Young designer offers crotchet tops
Oleosi Kgosi | Friday June 15, 2018 12:36
The 18-year-old designer who was born and bred in Francistown told Arts & Culture that she only uses 100% acrylic wool and a 4mm crotchet hook to make the tops. She said that she operates under a brand she created called Alpharelle. “Alpharelle is a combination of Alpha, Belle and Apparel which signifies Alpha for beginning and Belle for beauty; beautiful beginnings,” she explained.
To indulge in the fashion industry, Kutjwe said that she was motivated by her passion for fashion and started making the tops when she was 16 years old. “Fashion have always been my first love, I remember when I was young I used to cut my mother’s clothes just to make clothes for my dolls,” she recalled. Because people loved her work she decided to turn it into a business. Kutjwe who believes that people should follow their passion and use them to generate a living said that her personality makes her stand out.
She described herself as bubbly therefore her designs resemble her character. So far she has not showcased anywhere. “I wanted to showcase at various shows but most of them had age restrictions,” she said. This has been her main challenge because she missed out on so many opportunities due to the fact that she is underage.
Another challenge Kutjwe has is that sometimes people make orders and never collect those therefore materials are wasted, as most of the tops are custom made. She added that despite the challenges, the support from people is overwhelming. “I develop courage from friends and family. Social media also gives me the biggest platform,” she highlighted.
In future, she intends to make more collections and to showcase at different shows. As part of her aspirations, she added that she plans to grow her brand and would like to mature into one of the best fashion houses worldwide.