Botswana is beginning to hold its own when it comes to the global fashion industry hence everyone wants to be recognized as a game changer. If you still fresh from college and want to make a mark, those who have been in the industry for a while have news for you.
The man behind iZaura, Mothusi Lesolle, has this to say, “The biggest mistake that young graduates of fashion design make is thinking they can leave school and go open their own businesses, this is the reason most of them close in no time or their business ethic is very poor.”He gave an example of why marketing and advertising graduates don’t have an advertising agency and why every nurse does not have their own clinic.
“Finish school and learn the business of fashion, go work! Understand dynamics of the industry through those that have accumulated knowledge over the years,” he said. Before launching his own label Mothusi, who does not have fashion design qualifications volunteered for close to three years working with Mpho Kuaho where he gained knowledge that no one could ever teach him in the classroom.He has noticed that the problem is that graduates believe they are worth so much, and they can’t work for less than this much up until they run their own and realize it’s not a joke.
“The industry is tough and you have to work really hard to be somewhere and I mean extra hours beyond work time. Go learn and work for the little you can get and make extra income in your spare time by having a little machine in your bedroom,” he said. Mothusi has cautioned designers against hosting fashion shows and wanting to be seen because those hardly put money on your table you actually lose a lot of money because of lack of buyers in Botswana. “Be in a show that makes business sense for you, invest in your knowledge and experience that’s what will make you take rational decisions regarding your brand and the way you position it,” he concluded.
