Nette Rose

Owner: Meg Miller

Start-up costs: ‘I buy my clothing from charity shops, and in 2015 I sold a lot of it at vintage markets around Cape Town to make “seed money”. I made R8500, which is what covered my costs for the first two months: my first batch of fabric, website and domains. Also, I met lots of models and photographers, who collaborated essentially for free in the start-up stage. I was at university at the time, so my parents covered my rent and living costs, which was a comfort.’

Turnover: ‘I created something I was passionate about, and I’ve been earning a profit since the first month.’

Website: www.netterose.com

For Meg Miller, a career in design was almost inevitable. ‘My parents had a jewellery business, and my mom always attended big fashion shows, which I got to go to from when I was little. It was lovely!’

Meg was prompted to start her own brand because she needed extra money, as most students do. ‘I wasn’t good at waitressing, so I created coats and dresses.’ But that didn’t work. ‘I wanted to create something I was passionate about, and I’ve always loved intimates.’

About a year and a half ago, she saw a gap in the local market for beautiful lingerie. But running a lingerie business is far from just frills and flounce. In addition to the garments themselves, Meg runs the online store and has plenty of admin to attend to, including posting on Instagram and Facebook, replying to emails and dealing with the backend of the business.