BUSINESS RESOURCES.
BEHIND EVERY SUCCESS, THERE’S AN UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT. GO TO WWW.CANDO.SA.COM FOR MORE INFO
As CAN DO!, Nampak Bevcan’s consumer facing brand gears up to kick off the third installment of their annual ‘The Unbreakable Entrepreneurs’ campaign; we catch up with last year’s winner Mirriam Kgole Kanju to gain a sense of how winning the competition impacted her career and business for the better. The campaign aims to identify and empower young entrepreneurs who best represent the unbreakable nature of the beverage cans that Nampak Bevcan manufactures.
Not long after the revelation, while also deciding to leave her formal job, she arrived at the decision to start reselling perfume. “I met my mentor who is one of the biggest perfume manufacturers in the country and began making perfume. I started doing pop-up markets and it grew into something so much bigger”. In a short space of time, LIOMI has become a fully-fledged business retailing online as well as through their physical store in Dainfern (Johannesburg, South Africa).
The founder of LIOMI Perfume – a Black, woman owned business reflects on the struggle to get into retail spaces in order to reach a larger client base prior to entering the competition. “It was a bit challenging because it was expensive. We also did not meet the requirements at the time”. The Limpopo born and Johannesburg raised entrepreneur began her journey not entirely sure about what she wanted to study following her high school career. The indecisiveness surrounding this major life decision prompted her to pick up Public Relations because she seemed to enjoy the field, along with Media. “Soon after studying, I realized that that wasn’t what I wanted to do. After graduation, I started working for a perfume company and saw the opportunity to start my perfume line”.
The luxury oil-based fragrances are now much more accessible to the public than they were prior to Kanju’s win in last year’s competition. The transition from having to distribute products through sales representatives; to having the option to shop in-store, online or over the phone with the assistance of a team of employees is a testament to the professional strides one can make during the course of their entrepreneurial journey when they have access to the correct resources and funding. Such is the mandate that the CAN DO! Unbreakable campaign is founded on. The competition does not only seek to help entrepreneurs through funding, but it sets businesses up for access to greater opportunities to ensure sustainable growth.
Another testament to this would be Thando Vimba, founder of Mr. Sponge and winner of the first installment of the competition. “I always take the road less traveled. When I graduated, I decided to start my own business. The competition really changed the game for me in terms of taking my business to the next level. I had just started my business in 2017 when the competition was launched. I did not have any startup capital or resources or any outside investors.”, he exclaims. The premium sneaker care service positions themselves as the best in town when it comes to their specialized cleaning services. A large driving force behind the business idea was the high level of youth unemployment in South Africa. Following his win, the company continues to operate successfully in the heart of Pretoria. “Winning the competition helped to purchase the resources I needed to begin operations. We used the money to purchase months’ worth of stock, branding, high-end business systems as well as equipment and customization kits”. He goes on to explain that the team was later able to launch a waterless sneaker cleaning product.
“I managed to build a sustainable business from this. Today Mr. Sponge is a recognizable brand and we are growing”. Vimba states that the team are currently working on scaling the business and employing more young people in the process. “CAN DO! did not just give us resources, they continue to support us and put us on. For example, when they have their hip-hop music events, they invite us to set up our pop-up store to promote, clean sneakers and sell our products during their events. I am so grateful for the opportunity”. ‘The Unbreakable Entrepreneurs’ campaign proves year after year that this is the kind of platform that is necessary to not only encourage people to consider entrepreneurship; it further validates the fact that no idea is impossible to achieve. Your dreams can easily be within reach when you have the right machine behind you in order to further empower the current generation and inspire the next. Entries are now open here #UnbreakableS3 #ChooseCans
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ENTER NOW. BEHIND EVERY SUCCESS, THERE’S AN UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT.
GO TO WWW.CANDO.SA.COM FOR MORE INFO
F
ARAH ORTUNE
“I am still a woman in a man’s world. I think the pure fact that I continued knocking on doors and refused to take no for an answer has really helped. It has been tough though; the men in the boardroom will try and sleep with you before they give you the work.”
The decision to venture out into your own business is never a simple and straightforward task. When it comes to entrepreneurship, one has to undoubtedly build some thick skin to ensure that no bending, breaking or folding occurs when things become challenging. For Farah Fortune, the journey is no different. The PR giant and founder of one of South Africa’s leading PR firms has had one of the most inspirational and encouraging success stories in both a local and global entrepreneurial context. While she has been candid about her struggles during the course of her journey, Farah has proven that she is unbreakable in every sense of the word. Today, the publicist to the stars is a multiple award-winning businesswoman and a force to reckon with in the world of public relations. “I’m one of six siblings; three boys and three girls between the ages of twenty-nine and fortyseven. I come from a family with a long line of strong entrepreneurial women”, she reflects. Farah Fortune, the founder and director of African Star Communications (ASC) is also the face behind many successful celebrity and corporate brands. The PR firm provides companies and celebrities with a platform to showcase their talents and services while capturing the relevant target market for them to create an income. The success of this endeavour did not land on her doorstep overnight. Farah emphasizes that the struggles linked to the starting up of her company as well as its longevity were certainly money related. “I had to become really broke to appreciate money in the manner in which I do now. I have been evicted from my home with my child, I have lived in my car and I have struggled to buy groceries while still attending events and trying to portray the image of a businesswoman”. As she looks back on the beginning of her journey, the courage and the confidence she exhibited back then is alive and well right now. Farah was determined to change her outcome; in doing so, she refused to submit to the struggles that confronted her on a daily basis. “I know how hard it is so I would never look down on anyone for doing what they must to survive. I have felt that desperation. I believe I am at this point in my life because I refuse to go back to where I came from when it comes to money. I do not ever want to live like that again and my daughter is my biggest driving force to make sure that the bills are paid and we never have to go back there”. Through the launch of ASC, Farah successfully created a full-service PR agency upheld by an incredible team of experts. The agency customizes strategic PR campaigns to build brands and shift opinions in order to curate a different and exciting narrative for the media, consumer and ultimately, the entertainment and corporate industries. Through the use of original and unavoidable approaches, ASC has managed to get their high profile clientele slots in print publications, features on television and radio as well as increased traction on social media platforms. “We curate an audience that stretches beyond liking the celebrity or product we are endorsing. We create loyalty”, she continues, “We do so by creating a sustainable income for our client through the best possible image we can portray for them. We also provide crisis management for those ‘sticky’ situations our clients sometimes find themselves in. In a nutshell, we ‘fix’ these situations for them”. When it comes to exactly how she branched out into her respective field and worked her way up the ladder, Farah refers back to her qualification in PR and her passion for working with people. “I always knew I was going to have a career that did not require me to be at a desk all day. There were so many challenges and triumphs. There are still challenges and triumphs just on a different level now”. Her PR career took off by working on acclaimed projects like the Oscar-winning ‘Tsotsi’. Before deciding to pursue her dreams in her personal capacity, Farah acknowledges that when she compared what she had been billing during this period in relation to her seniors; it made her aware that her deliverables did not match what she was earning. “I knew then that I was great at my job and I knew that I could do the work. “ I just didn’t know how hard it was to run a company at first. I had some business experience but nothing like the experience I have eleven years later. That’s for sure!” Indeed, while the challenges do not ever stop, her business mind-set is unwavering. “I started my own business purely because I got tired of having a boss and a minimal salary. I networked however I could, I went as a plus one to other people’s events. I then hustled my way into meetings and I took literally every opportunity I could find. It is all about grabbing the opportunities presented in order for you to create your own”.
She reaffirms the fact that she started ASC with R1 000, her phone and a laptop. Today, the fully functional agency has built sustainable income and continues to operate productively and lucratively. It is easy to imagine that this was a daunting task to not only pull off, but to maintain. “I did every little job I could find. No matter what it was and no matter what it paid, I did it. I did it to create network opportunities as well as build relationships. Some of these relationships I still have today. My biggest fear was whether people would make use of a new unknown agency. I soon learnt that people would actually make use of our services as a new business for as long as we could deliver. I delivered the best I could then. I continue to deliver the best I can now. That is how we have retained our clients. Entrepreneurship is really about pushing consistently”. The woman who has been credited as Africa’s most influential businesswoman in media most definitely faced additional challenges in relation to her industry. She states that while she has overcome many of them, the challenges remain the same today. “I am still a woman in a man’s world. I think the pure fact that I continued knocking on doors and refused to take no for an answer has really helped. It has been tough though; the men in the boardroom will try and sleep with you before they give you the work. As a result, I have lost out on some major projects. I have come to live with it. I would rather have the respect - I feel that it has gotten me further, otherwise I would have had to keep sleeping my way to the top and I didn’t want to”. As a word of advice, she encourages young people to be absolutely certain that entrepreneurship is what they want when they decide to take that leap. “Entrepreneurship does not mean that you will be rich. Some people in full time jobs can make more money than you. The journey of the entrepreneur is one that is heavily reliant on passion - so make sure that you are passionate about what you do”. On what she considers success, she expresses that success is subjective. In her world, she is successful because her bills are paid, the lights are on and there is food in the fridge for her child. It is inspiring to notice how the very things that could have broken Farah right at the beginning of her journey are the very things that set the standard for her. “From the time I started ASC, my definition of success has never changed; I still feel that these are the levels I aspire to. Everything else that comes with this is simply a bonus. As long as my daughter has clothes on her back and her belly is full, I am successful. My biggest strength as an entrepreneur has to be my resilience. I never give up, it may not go the way I envisioned, but I get to that end goal eventually!” To top the wins off, Farah Fortune was recently awarded the Global Chairwoman Award at the United Nations Global Awards. The ceremony was held in association with Trinity University in Atlanta where she was introduced to the Trinity Girls Network through Dr. Jacqueline Mohair. “This was such a surprise and a highlight in my life. It introduced me to so many other phenomenal women whilst in New York and I am still in awe that I was chosen”. She goes on to get candid about one of her favourite moments during the course of her career. “I have so many career highlights but I think one of my best memories was dragging Clint Eastwood into one of our events. I literally forced myself in front of him while he was having dinner in Sandton and did the quickest introduction in my life before the management could throw me out. Luckily, he knew the brand as they were launching in South Africa but it was an American brand. He said he wanted to come but needed to finish dinner first. He actually did come to the event and asked for me personally at the door - you can imagine how star struck I was then! I walked him in and we received huge coverage from the media in attendance that night. e even received coverage in the United States. My client was so happy we ended up picking up two more events from them”. The thrill as she tells this story is a true testament to the fact that sometimes you just have to trust your better judgement and go for the opportunity in front of you as soon as it presents itself. At the present moment, Farah is appropriately working with CAN DO! On their ‘Unbreakable’ campaign. Given her back story, it is truly something that is suited and close to her heart. “It was important for me to jump on this campaign because I have realised that so many people give up too early in anything these days, especially our youth. This instant gratification society is killing us. We need to learn, we need understanding and then everything falls into place. If you do not know the basic foundations of business, the cracks will appear when they do and in the end, you will not know how to fix them because you never took the time to learn before
you started building”. She reflects back on one of her biggest fears throughout the course of her journey. Having enough revenue in order to pay salaries tops her list. “I do everything to make sure the ladies are paid first; no exceptions. I must say, it is no longer a fear but a priority now. I have gotten better with money. Because my background was not t in business but PR, I have had to learn how to be a businesswoman and not just a creative. That understanding early on in the business has helped me so much”. As someone who is trying to expand more in the digital space across the continent over the next five years, Farah understands the benefit of what kind of boost a good cash injection can add to an even better idea. “The CAN DO! Competition is a fantastic opportunity for any entrepreneur to get a cash injection as well as resources to support them through the year on top of the mentorship programme. When I started, no one wanted anything to do with people who had big dreams and no money. So trust me, this is amazing!” For the most part, she is just grateful that she is still present and relevant within the industry eleven years after she started. “You have no idea. I remember going for a meeting when we were approximately two years old and the company I went to meet with was seven years old. I literally sat in front of this woman and stared at her in awe as she sat in her big office and had all those staff members seven years in. That was a big deal to me that a woman owned business was making it. I’ll never forget her, she gave me hope and she didn’t even know it”. While she continues to make exceptional and inspirational strides, Farah Fortune looks forward to a future that looks more digital and more female dominated. “PR students out there, please look at the digital side of this profession. We are going into the 4th industrial revolution and you guys need to be prepared”.
M ASHUDU ODAU
M
“I often say ‘this work life has no balance’. It is important to have your mind and body right. I’ve started exercising, meditating and trying to take more time out to reflect instead of constantly chasing the sun”
Mashudu Modau currently identifies as an Entrepreneurship Evangelist. The Sowetan born and raised businessman has worked in the South African entrepreneurship development ecosystem for the last six years. His passion for youth entrepreneurship is filtered and managed through the digital content on his platform – increasing access to both opportunities and resources through a centralized hub. Mash Starts Up currently provides podcasts, written articles and other digital content to further facilitate and grow the start-up ecosystem. “When I was a student, I felt so out of place. It was like I didn’t belong there, and I was meant to be doing something else. I finally found what that something was”. Mashudu started to explore the internet and start-ups and began with an online portal for matriculants to download past papers called PAPERSHARE. “I had never felt more alive, happy and fulfilled than I did working on a solution that could help over three thousand students”. The visionary who was determined to focus on the African continent and change the perspectives and realities of the youth as they venture into their own businesses while he provides a better future and outcome for them takes us through is journey and demonstrates how he became everything he is today. “There have been a bunch of other projects, start-ups and small businesses that helped me get into incubators and accelerators. The experience was difficult. Navigating a system that operates in silos and focuses on a lot of box-ticking instead of impact is dreadful”. From this frustration, Mash Starts Up was born. The desire to help other entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses travel through the process in smarter and faster ways allowed him to take up his current role. Today, Mashudu is the person who encourages, enables, educates and empowers young people to pursue entrepreneurship with the resources they need so that they can have a higher chance of success and growth. “With as many titles as I hold right now, one is the most important to me. I consider myself an Afrofuturist. This is to say that I recognize the value and power of African heritage and culture. I wish to bridge this with technology to amplify and reimagine the future with Africa at its centre. Africa is the new now and we have the opportunity to elevate it to its true glory through content, technology and entrepreneurship”. While there is a certainty and a clear path and plan on Mashudu’s current journey, he finds it important that he does not gloss over some of the core struggles faced on a continual basis. He acknowledges that resources are one of the biggest factors affecting success stories. “The biggest challenge when it comes to starting, building and growing a business are the resources you have access to and can use to enable your growth or success. This does not only mean money. This can be access to mentors, access to incubators, access to information, and access to opportunities”, he continues, “I overcame this by simply using what I had to create as much as I could. This helped me to build things other people could believe in enough to invest their resources into me. In order to really carry the ideas and visions I had forward; the phrase ‘just start’ is truly the crux of overcoming the initial challenges”. Although Mash Starts Up was founded based on empowering entrepreneurs, certain practices would be essential to keep Mashudu empowered and inspired in his personal capacity. He expresses that he does not believe he has really cracked this aspect of the hustle. “I often say ‘this work life has no balance’. It is important to have your mind and body right. I’ve started exercising, meditating and trying to take more time out to reflect instead of constantly chasing the sun”. When Mash Starts Up was founded, a major focus central to the business would be the ecosystem, what it currently represents and where it is going. Mashudu expands on this by reiterating how the process works. He explains that all the hubs, incubators, government agencies and corporate entities who are investing in centres or resources help to better the performance and success rate of businesses in South Africa. “I have been part of the ecosystem in different roles. I started out as an entrepreneur running start-ups and using these different hubs to grow the business and upskill myself. I then transitioned into becoming practitioner and specialist working with different companies or organisations to empower entrepreneurs in different ways. This included being a community and partnerships manager at Yoco, being a judge for MTN Business App of the Year in 2018, working with the Redbull Amapaphiko Programme as a seeker and acting as a community manager for the Accenture and UNDP Platform YAS and so much more”. The process itself reflects the core values Mashudu operates
the core values Mashudu operates under namely ‘enabling, educating and empowering’. These specific pillars remain important because he is very big on collective work and building people up as he has been built. “’Build each other up and help each other win’ – this is my mantra. There is no future for the African youth without a conscious and consistent investment in collective growth. The future of this continent is rooted in enabling, empowering and educating the youth in order for them to carry us into the next millennium”. It is becoming increasingly obvious and certainly admirable to witness Mashudu’s deep rooted and sincere passion for other people. While he references the idea of collective growth, he also talks about having a heightened level of empathy for people. The curiosity to solve complex problems coupled with a high investment in the future of Africa is what he considers the root of his growth. Currently, Mashudu is clothed in a black suit against a matching background and someone on set points out that it looks like a Forbes feature. The idea does not seem too farfetched when he starts to get into his plans for where he is aiming to take his businesses. “What i love about entrepreneurship is how you can use principals and learnings from one type of business in order to build and grow another. I am still very much in the research and development phase of a physical product or possibly designing experiences. I am really interested in the food and beverage industry too. I think that South Africa, or Johannesburg to be specific is in need of a lot more in terms of culinary experiences. I’m also very interested in e-retail as an industry with no specific product in mind. It’s a process of finding what I love that makes the most businesses sense as well”. Considering the fact that he is currently on the CAN DO! Campaign, we naturally branch out into a conversation about fears and overcoming. He gets candid about how he has shifted gears to prevent those fears from driving him. “I think that from early on, the biggest fear is failing. Whether that means not making a certain amount of money or closing doors, whatever failure means to you, it finds a way to consume you”, he continues, “The reason entrepreneurship is such a difficult pursuit is because of how comfortable you have to become with that failure. You have to make failure a friend rather than an enemy. By doing that, it doesn’t feel like the collapse of the world you imagined. You will fail. Getting comfortable with this and focusing on learning as much as possible from the failure so much is a method of growing yourself and your business – that is how you become unbreakable”. This kind of project not only encourages more people to take up entrepreneurship in better and smarter ways with the resources the winner stands to gain. Mashudu emphasizes that he is always excited to work with organizations who understand the value of empowering young entrepreneurs in a way that helps young entrepreneurs grow. “I hope young people learn the value of doing work that matters and having a meaningful impact on the world. We are a generation that has inherited a country, a continent and a world that was built on broken systems that don’t help the overwhelming majority succeed and grow. We have to change that”. As a fan of meaningful collaborations between people and organizations to achieve bigger and better goals, Mashudu reflects back on past projects as well as what platforms he is looking forward to working with. “My platform lives as a great statement in terms of what I believe in but I have made a conscious effort to push towards creating a lot more in different mediums and working with other creators or brands to elevate the work that I am doing. I think of Yoco and RedBull Amaphiko are some of the best organizations I have worked with in that regard. These organisations have a deep vested interest in the growth, development and success of entrepreneurs. My dream is to build a company that can develop entrepreneurs and help startups succeed at the level and scale of American seed accelerator Y-Combinator”. For someone who has been able to successfully operate a self-funded project, it is inspiring to witness how Mash Starts Up is able to continuously generate income through work with brands and corporates on the digital end of things. In terms of what the future looks like, Mashudu expresses that the process of evolving the business has already begun. “We have recently built out a podcast network called Lutcha which we believe will be a game changer and a pace setter for the future of digital content in Africa. The next five years will see an evolution of how the African start-up ecosystem works and also how media works. We hope to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances to build one of Africa’s most impactful media companies”.
While his journey is still arguably quite young, the accomplishments have been plenty. Ultimately Mashudu continues to focus on the impact he has had along with the impact he continues to make. “I still hope to have an impact on young African creators and entrepreneurs who use the resources we have built to enable them to pursue their dreams. The ultimate form of success is in doing work that changes lives and is rooted in purpose. That is my impact. That is my biggest achievement�
Z M
OE
SUT WAN A
“There is no way I could have encountered those powerful women and not be propelled to demand more from the world. I am well aware of what the world has to offer me and I am going after each and every one of those things�.
For the dedicated and influential businesswoman, an undeniable display of passion and drive have played a major role in the name Zoe Msutwana has made for herself. While she is popularly known as one of the leading voices in celebrity brand collaborations and campaigns, a key focus for her this year will be her very own accessories brand – TIZIMA. Her road to success has not always been a smooth one, and she gets candid about the fact. Using the same drive and determination while acknowledging her business failures; she has managed to position herself as an advocate for entrepreneurship and a woman who embodies what it means to be unbreakable. ”My vision has always been clear”, she tells me. “GTC was the reason I wanted to pursue entrepreneurship. I knew that it was time to establish a credible and professional media brand after I left my position as a PR Account Director”. By taking a deep dive into the media landscape, Zoe felt as though she would be filling a gap where she acknowledges that there was a clear and definite decline in the industry -particularly with regards to print media which then led her to go the digital route. “I also knew that the platform would not generate revenue quickly enough for me to survive on, so I decided to create Mode Brand Studio. This was a boutique PR Agency that would look after my PR Consultancy Services. The agency was busy and demanded a lot more commitment on my end, so I had to be honest with myself about my end goal - and a PR Agency was not it”. One thing the pursuit of an entrepreneurial career highlighted as she embarked on the journey was the importance of having a good support system. “It takes everything to stay on for the ride, and the tests do not stop coming at you. I’m grateful to have a supportive family. I can pick up the phone and ask my mother for anything. I’m also fortunate enough to have a very supportive partner, who believes in my dreams even when I don’t. Having my dad, siblings and friends all on board to support me through the tough times is something I do not take for granted”. Zoe’s upbringing had a lot to do with the woman she has blossomed into and continues to blossom into today. Growing up in an environment where having big dreams was normalized from a young age contributed to how she views the world as well as the opportunities it has to offer. Being exposed to uplifting content in the media as she was growing up definitely made a huge contribution to her fascination and passion for pop culture. “I fully credit pop culture for the influence it has on the woman I am becoming. Imagine growing up and watching The Oprah Winfrey Show then following Kimora Lee Simmons as she built a fashion empire through a reality show? I bought Destiny Magazine because of someone like Khanyi Dhlomo. I was growing up during a time where women are building their own brands and topping wealth ranking lists. It gets better as the years go by”. This tenacity and ability to make a concept that may appear far away became the source of inspiration and the drive behind how she has positioned herself as a businesswoman and a brand. “There is no way I could have encountered those powerful women and not be propelled to demand more from the world. I am well aware of what the world has to offer me and I am going after each and every one of those things”. In the same breath, she touches on the importance of exposure and access and how those aspects can broaden one’s view of the world. “This is one of the reasons I wanted to create the GTC platform; to educate and share knowledge with my audience - unpacking the business of “fame”. Anyone can become famous in the age of social media, however, it takes some critical actions to ensure that one converts the fame into sustainable business”. That is pretty much the mandate of GTC. The platform seeks to highlight and celebrate the entrepreneurial efforts of media personalities, celebrities, sports stars, influencers and the likes. As for how GTC continues to generate revenue, brand endorsements have become one of the biggest content pillars for the platform over time. “The experience and the insights that come from having worked with both talent and brands in structuring endorsement deals is the reason I started GTC. I identified a gap in our media landscape when it comes to celebrity reporting. I took myself back to the time when I was a young girl growing up in a township in Port Elizabeth. That was when my only escape of my reality was immersing myself in pop culture content. I knew that there were one or two girls that could read an article on GTC and be inspired to demand more from the world”.
While demanding more from the world, Zoe continued to face some challenges coming up as a woman in the industry. She gets emotional as she touches on the subject of self-doubt and how this has been a struggle for her at multiple stages. She reflects back to a time where she studied Information Technology, majoring in Software Development after high school and she likens the test of character and ability to becoming an entrepreneur. “I am not even going to sugar-coat it, it is tough as hell. I have cried so much in the last four years”. It can be a crippling thing when all you have worked towards and believed in suddenly starts to look grey. “I walked into the journey so confident of my dreams and vision, and I was starting to question all of it. I started to feel like I was delusional to think that I could do it and that I deserved the kind of success I was pursuing. Those are feelings that took over my life after countless declined proposals, decreased budgets and slow uptake from my audience”. Once the spirit of self-doubt had infiltrated her spirit, Zoe recalls how she began to compare herself to others and desperately wanted to prove to the world that she was constantly busy and doing well. “That was when I decided to embark on a different journey to launch my accessories brand, TIZIMA”, she continues, “Thankfully, it has always been part of the vision, however, I noticed that my motives for launching it were not completely pure and as a result, I was rushing to get the product out to the market. That’s when I knew that I was on a self-destructive path, one I knew would be a huge threat to my entrepreneurial efforts. I thank God for pulling me in and towards myself before I could do something that could jeopardise the longevity of the brand”. The idea of launching TIZIMA came to her halfway through 2017 and she officially began to pursue it during the course of that year. Because Zoe was passionate about having a brand that could tell an authentically South African story, it was important to her that the product was also locally manufactured. After settling on the product and standard of quality, she resolved to sampling the brand in recent months while taking in feedback from family and friends. As a result, the store launch has faced a slight delay however, she has no doubt that all issues that have been faced in the manufacturing process will be rectified and the highly anticipated TIZIMA products will reach the market soon. In moments like this, it is always important to return back to how and why one embarked on the journey to begin with. Zoe acknowledges that people close to her used to comment on how she loves being connected and is constantly online. Ironically, this became the thing that transformed her interaction with the internet from which she built a business. “Staying connected has enabled me to diversify my income streams. I think that should be a mandatory goal for entrepreneurs - particularly ones that are still starting out. Because I am good at establishing and positioning brands, I didn’t realise that by simply being me, I was building a personal brand. I didn’t know that by pursuing entrepreneurship and persisting with GTC even when I felt its revenue growth was slow, it was instead enhancing my personal brand. I’m able to utilise the lessons from working in the PR industry for all these years to position my brand and it has paid off greatly”. Through all of it, pace is still something she is struggling with. “It is something I have identified, and I am working on. My entrepreneurial journey has got nothing to do with the outside world with the exception of the targeted audience. If I continue to think that way, and focus on delivering a quality service and product, at a pace that I can meet, then I’m on to something great”. Having reflected on her successes and shortcomings, it makes sense why Zoe is perfectly suited for the CAN DO! Unbreakable Campaign she is currently a part of. She urges young entrepreneurs to consider the platform as a means to showcase one’s business offering. “The prize is so appealing, and it could turn a business around. It is also such a great platform for learning more from similar minded people”. Zoe admits that she was initially hesitant to be a part of the project because she felt it would shine a spotlight on her failures, but she realized it was important to tell that story. “I have failed so many times. I remember a time when I felt like such a failure thinking I was doing so many things wrong, until I started opening up to other entrepreneurs. Some have twenty years behind them, but they have the same narrative as I do. The reality is that it is not easy but what sets the greatest entrepreneurs apart from ordinary people is their tenacity and will to persevere through the storm. I felt a sense of ease once I started engaging with people who were honest about their struggles. I knew I had to be a part
of this project so that if anyone is facing the same struggles and they feel like giving up - they know that they are not alone. I didn’t want to be at an ideal place before I could start opening up about the challenges we face when we embark on this journey”. Rightfully, some of the best opportunities are often missed because of the fear of failure and subsequently, the ability to take a risk. Zoe emphasizes that being in a financially healthy position before embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is not overrated. “I always look back and think about how different my experience would have been if I had started off with enough provision for at least six months to a year. I’ve also realised that it is ok to start off small. Keep your job if you can while you try to build on the side. Sometimes, staying employed is the best decision you can make in order to meet your entrepreneurial ambitions”. On what she hopes the next five years will look like, the main goal is to transform young minds through the inspiring and informative content GTC houses. “I hope to have a few young and creative minds on our payroll. I hope GTC will be to creatives what Vogue was to fashion hopefuls”. She also hopes that TIZIMA will be a fully-fledged operation collaborating with a top local design house to showcase Fashion Week. Most importantly, Zoe is aiming to continue running financially healthy businesses alongside content and fulfilled individuals. “Being able to get up and do what I love daily is truly fulfilling, both from an employee perspective and a business one. April marks the begging of another huge milestone for me as I’ve just launched one of the biggest marketing campaigns to hit SA this year. I am also refreshing my GTC brand and will be unveiling our new magazine look and feel”. The multi-faced woman who has drawn inspiration during the course of her journey hopes for an industry that one day reflects that which is women-led and inclusive. “Quality sits at the core. It is lucrative. The work we do today needs to ensure that we deliver an industry that looks like that in the next ten years. It won’t be easy. But we will do it. We are capable!”
THE CURRENT STATE OF
FW
Fashion Week has fast become a point of debate. Does it serve its purpose? If so, what is that purpose? Historically, fashion week was designed to structure the way in which buyers purchase clothes – to aid designers, brands or fashion houses. That said, the necessary debates around whether it should still exist are warranted. If we’re talking globally, fashion week made sense a few years ago. The runway afforded buyers and spearheads at publications the opportunity to get the first glimpse of collections while simultaneously giving them the head start of deciding what was trendy before said trends made it to department stores. Although the concept originated in France, New York is the city that is cited for organizing fashion shows on a seasonal basis. ‘Haute Couture’ which literally translates to “high” or “elegant” in addition to “sewing” gave rise to the concept of high fashion – the business of custom designs on the part of the French. The idea of luxury garments birthed an exclusive world where designers who were as exclusive could hold fashion shows for their most esteemed clients. In the early 90s however, Fern Mallis along with the executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America attempted to strike a balance between editors and buyers attending runway shows in New York. That said, fashion week is arguably not what it used to be or intended to be. Today, we can question its relevance based on the way people purchase garments, the rise of fast fashion, blogging and influencer culture and finally, the way in which content is circulated and critiqued across social media. While exclusivity is a big part of Fashion Week’s history, we cannot ignore how social media along with the rise of the fashion and style blogger have democratized fashion. We are no longer living in a time where fashion’s elite and industry insiders are the ones to dictate what we consider trendy. The conversation now extends to platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and the likes; and designers have to, in some ways, acknowledge this new wave of fashion experts. Back in 2013, recognizing how online platforms had the ability to reshape how designers showcased their latest collections as well as how consumers received them – Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (New York) made the decision for
for all shows to be available for streaming on their website. Today, shows are available for live-streaming on platforms like YouTube or Periscope; another example of the movement away from the exclusive world of fashion. With that, collections are more accessible for viewing to the general public and importantly, open to critique to anyone with an internet connection. This online culture has opened up the fashion industry to outsiders who, in a previous life would not get close to entering the room. Furthermore, the inaccessibility to high-end garments and luxury designers has declined because runway collections are available for viewing on large scales before they are available in stores and public interest declines. This by-the-minute dynamic that social media has created has further enabled fast fashion and the reinvention of diffusion lines (a subordinate line by a luxury brand or well-known designer targeted at a younger, hopeful consumer sold at more affordable prices). Rony Zeidan — founder of the luxury agency RO NY expands on the idea that Fashion Week as we have come to know it, is dead. “People go crazy when there is change that’s happening. We just have to adapt to the new normal”, he expresses. “Fashion is not what it used to be twenty years ago; retail is not what it used to be twenty years ago. I blame Instagram. There’s a rush in trying to understand what’s going on and reacting to things, versus just waiting it out.” Ultimately, the idea of gaining access to the fashion world online has created a conflict between what buyers want in the moment, versus what they are offered in store. As much as they have come under fire in the past, brands like Zara and H&M have been notorious for recreating runway looks and mass marketing them at lower price points to feed the immediate need of the consumer. With the prestigious event being affected to this degree at a global level, it would be interesting to investigate the current state of South African Fashion Week. The Johannesburg instalment took place a few weeks ago, with the Cape Town leg commencing over the last week. As a business platform, SA Fashion week positions itself as a marketplace for designer collections to buyers, the media, celebrities and designer clients. Celeste Arendse, designer of SELFI – the Cape Town based
ready to wear clothing brand mentions that she uses the platform merely as a brand marketing tool. “It drives great exposure to your brand and opens it up to media partners, corporate partners as well as new customers and followers. I wouldn’t necessarily say buyers as much as brand awareness and engagement on social platforms which over time turns into revenue”. While the core of SS19 - The Luxury Collections was to showcase luxury in African fashion – the discussion quickly turned into an examination on the lack of exposure of the designer’s collections across social media contrasted with the outfits that South African influencers wore to this year’s instalment. “The importance of Fashion Week in South Africa has always been relative”, Noluthando Dlamini, Creative Content Strategist explains. “Fashion Week in SA has never been linear in its purpose of what it is represents and why the platform exists. It was a learning curve as we needed to adapt to the ever-changing climate of fashion in comparison to the rest of world”.
we will see more of in the front row. The reality is that influencers, along with their following are more valuable to brands for the sake of relevance, traction and engagements. “Globally, the landscape of who attends the shows has dramatically changed. You still have the buyers coming to shows and sitting front row but social media has allowed it to be easier for influencers to become the stars of Fashion Week”, Noluthando Dlamini explains. “They have merely replaced the actresses and music stars who used to draw the headline for attending certain fashion shows. Unfortunately, the SA field lacks balance. Its either or. The two seemingly can no longer co-exist harmoniously. Our influencer’s attendance at Fashion Weeks has substantially shifted the conversation and focus and I blame this partially on the fact that Fashion Week was never established in its right essence in this country”.
As such, our industry appears to be met with the disconnect of catching up to its global counterparts while at the same time progressing according to consumer interests. Above that, there is the issue of debating at face value without the knowledge of how the system might work. Let us consider front row politics for a second. Generally speaking, top celebrities would be seated in the centre of the front row while bloggers would be placed in the centre of the rows behind them for PR purposes, imagery for blogger’s websites and designer photo ops.
It seems that while there are multiple issues and cultural shifts that are shaping the fate of Fashion Weeks across the world, the crux of the matter is that high fashion has had to adjust to the way in which the internet responds to content. Above that, the esteemed event was going to be inevitably doomed by the way in which we purchase clothing today – the traditional system of the way runway shows were once set up no longer fulfils that function. The quickness with which visuals spread online matches the quickness with which consumers want to attain clothing. Trends are coming and going at faster rates and drop culture is furthering this notion.
Esteemed editor Anna Wintour for example would be placed towards the end of the front row for the sake of having more time to take in the details of the garments as they enter and exit the runway. The media and buyers would be spread out between these first two rows to honour the tradition of garments being showcased for their benefit – giving them first-hand access to designers, brands or fashion houses in order to place designers and retailers in promising positions. As the influencer industry has gradually evolved in South Africa, they are arguably the new celebrities. These are the faces that brands will inevitably turn to for marketing purposes and, not unique to South Africa, these are the faces we will
“Sixteen seconds. That’s how long it took for Rimowa’s suitcase collection in collaboration with streetwear brand Supreme to sell out, despite its starting price of $1600 US dollars. Both labels announced the collaboration by simply posting a picture of the product on social media, alongside its release date: a mere three days ahead”, says Marjorie van Elven. This kind of marketing tool has much to do with brands releasing limited-edition product drops without giving consumers too much notice ahead of time. In doing so, they perpetuate the “see now buy now” culture and in a way, restore the essence of exclusivity that fashion houses aimed for during Fashion Week runway shows. enough, though.
With all these changes, along with the pace at which they seem to occur, we are left to question who Fashion Week is benefiting if not the designers or buyers. While it can still be a helpful platform for lesser-known designers on the basis of coverage or getting their name out into the fashion world, its historical function is slowly starting to feel a little too far gone. business venture for celebrities, just before the recession devastated the economy.
INFLUENCER OF THE MONTH: TSHEPI VUNDLA
TSHEPI V
Star quality is a rare and intoxicating trait, a embodied by Tshepi Vundla. The brand infl South Africa’s digital landscape over the pa style, mesmerizing personality and enchan one of the most fascinating and influential a thrilling journey, culminating in campaig in the country and her new chapter in life, m Instagram: @tshepivundla Twitter: @tshepivundla
VUNDLA
and something which is effortlessly fluencer and stylist has captivated ast five years with her immaculate nting vigor in life. Her ascension as South African digital stars has been gns with some of the biggest brands motherhood.
INFLUENCER OF THE MONTH: TSHEPI VUNDLA
CEDRIC NZAKA
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PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH: CEDRIC NZAKA
esphaping Reprensentaion is the core of what Cedric Nzaka’s work aims to translate to the world. His portraiture work embodies his respective Instagram handle “Everydaypeoplestories” through the way he captures people as one would capture artemotive and full of life. In the words of the artist himself: “Everyday people are in fact Works of art, Portraits to the soul written in flesh and played out only once; The works of an ice sculptor. In the many faces I see There’s beauty, No end to the inspiration. The gift is
being able to create everyday & this is my story.” His admiration for fashion translates into editorial and street fashion photography which are an endless inspiration of culture. Cedric has brands such as Addidas, CNN, Mr Price, Spree and Woolworths to name but a few.
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www.cedricnzaka.com Instagram: @everydaypeoplestories Twitter: @cedric_nzaka
ORAPELENG MODUTLE Style Avenue Remarkeable fashion designer Orapeleng Modutle is becoming quite a respectable fashion name in the industry. His fashion interest grew from his early childhood interest in painting, drawing and sculpture which propelled his creativity into his signature gowns. From working at Stoned Cherrie by Nkhensani Nkosi as a pattern maker for the label, Orapeleng then went on to establish his own label: Orapeleng Modutle Style Avenue, which operates from Brooklyn, Pretoria. His achievements include being part of the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 2018 Creatives, Grazia Magazine Fashion Jury 2013. He has showcased in a number of fashion weeks such as African Fashion International Fashion Cape Town and Swahili Fashion Week Tanzania 2016. With names like Bonang Matheba, Thando Thabethe, Minnie Dlamini Jones, Pearl Modiadie and Nigerian media darling, Toke Makinwa on the list of who he has dressed - it is exciting to think about what the future has in store for him
www.orapelengmodutle.com Instagram: @orapelengmodutle Twitter: @omodutle
DESIGNER OF THE MONTH: ORAPELENG MODUTLE
DESIGNER OF THE MONTH: ORAPELENG MODUTLE
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