Samantha Andrews, a 25-year-old aspiring designer from Eldorado Park Extension Eight has her sights set firmly on breaching the fashion design market.
According to Andrews, “The fashion bug started biting at a very young age. My grandmother was a seamstress and I was always curious as to how a sewing machine works. I designed my own banquet dress and I’ve always kept a design diary”.
She started Fashion Illustration at Intec College in 2013 and later read fashion design, merchandise and pattern-making books. The internet has been a wealth of information which she used to watch design videos and sharpen her knowledge of different fabric types by reading up on the material.
“I love the different ethnicities and languages in our country and the way the continent is growing in the industry has made the whole world look to Africa for inspiration”.
Andrews believes that a thorough knowledge of the industry, coupled with business acumen, can make this a viable career path for aspiring designers and cannot stress enough how fundamentally important planning and drawing designs are to the successful designer.
She adds that she has received criticism from some quarters for developing her own unique style and not adapting other designers’ creations to her style.Her creations vary from traditional wear to wedding gowns and she liaises closely with clients when putting her stamp on designs.
Andrews envisions passing on her craft to youth within the community through sewing lessons and encourages the youth to realise that a career path in design can be very sustainable once your talents are recognised and the platform provided for aspirant designers to showcase their work.
“Promoting your brand is essential in this business and I take every opportunity to spread the word in the community,” maintains Andrews.
“I cater to all sizes and look at my friends because they’re not all the same size or shape, so clients walk away with a unique dress tailored to their body types”.
Matthews explains that because her business is still in the fledgeling stages, she operates from her mother’s kitchen and has hopes of one day owning her own manufacturing company. Once this vision is realised, she hopes to source employment from locals keen to get a start in the industry.
Andrews is showing her summer collection on October 1 at the Albertus Pop Centre and invites the community to see her introduction as a local fashion designer.
