14 Jul 2014

House of Kay is a new fashion house that was formed a year ago, with the passion for fashion as motivation.

The brand takes pride in its ethnic and African cultural print. House of Kay has the ability to make all types of garments that demand attention and styles individuals for special occasions such as weddings, traditional ceremonies and everyday casual wear.

As the founder and creative director Kaone Moremong says, that House of Kay is about celebrating the essence of a rich heritage that can only be found in Africa.

Where did your love of fashion start?

My passion for fashion started as a child when I would assist my grandmother who was a seamstress and used her off cuts to dress myself and my dolls. After I enrolled into the University of Botswana to study bachelor’s degree in accounting, I found that my childhood obsession with fashion had grown and was in a profession that I had no care for. As the years passed I decided that I didn’t have to be trapped in a career I didn’t really want and I found a way to get out and pursue my passion.

How did you manage to get into the fashion industry?

As a struggling self-taught fashion designer, I learnt early that I had to work extra hard to succeed and struggled to break into the industry so I came up with ways to associate myself with the fashion industry by volunteering as a dresser at fashion shows and styling. I became a mother and a wife and made a home.

It was after working as a production assistant in an advertising firm that it became clear to me that I did not want to be an employee. That is how House of Kay was born.

How did you get people to notice your clothes?

With a single domestic sewing machine my father bought me for my birthday a few years ago, I started making clothes and styling my family and friends for free from my living room area.

I posted pictures of items I had made on social media sites and this proved to be the most effective and inexpensive marketing tool.

After a few months, my clientele grew almost 10 folds and I had to find a more practical and bigger space to operate my design studio from and my parents-in-law offered me their servant quarters and garage to use as a studio.

How does House of Kay operate?

I hired two Batswana young women to help me as the work load increased and I am looking into expanding my business.

As a young business, finances are a challenge and I have always believed that I will one day be assisted by the government and I am yet to start asking for such assistance.

What do you love most about fashion?

I love the fact that an individual can express their personality through how they dress.

I also admire that fashion can be an artistic form that keeps changing with time.

What inspires you on a daily basis?

I’m inspired by African cultures that incorporate a lot of colours and textures to create garments that are authentically viewed as mostly African but appeal to international fashion worlds.

What are your thoughts on Botswana’s fashion industry?

I believe that the Botswana fashion industry is at an infant stage but it will grow with time and hard work.

What kind of clientele does House of Kay cater for?

*We make weddings bridal dresses, bridesmaids’ dresses, traditional attires, groom and groom’s men attire, casual and evening attire and corporate wear.

Describe the type of image you want to portray with your brand?

*We want to portray a brand that incorporates a true African feel by using fabrics and colours synonymous with Africa but creating designs that are contemporary and appealing to the western world.

What are your hopes for your company?

I would like to see my company being able to distribute clothing and accessories to big retail stores on a seasonal basis.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself owning a clothing manufacturing studio big enough to supply at least four big retail stores.

Do you have plans to go to school for fashion design?

No. I don’t have plans to go to fashion design school but I do have plans to go to business management school.

What is it that you wish people understood about fashion?

I wish people understood that been fashionable does not have to be costly and difficult.

Most people sacrifice important things in life just so that they can look good and impress other people.

I advise that one dress for their budget in clothes that are well taken care of (clean, fitted, mended and ironed).

What is the difference between having a style and a sense of fashion?

Fashion is what is currently in trend at a particular time and it changes with season. Style is something that has been modified and customised on an individual level to suit each person’s own personality and taste.

Style is usually incorporated in the trends and. it usually never changes.

What is the first thing that a person should do before buying clothes?

How do you know when a garment is complete?

When a person puts on a garment and they immediately smile then a garment is complete.

What sets a House of Kay garment apart from all the rest?

Our garments are usually distinct in the detailing. We do not use patterns and usually design garments as we go so most of the times we do not know the end product of what we are making. House of Kay is solely run on passion. We are very passionate about what we do and strive to sharpen our knowledge in this industry through experience and hard work. ENDS