AFRICAN FLAIR

Founder and owner of MYSWESWI Tebogo Mashabane speaks to Glamour about the inspiration behind her brand, centred on South African traditions, heritage and beauty.

- NONTANDO MPOSO

Glamour: Tell us about your journey into the world of fashion?

Tebogo Mashabane: I was born and raised in Soshanguve, Pretoria, where many languages are spoken. The window framing my family's living room was my view of the outdoors, and it became my 'spectacles' to the world and crowds passing by. It was painted turquoise, which has become the official colour palette of the MySWESWI brand.

My mother, who's always been the family caregiver, instilled the values I grew up with. She'd give me chores, such as mending curtains using her Singer sewing machine, which was a stolen treasure from her that I used to make my first dresses because I couldn't afford my own machine. The fabric leftover from making those curtains became the source of my first fashion collection'. I started making garments and selling them to friends to earn money - which gave me the confidence to do more.

G: What does MySWESWI mean, and what inspired the name?

TM: I'm Tsonga, and in my language, sweswi means now, so MySWESWI means my now, as in, my time is now to speak, act, stand, embrace and express my story as a South African woman born and raised in a township.