Trailblazing African fashion

To showcace in the Invited Designer category at the Vodacom Durban July is a sure sign that you have arrived.

Only eight designers are asked each year.

For Sibu Msimang it is hardly an invitation into the fold. Since the outset of her career she has been welcomed into Durban fashion circles with open arms.

The Umlazi-born mother of two tells of a smooth-sailing career, backed by a strong sense of what she wanted and hard work to get her there.

“Fashion was a dream of mine since childhood,” she says. Which is why it is difficult to understand how she landed up as a chef.

After high school Msimang pursued training and then employment as a chef. She says during this time, on one of her regular visits to the library, a book about following your dreams struck her.

So much so that she resigned from her job as a chef and enrolled in a fashion course at the Durban University of Technology.

The dreams of the nine-year-old girl, who was so engrossed by a CNN doccie on fashion that she began regularly sketching garments, surfaced and flourished in this creative environment.

Msimang passed with many distinctions and – as is one of the great privileges of local fashion students – met some influential people and made her first impressions along the way.

Among her third-year lecturers was Space founder Colleen Eitzen, who invited her to take up rail space at the stores. Msimang’s clothing could be found there until recently.

These days the 29-year-old is retailing at Jempi on Florida Road.

She says motherhood has not changed her pace – she did not take maternity leave when now three-month-old Nkateko (meaning Blessing in Shangaan) was born, and is unfazed by the antics of two-year-old Nsuku (Gold) while she breastfeeds and answers the interview questions.

However, there is a clearly a different air about her these days.

Or perhaps the difference is in how we see her?

For a long time Durban fashion was dominated by black design labels such as Sun Goddess and names like Lindiwe Kuzwayo. They re-created the African renaissance women in their work and it spoke of pride and prestige – a kind of glamour that we craved.

Sun Goddess dissolved and managed to reopen while Kuzwayo has gone on to nurture a highly respected design academy.

Msimang, on the other hand, has trail-blazed her way through one fashion week after another.

This year alone she has showcased at South African Fashion Week’s winter collections, the 031 Collections and now the July.

Her work is visible, current and different. Like her, her garments are down-to-earth.

She designs clothes she would wear on her 34/38 figure, that flatter – and that sell.

She’s managed to tap into a market that she is part of.

Perhaps what is positioning her as a “fashion darling” of late is that her work is not Eurocentric and is not over the top or overly indulgent either.

Msimang does not operate in the Uyanda Mbuli paradigm. Her definition of African fashion is based in the everyday lives of black South African women.

Of which she says: “It’s not about isishweshwe any more; there is so much else to inspire in South Africa. We don’t have to use conventional symbols of Africa.

“Ultimately people want clothing they can wear over and over again. In truth it is difficult to wear a Sun Goddess dress twice or to work for that matter. An outfit can be African and be versatile. Often this is in the detail, in the small things.”

VDJ fashion director Tiffany Prior says Msimang has “a wonderful way of combining a South African influence with fabulous fashion forward thinking.”

She adds: “For any designer to succeed in this industry they need a large dose of talent, an ability to read trend, a sound business plan, dedication and tenacity – all of which Sibu possesses.” - The Mercury

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