Ex-volleyball star falls back on fashion
Thato Kala | Friday June 6, 2014 16:08
The ex-Kalavango and national team star continues to rise with her clothing label Feura. Radisweng, also a former dancer and aerobics expert, dressed the weightlifting team for the just-ended second Africa Youth Games.
“I basically do sportswear,” says the former national team back-row player.
She considers having dressed the weightlifting team a highlight of her business and career.
And now she warns sportswear giants, Nike and Adidas, to watch out for her.
“Watch out Nike and Adidas, I am coming for you.
“This is no joke,” Radisweng says.
But how did it all start for her?
While playing for local volleyball giants Kalavango, she sampled a kit for them and they liked it.
She speaks of how that instilled confidence and drive in her to carry on with the business.
“The first kit I did was for my team Kalavango. I designed the kit – it was more of an experiment. It worked out pretty well and I started getting a lot of opportunities after that,” she explains.
To date, she has done kits for different teams in various disciplines. She has dressed the volleyball national team, BDF Spartans and Diphatsa.
In football, first division side Tonota Football Club once donned her label while beMOBILE Premiership giants Gaborone United wore Feura during the Mascom Top 8 finals in 2012.
After displaying her work at the special arts market during the youth games, Radisweng says orders swelled and she anticipates tremendous growth in her business.
“This has exposed us a lot, not only to Botswana but to the rest of the world too. The first few days of the games were quiet, but from the first Saturday it was really good,” she says.
She reveals that people appreciated her work and some are surprised such sportswear is made in the country.
Radisweng retired because of age in 2003 after winning multiple awards and titles in volleyball.
Four years later, she conceptualised the business. However, it was only three years later that she got it in full swing.
“I started off buying and selling as my passion for this grew,” she says.
The Oodi-based designer then employed some tailors to help and says all is on course now.
“The business is coming up alright. I have some employees. I design and they tailor make the clothes,” says Radisweng, who is in her 40s.
Although the business is doing well and ensures she does not live from hand to mouth, she admits she misses volleyball terribly.
She has observed that art appreciation continues to grow in the country.
She is convinced in the coming years, art will be a viable sector for local artists.
“In the past people did not understand. I am glad people are beginning to have an understanding of what this is about,” she says.
She urges the youngsters who are involved in various sport codes to also cultivate their other passions to prepare for life after sport.
“They should find their other passions and start developing them right now,” she says.
She says her proudest moment as an athlete was putting on the Botswana jersey to represent the country.
“It was a glorious moment to represent Botswana, though at the time we used to get beaten a lot. They would show us what volleyball is but we played with so much pride,” she says.
And now she has the privilege of dressing national teams.
She says she is willing to continue learning and growing in her new trade saying, “I am small, I am taking my time to grow and learn the industry”.
The fitness fanatic has previously tried to run a gym, but feels settled where she is now.
With such determination, Radisweng is certainly set for dizzying heights.