Paledi Segapo’s fashion meets football

Every soccer super fan will tell you if you don’t have your big hat, oversized sunglasses and face paint, you might as well save your money and watch the game at home.

Fashion designers understand this philosophy all too well. In fact, for many of them it applies to every event.

The second annual Nedbank Cup Fan Couture contest will see 16 of our country’s top designers collaborating with fans from different soccer teams to create a spectacular soccer-inspired garment.

Among these designers is Palse Homme founder Paledi Segapo. “I’m ready for the challenge,” he says. “I think the most important thing for everybody to realise is that we are not creating ready to wear clothing. We’re designing costumes. Don’t expect to see anything subtle.”

Segapo is most excited about mentoring the design student who will be working with him on the project.

Paledi Segapo is among the sixteen fashion designers who will design garments for soccer fans. Picture: Nigel Sibanda.

“It’s so important for young designers to get practical experience and guidance in the fashion industry. I see so many talented young people who enter the fashion industry and then leave very quickly because they don’t know how to make money off fashion. They don’t understand the business.”

One of the biggest challenges fashion designers face is making money, Segapo explains.

“You have to put a lot of money into fashion before you start making any. You have to pay to show your collection at Fashion Week, buy fabric and pay the people who help you. What makes it even more difficult is that there is very little support for designers from government and corporates. Fashion isn’t taken as seriously as it should be in this country.”

Segapo cemented his place in the local industry in 2010 when he started dressing musician R&B musican Donald. The musician, who won the “best styled musician” category at the 2015 Metro FM Awards, thanked Segapo in his acceptance speech.

Segapo is very careful about who he chooses to dress. “Some celebrities aren’t loyal,” he says. “Some of them will wear your clothes one day and then the next day they’re wearing clothes from another designer, this creates brand confusion and doesn’t really help you as a designer.”