Vukani 2014 Competition

 

Vukani 2014 Finalist Range - Free to be me

 

It is the Sunday after the Saturday I had been stressing about for 3months.  Thinking, considering, questioning, freaking out and all others I have no words for.  This is my first national competition, last competition was at Wits university while I was part of the Wits Fashion Design Society.  That year and day I won.

Being a finalist was in all honesty a surprise; I knew I could get in but when it happened it was like WOW. Sort of like being pregnant for 9months and still being surprised you are a mom when they arrive.  I was surprised because I have been out of competing for approximately 8 years; had been absent from fashion school for a year and Roka Roko is only but 9 months old.

The show was all a fashion show is. Models. Organizers with organizers.  Fabric. Threads. Needles. Make up. Weaves.  Strangers that became new friends. Honourables. Heels. Tempers. Coffee. Lots of coffee. I survived. Simply because I love this space.  The back stage at a fashion show is just pure fun for me.  All the drama, fast pace, colours, fumes and frustrations make my blood run.  It is my form of a concert!

The Roka Roko range is based on human existence amongst fauna and flora.  The plants that feed us and keep us breathing, the water that nourishes us and the sun that gives us life.  Lace is used as it is this years biggest fabric; coupled with a bit of leather for a bit of edginess. The print is to incorporate the colour that is Africa, the diversity that is the 2014 Africa.  The gold accessories symbolise the boldness of our people and strength of the African heart.

Though I didn't win any of the available awards, I learned a lot. And when I review my range I can see where I fell short and where I can improve; with the help of the judges ofcourse. What I know now is:

- I need to improve my finishing to the point that I cant even tell if I made it or not.
- I need to improve my creativity further.  Remove those limits. Be more than just free. Rebellion
- I need to bring more of Brigette into my work without forgetting the mandate
- I need to ensure the fabrics used are of best quality and exude that to the eye
- Need to create garments that say I'm expensive and durable and hottt!
- Remember you cannot do everything alone.  It will drain you. This dream is too humongous.

All of these are mere adjustments in my work; and I count myself as fortunate to have learned these at an early stage of Roka Roko. 

Also met Azaria Khoza, Isaac, Kelvin, Lerato, Jimmy (BantuWear) and other fashion players. 

Last but not least congratulations to Bosebo, the winner to 2014 Vukani.  Her range was just that, the winners range.  Very proud to have people who can produce such excellence and inspire us all. May God grant her more success going forward.

The high fashion full length dress (Model - Michillay)

Eish Eish Eish

This phrase explains my feelings when I experience a mini heart attack related to Roka Roko.

The mini heart attack: When a client calls me to say the item produced doesn't fit. And they are more than 45km away from me...or worse 600km far away.

The heart attack is caused by the fact that what I do is not a job,it is not a way to make money(even though it makes money), it is  not something Im doing while waiting for a better opportunity.  It is my passion.  It is my calling if I may say.  It is Brigette.  And I put my name on each item with pride and satisfaction that I have done it justice.  So alas such a call from any client is like a moment of 'ho' with a palm in my face. The cherry on the heart attack is the fact that the distance ensures that I am unable to correct the situation. Sigh.

I start questioning what could be wrong. Is the client putting it on correctly? Did I make a measurement mistake?  Did we take in too much some where? Did I even use the correct pattern? Then it hits me, I didn't insist on all the necessary steps to be taken.  Steps which avoid such heart attacks.   Steps like measurements, first fitting and last fitting.  If one of these is missed, it opens up the chance for a heart attack.  

The issue with working in the real world with real people; is that real things happen. You can have the time table set out and ready to perfection; but life will happen.  Most times last fittings never happen.  That is what happened this weekend; to cause my heart attack last night.  We miss them because people work, people have to be in places at certain times, people change their minds, I get held up somewhere, delays come into play for serious matters, etc. 

Funny thing is every time this happens I make a mental note never to do it again.  Until a client stands in front of me asking for an item I so want to make...and the creativity takes over.  I want to make clothes for those here, far, for tomorrow, next week....even yesterday.  But in reality I need to think strategically and logically(I am an artist hle!). And learn to say NO. Learn to remember my clients just want to look amazing; they are not interested how it happens because they pay a fee for that.  I must make it happen. And if they discover its not happening the night before the event...I get a  mini heart attack because I have failed my client.  The no. 1 priority here.

Then while I'm heart attacking myself I get a call about tomorrows pick ups.  Then  I remember in business, we fail and get up.  There simply is no time for wallowing.  You correct if you can.  You compensate if you can. Anything but you must move on.  Getting held up on a mistake you made last week will only create more mistakes this week.  I will deal with my mistake, will learn from it but today I have a chiffon dress to finish, a bride and her bridesmaids to fit, a cousin's pant dungaree to finish... so lets Roka Roko.

First 8 months!

So the business is now 8 months old.  Did I think I would get here?...hmmmm I suspected while my haters(voices in my head) kept telling me I could fail.  It has been a very interesting 8 months and there are 5 more interesting months before I have a 1st birthday.  In these 8 months I have achieved more than I thought I would at Roka Roko; both business wise and personally.  There are things I have learned about myself, about people close to me and new to me; things I realise about life and my own future.

My biggest fear (which I shouldn't have but do) is having no financial support to continue.  Which in essence wont happen because I run a business that technically supports itself.  You see upon starting I had already collected all I needed to start. I had been making clothes for close to 10 years and was in my 3rd year fashion school.  I had the basics and needed some advancements to polish my product.  So the actual fear is getting out of my comfort zone about money....

I was  the dream person.  Got my matric, my degree and a job. And I was in my 6th year of being a fashion buyer/sourcing agent; and just about to probably land a management job somewhere.  So at that time things like medical aid, insurance, accounts, rates, groceries, petrol etc. were not my problem because the salary paid for them.  Technically I didn't even see them being paid because money came in on the 28th and left on the 28th; no credit control calls from anyone.

Suddenly all that falls away.  I am what I do. I am how much I do.  The performance at Roka Roko determines what I can have and what I cannot have.  The comfort zone changes or disappears.  This is absolutely traumatic for a person who left home and jumped into a job with all benefits. Everything has to be degraded, managed and controlled critically. It is daunting I wont lie even a bit. 

The funny thing is the day I found myself moneyless, I calmed down. All the stress leading to that day as the money depleted little by little died because it is what it is.  What can you do.  If you get frenzied you sort of stop hearing God leading you; you miss the way out of that little hole that feels like a prison.  I realised well I have no cash and need to make cash.  So lets Roka Roko...