3 minute read
10 minutes with local taste makers
Betty Sibeso
In a cosy nook at Café Prestige, Betty and I sit down for a long overdue catch-up. I knew immediately she would choose for us to meet here – the minimalist, industrial and understated space frequents her Instagram stories and has us all craving her standard order: iced caffè latte. She drizzles the side with syrup, takes a sip and sighs, “That’s the stuff.”
Other than her favourite baseball cap, Betty wears many hats. Co-founding Monochrome Magazine and beginning her very own graphic design studio, “creative entrepreneur” is the umbrella term she uses for her aesthetic endeavours in photography, editorial and social media management. She shoots the trailblazing online magazine’s cover images, works alongside contributors and mentors interns – all while running Beso Media, an all-female digital and creative agency based in Windhoek.
“I think in pictures,” she says. It figures, since her social media profile feels more like scrolling through a curated Pinterest feed. But Betty’s style is not the copy-andpaste kind – she has been experimenting with her look since her days of stomping around the sports field in primary school. While our mothers laid out our outfits the night before, Betty consciously dressed herself, even if it was only for the playground.
While her playground has expanded since then, her fashion sense has remained as practical as ever. Betty favours the simplistic, subdued and functional, adding that her staple items are dress pants and oversized shirts. Today, however, she is wearing a muted striped jersey – a nostalgic ode to her sibling’s rugby days. See, that is the thing with fashion: it is never just an outfit. It is a story. Betty’s capsule wardrobe features formal items, yet she effortlessly dresses them down, saying, “I get hives when an outfit looks too official.”
As far as shopping goes, she is equally at ease splurging on a pricey graphic T-shirt or finding N$100 sandals at Checkers while buying groceries.
She has successfully shifted from the corporate world to doing her own design thing, and Beso Media has grown exponentially since taking the leap from freelance to full time. No small feat. Betty’s flair is tangible in everything the studio produces. How they manage to stay true to their aesthetic, yet seamlessly integrate the client’s identity, is beyond me. It must be the Midas touch.
Other than blessing our feeds with beautiful imagery and videos, @bettysibeso the creative mastermind is a team player. She prides herself in the process of helping interns become employable, puts collaboration first when it comes to Monochrome Magazine, and hopes to make space for a creative economy within our borders. It is not just great taste that makes the tastemaker, but a strong instinct for the community that indulges in and aids their growth.
Charene Labuschagne
