30 Jul 2017

It is always said that, be fearless in pursuit of what sets your soul on fire and few people can be courageous enough to walk that talk.

However, one determined lady is creating waves in fashion scene. Located behind Puma Filling Station in Metsimotlhabe, her displayed designs have a touch of je ne sais quoi – quality that you can not describe.

Mrs Samantha Peter aged 36, says that growing up with a mother who was a fashion designer inspired her to follow the same path.

An Associate Degree in Fashion Design graduate from Limkokwing University, Mrs Peter has actualised her childhood dream of being a fashion designer by eventually opening a textile business called Xplosion Designs.

The Mmandunyane born started sewing and designing clothes since 2001 whilst at Molefhi Senior Secondary School where she opted for Fashion and Fabrics as one of her options.

Her background in textile made her the best student in most of her modules.

However, it was in 2010 when Mrs Peter decided to start her company whilst still at Limkokwing. She worked from home and mainly recruited her family members and friends to seek her services.

“Once I became confident with my designs, I realised that my business needed a prime spot hence I started looking for a location,” she says with delight.

Fortunately, in 2012 Mrs Peter started operating in her current location. She explains that she had one straight and one locker machine that she relied on and could afford.

Then in March 2015, mother luck smiled on her when Youth Development Fund approved her proposal.

‘The funding elevated my standard, I managed to buy more machines, cloths and I hired two people,” she explains.

In a bid to gain more exposure, Xplosion Designs competed in 2016 Presidential Competitions and scooped position three in the Southern Region. Unfortunately, they went as far as position five in the finals.

She explains that while studying, she was never concerned about employment hence, after doing her internship; she was convinced that she will never work for anybody.

“My business has enabled me to contribute financially in my family,” she says.

Xplosion Designs sets to focus on youth fashion and weddings. This is driven by the fact that youth fashion is versatile and it evolves daily thereby opening a huge demand every day. The company also prides itself in making custom wedding dresses.

Meanwhile, the charges are reasonable as it cost P700 for a dress without bringing the fabric while P500 when you come with your own fabric.

She is quick to explain that the charges may increase once there are embellishments required.

Yes, most people in Botswana are inspired by South African celebrities and Mrs Peter is not an exception. She says that it is easy to interact with

South African designers as they sometimes shop for materials from the same stores.

Therefore, she is inspired by David Tlale, a renowned South African designer. “I saw him once in one of the shops in South Africa, there is nothing

I will love more than sit next to him one day,” says Mrs Peter.

Mrs Peter is planning to open a fashion boutique this year or early next year hence forth her current location will be used as a factory.

She urged Batswana to believe in their talents and should never be intimidated by successful people, rather they should ask about their success stories.

She reminded the youth that the government and parastatals cannot absorb all of them therefore, she urged them to never be afraid to take up government programmes.

She thanked the government for the continued support even though she is no longer a youth and believes one day her name will be a force to reckon with in the fashion industry. ENDS