Local founder of clothing brand has new purpose in life
“Being a young person in a contested market hasn’t been smooth but every day is a learning experience, and an opportunity to keep growing the brand beyond Soweto."
Local clothing brand founder, Mpho Maboea began his creative flair in the clothing and fashion industries following a near death experience that left him severely injured and admitted at Leratong Hospital.
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For the Protea Glen resident, it was that life changing encounter that birthed clothing rage Ekse Focus range to showcase the gems of untapped talent and creativity of Kasi life.
Maboea who is also known as King describes his journey as one ‘out of body’ experience that redirected him for the better.
“When I woke up in hospital, I was being given a second chance and the first question I asked myself is what do I want to do with my life and I thought we will create an awareness but little did I know it would become a fully-fledged business,” the 25 year old said.
Maboea shared that the brand name meant a great deal, citing that it was driven towards redirecting and giving a new perspective for empowerment and self-growth.
“My father came up with the name and it stuck because it is the story of my experience and a reminder for people to wake up and get focused on their dreams.
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“It’s a brand with a purpose, but also a message to my former self,” he explains.
“I know a lot of young people who just like me landed in trouble because we were chasing fun times and ended up losing sight of what really mattered.”
The business was started May 2021and has cemented itself for its bright colours and trendy hoodies, t-shirts, trousers, shoes and now have ventured into producing his own juice named after the company.
He also shared that plans were in place to expand his offering to a wide range of beverages.
The young man currently operates the business from his parent’s home in Extension 12 which he uses both as a studio and office.
He explained that while the reception was humbling and exceeded his expectations, he admitted that it was a saturated market with high competition and low barriers to entry.
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“Being a young person in a contested market hasn’t been smooth but every day is a learning experience, and an opportunity to keep growing the brand beyond Soweto.
“It is hard to find people that are going to believe in your vision and actually invest in it but we always make sure in delivering the best service and quality material,” he concluded.
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