Johannesburg - Fashion is not always top of mind for most people when it comes to either a problem or a solution due to so many things going on today, including climate change, plastic pollution, deforestation, destruction of coral reefs, lack of biodiversity, and water scarcity.
Unfortunately, the clothing industry is one of the highest contributors to environmental and human damage.
DezgneD was founded and curated in 2015, by two South African designers, Sikhumbuzo Hadebe, 45, a self-taught designer and Lesego Hadebe, 42, a student from the London International School of Fashion (Lisof).
They met at fashion week as they were showcasing their individual brands. “Then after that, we became close friends sharing our industry struggles, then one thing led to another we fell in love and that is where DezgneD the brand was born.
“Both of us have always been curious about fashion and how styles are created. We have always taken fashion as a way to communicate with others without having to say anything. Later we realised by a growing passion for this field of fashion as a business as well, fashion is our oxygen, we can’t breathe without it,” Sikhumbuzo said.
As the fashion industry is the second-largest contributor to pollution in the world, the Hadebes decided to create a sustainable fashion lifestyle brand.
“Sustainable fashion is a way to create clothing that not only reduces the impact on the environment but is also mindful of the people who work to produce the garments. Put simply, it is fashion that is ethically made and environmentally friendly because our origin is from a rural environment. Everything that is produced (especially in farming) is organic.”
Sikhumbuzo and Lesego realised that paying rent in urban cities was not a good investment, which led them to launch their first store in the rural village of Kgabalatsane in 2018. They wanted a low-cost business startup.
“The main objective of rural development is to organise and develop available resources, especially land to offer services in our villages. Catering for the people in the rural areas is rural and economic development and greater transformation of the individuals. With a purpose of enhancing their livelihoods.”
The duo said they needed their business to be 100% black-owned because South Africa was on a drive to broaden the existing pool of black industrialists. The objective was to accelerate transformation, ensuring that black-owned businesses become active players in the mainstream economy.
Sikhumbuzo said what made their fashion brand different from similar brands was storytelling which was the backbone of their brand identity, and was a great tool that helped in humanising their brand.
“In this fast-paced, highly competitive industry, one needs a compelling narrative to show the product in a unique way. We try to create campaigns that incite the emotions and inspire Africans,” he said.
The biggest challenge they had was establishing a boutique in a rural environment. This was something that community members were not used to.
“They were scared to even come inside the shop,” Sikhumbuzo said.
The duo conquered that challenge by changing their store into a creative hub for the community, they offered the community free wi-fi, hosted exhibitions and events for artists and most importantly the boutique became a networking space for artists, the youth and entrepreneurs.
“We created something like a community hall and this collaborative idea turned into sales, we started selling as a business,” Sikhumbuzo said.
They also have a programme called Orange Campaign where they train abused women for three months. “So we train 40 women in fashion design skills so they can be dependent on themselves,” Sikhumbuzo said.
The innovative high-end streetwear brand’s slogan is “Live your passion”, encouraging entrepreneurs to go out there and create opportunities that will make them happier and feel more fulfilled.