16 Jun 2026

The serene atmosphere of Phakalane Golf Estate was on Saturday replaced by ambiance from a fashion pop-up event featuring three of Botswana’s most renowned brands, Maru, Tru’D and Diary 34. 

The event was hosted by 315, a luxury lifestyle consultancy and creative platform founded by Bakang Palai and led by Lenny Magowe. 

Choosing Phakalane was no accident, it is a space frequented by those who value sophistication and quality, an ideal setting for a brand that aims to do more than just showcase clothing. 

The lifestyle consultancy platform, 315 is designed to elevate authors and creatives, giving them a refined platform to reach broader, more discerning audiences.

Among the designers who took centre stage was Trudy Bakwena, the founder of Tru’D, a label she established in 2019. 

Her work is rooted in Botswana’s cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from the garments worn by previous generations, particularly sackcloth and leather. 

For Bakwena, leather is not simply a material; it is a statement of identity and reclamation.

She is deliberate in her mission: to redeem leather as what she considers the original fabric of her people, to reimagine its possibilities and to revive culture through clothing in a way that feels contemporary and relevant. 

Her pieces are available both as bespoke commissions and ready-to-wear garments, bridging tradition and modern style in every stitch.

Sabine Matsheka launched Maru in 2020, drawing the name from the Setswana word for cloud. 

The inspiration is reflected in every garment, a ready-to-wear collection designed to feel as light and effortless as the sky above. But behind the airy aesthetic lies a far more grounded reality.

Like many small creative entrepreneurs in Botswana, Matsheka has had to navigate a financial landscape that does not always recognise the value of what she is building.

“Bringing in raw materials is very expensive,” she explained “ getting funding and loans of that nature from our traditional institutions is not always easy, because we are seen as liabilities.” 

Despite the obstacles, Maru’s trajectory has been remarkable. Last year, the brand competed in Creation Botswana, a pitching competition that forms part of the French government-funded Creation Africa initiative. 

Maru claimed first place, walking away with P100,000 from Bukhara Botswana. Later that same year, the brand added another accolade, winning the Most Impactful Business Award at the Standard Chartered Women in Tech Awards.

The next fashion pop-up is scheduled for June 27. ends