FROM being a sceptic of the fashion industry, to living her dream as a fashion designer, Nobuhle Mkhwanazi has become a national style icon.
She is the sole owner of Luko Design, a fashion house in Mandeni which designs and manufactures unique and exclusive garments to cater for the most discerning clientelle.
Her innovative designs are influenced by modern fashion, but rooted in African heritage and her clothing ranges from casual to haute couture.
Nobuhle operates her 10-year-old business from Ithala Development Finance Corporation’s commercial centre at Isithebe and believes her decision to quit her job at a paper mill prior to launching herself in the world of fashion was a defining moment in her career.
‘My career in fashion was definitely a calling.
‘At high school, I would collect pieces of garments and off-cuts and make myself skirts and shirts.
‘I was never taught how to sew. It was a skill I developed over time,’ said Nobuhle.
Big step forward
The increased demand for her garments prompted the 28-year-old to quit her job in 2011 to pursue her academic journey in fashion design at the Cape Town College of Fashion Design and since then she has never looked back.
However, she confesses her journey as a business owner was not easy and there were many hurdles she had to overcome to reach a comfortable point in her career.
‘I had no money when I first started, so finance was a major challenge. I had to pay staff, buy material, service machines, rent office space and travel outside my home town to find garment shops.
‘I also had my doubts about the fashion industry and questioned whether or not I could turn this into a lucrative career but I took a risk and it paid off in the end.’
Large responsibility
Whilst she enjoys being her own boss, she also understands the level of responsibility that comes with the position.
In addition to manufacturing and selling clothes from her shop in Mandeni, her company provides training and internships programmes to students from FET (Further Education and Training) colleges and universities.
She said her working days were varied and dynamic as she often juggled between supervising administrative tasks, production and quality control.
‘Whilst overtime work becomes a necessity at times when there is a backlog with an order, I strive to not let work overlap into family time which I treasure immensely,’ she said.
Nobuhle cites as her greatest strengths the power of intellection, patience, optimism, perseverance, faith, focus and the will to learn something new every day.
Believe in yourself
On her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs she said: ‘Believe in yourself and the business you have started, do your research, attend business workshops and seminars, make the internet your friend and be passionate about your business.’
Preferring her own selection of movies to the usual television content, she invests much time in reading and home schooling her daughter.
Commenting on her plans for retirement she said her father worked until his demise at the age of 82 and she plans to follow in his footsteps.
