Melissa Ranea | April 15, 2024
AfriBonn Fashion House is a brand I established 8 years ago. I have been working at it and it has been a very long process, but it is worth every tear that I have shed. African print is one of the most beautiful parts of fashion that people just choose to ignore and for me, it reflects what Africa is about, the colours and the style reflects what Africa is about. I am as African as they get I love Africa I take pride in being a black South African woman. I wanted to wear something that reflects where I come from and where i am currently, and what i represent, i want to embody that anywhere I go.
I want people to realise that fashion is not just about style it is also about reflecting where you come from so, it is that much important for me to have established a brand that focuses solely on just being an African.
I came into fashion very unconscious, I did not know what i was getting myself into.I liked the idea and thought to myself let me create one attire at a time, I did not have a machine then. So I would buy fabric, I don’t even know how i cut my first pants because i did not have any knowledge about any attire so I cut my first African print pants using siSwati fabric and from there on it has been such a joy because I have grown and have evolved as a fashion designer and its one of the weirdest things because I didn’t even study fashion. I did payroll and accounting taxation as well, I left my job because I was not fulfilled.
The highlight of my fashion career is seeing someone wear my attire. When people wear my attires it is such a proud moment for me. I take pride in every attire and as a fashion designer I have done horrible outfits ,I have done mistakes, I have taken wrong measurements or taken them right but a client would gain or lose weight and the attire would not fit like it was supposed to, then i have to fix it and we are time based. Those kinds of pressures are what make me what I am.
What Advice Would You Give To Anyone Who Wants To Pursue A Career In Fashion?
Any one who wants to come into the fashion business know what you want and study for it. I came into fashion with a different angle but I always push people to do their research and also find a course to do, the paper work counts a lot and know the style that you are leaning into also understand which style fits your main idea. Also be aware of energy the kind of environments you are in, the kind of people you surround yourself with, those things matter so much because when you create a business you need to be aware that not everyone is going to support the idea and that is okay because you know what you want. Always do something you absolutely love even when is not as profitable as people think it is just the love and the passion makes it all worthwhile.
