You’re showcasing for the first time at SAFW, how are you feeling?
I am excited and nervous. It’s the first time really showing the world what rich factory has to offer and I can stretch my designs past the ready to wear pieces we normally have in store so I am looking forward to seeing how the range is received.
What element will you be bringing to SAFW?
I think we will be showing African print in a way the world hasn’t seen yet. We are making our own rules. It’s not a conventional range.
What inspired your range?
The collection is called pink in Lukanga and it’s an ode to my happy place. The village my dad is from in Zambia. It is inspired by the idea of what a woman in Lukanga would look like had we not been colonised or if Lukanga was a city.
How will you be incorporating the Aero brand into your designs?
Aero is currently working on a campaign called #letgofashion and I think it’s a great partnership as ri.ch Factory is all about letting go and really taking chances with fashion and also standing in your own light and saying here I am, this is me, and this is what I feel good in, essentially just letting go.
Take us through your design process. Was it in any way different seeing that you were doing it for SAFW?
Working with a brand like Aero on my collection allowed me to be inspired by their brief, which was, let go fashion. Right away I knew I could really have fun with my looks. I did some emotive design to. Which is when you use your senses to help you design. I put in a blindfold, ate some chocolate and let the taste and texture inspire my design. I then sketched out my designs and made some changes after fittings. As you develop your range you begin to see it all come together and edit it down as you had envisioned the final product.
Besides SAFW what else are you working on?
We are working on an exciting project with flying fish for a capsule-range. Flying fish sponsored us to go to world fashion week in Paris this year but due to security reasons it has been postpone till next year. We are looking forward to taking part in that and traveling to Paris to really take our brand global.
