16 Mar 2015

The fashion industry has seen its fair share of growth over the years, but still has a long way to go.

However, the strides made have not gone unnoticed. Some say fashion is subjective and varies from one person to the other, but one cannot deny that some people are trend setters. 

People love clothes and just like food, one can never go wrong in that aspect, that is if everything else goes your way. Some buy clothes to sell them, some buy clothes because they want to be seen with the latest fashion and some make those clothes for other people.

One such person is 24-year-old Opelo Letshwiti who considers herself a seamstress. Having studied Computer Networks for four years at Botho University, she has always liked making clothes and now she recently started a course at Tlokweng Brigade to study dressmaking.

“I must say that when I did study Computer Networks for that long, I hated it and just continued with it because I am not a quitter,” she said, adding that when she applied for it she was just doing it because it had to be done.

She indicated that she started sewing in 2012 and realised from a young age that she had a knack for putting together her outfits and for other people.

“Back then it was kind of vague and I only got a clear picture of what I wanted to do in my teen years,” she said, adding that her course at Tlokweng Brigade is meant to teach her how to make almost anything she wants to make.

She said for now she can only make ladies’ clothes like skirts, dresses, blouses and pants. On her target market, Opelo said she is looking to make clothes for all age groups.

“I want to make clothes for all ages and currently I have started making kiddies clothes. I have also been making capes for women at my grandmother’s church and it has been amazing,” she said.

“Passion for beautiful clothes is what drives me and people need to understand that about me and my fashion sense. Even though I saw clothes according to what people want, my creative side cannot be suppressed in all that,” she added.

She indicated that she does not only make clothes on request, but she also designs clothes that she later sews and sell to people.

On being quizzed on when she plans to showcase some of her merchandise in the form of a fashion show, Opelo said she is not planning on holding a fashion show anytime soon.

“Fashion shows require a lot of work and I would be swamped with logistics and end up neglecting what is important which is the clothes that I make,” she said, adding that what she has realised that people do invite fashion designers to be part of their fashion shows, but do not want to pay the designers.

“To me that is unacceptable because we too invest a lot in what we make,” she said.

Speaking on her milestones so far, she indicated that she has designed costumes for theatre shows.

“I was head of wardrobe for last year’s Maitisong Festival for Tseleng and I also designed costumes for Tumisang Baatswhana’s dance group,” said Opelo.

She indicated that she enjoys making stage costumes as they do not restrict her creativity.

“What people do not know about me is that I also do poetry, but I have stopped performing because people do not want to invest in our art,” she chipped in, adding that she enjoys working with Barolong Seboni who is not afraid to invest in artists.

On what she is working on, Opelo said she is working on costumes for this year’s Maitisong Festival and is still working with Tumisang for her theatre group.

“I am also working on a winter collection,” she said, adding that her clothes are all about affordability. On who she has worked with locally, Opelo said she is working with Tefo Senwelo who inspires some of her work.

“I admire her so much and besides Linken Malikongwa who is my assistant, I work with Tefo and we are currently working on a brand together,” she said.

Talking about her business and what she makes, Opelo said on a lazy month she makes a little over P3 000 and is looking to have a warehouse in the next five years.

“My company is called Lesweedy Diaries and people can also find me on Facebook (Opelo Seamstress Freespirit Boho),” she said. ENDS