A struggle produces something new in fashion
MAGALIESSIG – An everyday struggle for women has led to the launch of a new, local clothing brand.
Mother and daughter, Sue and Karen Liebenberg, are the creators of the Kaku clothing brand – a brand created out of desperation for something new and inspired, in the global clothing industry.
“We got to a stage where we love clothes but we just got more and more exasperated with not finding anything in the shops. I think everything has become quite price sensitive since the recession in 2008 and, even in the UK, things were of poor quality and mass produced and imported,” Karen said.
“What we’ve also found is that the actual shopping experience has become stressful – from change rooms to clothing sizes.”
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With Karen’s background in law and founding a thriving musical law consultation, neither she nor her mother, who was a housewife for most of her life, were familiar with the clothing industry before deciding to do something about the lack of quality and diversity in women’s fashion.
After exploring their manufacturing and supply options, they found the perfect fabric supplier in Fordsburg and a factory to produce the clothing in Ellis Park – and Kaku was officially launched in August last year.
With a 20-year age difference between mother and daughter and, therefore, different tastes, they are able to cater to the stylistic needs of a wide range of women seeking timeless, versatile fashion. “We do not just follow the fashion of today. We do keep an eye on what is fashionable – certainly in terms of colour – but we don’t follow fashion. Our customers are women of all sizes who want to look and feel comfortable and glamorous,” she explained.
The dynamic duo does not only want to become a household clothing brand but also want to provide a pleasant experience to women who feel less than excited to get into new clothing.
They invite women into their Magaliessig showroom and are even open to the ‘Tupperware Party’ idea of bringing the clothes to a group of women to try on and view the items.
With invitations to enter the Zambian and Zimbabwean markets, Kaku is sure to expand their reach in the near future – and maybe even go global.
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