- Mthuthuzeli Kali, a 40-year-old self-taught designer from Nyanga, learned sewing from his grandmother and launched his own fashion label.
- Despite initial struggles, Kali gained confidence and experience by taking on community projects, eventually creating his first formal dress.
- Kali dreams of growing his business and one day hiring a team, hoping to secure funds to expand his operations and reach a wider audience.
“I would be lying if I said I went to school to learn sewing, everything I know I learnt from my grandmother,” these are the remarks from the seamster Mthuthuzeli Kali.
The 40-year-old from Maumau, Nyanga, started sewing as a hobby from a younger age. “I grew up as a very active child. I used to watch my grandmother sewing. I started sewing by playing with the machine when she was not around,” said Kali. His grandmother was a well-known seamstress in the neighbourhood.
Kali started as a tailor and continued to reinvent himself and improve his skills to be a better seamster. His full potential was exposed when his grandmother died in March 2002
“After my grandmother became sick I took the sewing machine and put it in my shack at the back. Not knowing that our family house would burn down just a few days after that, fortunately, my grandmother survived. But her condition deteriorated after that incident and she died three days later,” he explained.
Kali said things turned for the worse as he was left alone. He continued assisting the community, mainly as a tailor fixing trousers.
In 2004, a local woman asked him to sew a matric dance dress. “At that time, I had never done a dress in my life and never taken measurements. But I agreed to do it. I went to Cape Town to buy fabric for the dress. Bear in mind I knew nothing about the fabric but I told myself I’ll ask the shop owner or people at the shop to assist me. All I needed was money because I didn’t have food,” he said.
Kali said he was relieved when he realised that the woman was happy with the fabric. He then started making the dress. He said he kept his fingers crossed, hoping the woman would love the end product.
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“She came with her mother to see it. Her mom described how she wanted the dress to look and I did exactly that and they were happy and loved it. That was when I told myself I could do it and I started doing the other things,” he stated.
Kali said he worked for various design companies and individuals to hone his skills.
He later developed his label G Mouza.
Kali mentioned that to become a great designer one needs to pay attention to detail. “As a great designer, you must have passion and be creative at the same time. Stick to what the customer wants,” he said, adding that he can sew everything. He stated that the prices depend on what the customer wants.
Kali said his wish is to get funds and expand his business. “For now I am working alone from home. But one day I want to see my business growing and hiring more people,” he said.
