Priscah ready to conquer the fashion industry

Priscah Ramadi is a proud young fashion designer.

The 22-year-old from Ha-Matsa village in Nzhelele is the brains behind Priscah’s Closet, which deals with the design and manufacture of clothes for women. "I was inspired to go into this field after identifying a gap in the market for fashionable items for people who are thin or plus-sized. The market usually has a generic range of sizes when it comes to certain items and if they are ever available, the stock is very limited. I wanted to be the person who bridges that gap and uses it as an added advantage to gain access into the fashion market," Priscah said.

Like most girls, the self-taught fashion designer has always been into fashion. "I started off as a model and I’ve also drawn inspiration from different brands. I would go through magazines or watch fashion channels and some of the stuff blew me away. Some of the designs I found to be basic or rather too cheap aesthetically and lacking depth in concept and design. This made me realize how much I needed to ensure that I find a way to enter this market as opposed to just watching and criticizing. I decided to take initiative by putting my own work out to the world," she said.

Fashion design was not really the plan, as passionate about it as she might be. "I honestly feel like fashion chose me, as far as passion goes. I only wanted to do it as a hobby, but I am now determined to make it a full-time career. And part of the reason why I am so prepared to take such a massive lifestyle decision is due to all the positive feedback I am receiving from clients," she explained.

Her family is very supportive, she said. "They have an intention-fuelled effort to show me how much they want me to succeed in this journey and that is what really counts. Many creatives suffer because their families do not give them the necessary support and I can only imagine how cold that feels. My friends are also really supportive, and this is also because I am very strategic when it comes to the friends I choose. I like people who can bring value into my life."

Even though the brand is growing at an exponential rate, she said the growth came with challenges. "My current challenge is space. I need a big space, so that I can expand the brand, get more machines and be able to train and employ people. Funding this kind of expansion is also a challenge, but I am always looking for the means to overcome any challenge."

She wants to see her brand operating in big cities and competing at an international level. "I want my brand to play a visible role in the country's economy in terms of improving the standard of living in people’s lives through creating employment," she said. 

News - Date: 19 January 2020

Mbulaheni Ridovhona

The 22-year-old Mbulaheni (Gary) Ridovhona has been passionate about journalism to the extent that he would buy himself a copy of weekly Univen students' newsletter, Our Voice. After reading, he would write stories about his rural village, Mamvuka, and submit them to the very newsletter for publication. His deep-rooted love for words and writing saw him register for a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies at the University of Venda, and joined the Limpopo Mirror team in February 2016 as a journalism intern.

Email: