Nkano Senyolo says local designers can attain global influence through confidence

If you have yet to come across the name Nkano Senyolo, the time to get acquainted with it is now, especially for emerging local designers in search of a global footprint.

I chat to Senyolo less than 24 hours after she and actor-cum-designer Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa landed at the OR Tambo International Airport from Paris. The pair have just returned from Africa Fashion Night in Zurich, Switzerland, where Mlotshwa showcased.

“The designers get to display their designs and share a little bit about their culture and heritage, as well as their stories through garments. Essie Apparel [Mlotshwa’s fashion brand] showcased a collection that was inspired by tracksuits and travel,” she says.  

“Coming back home and receiving the recognition from people about what we are doing internationally has been the highlight of my success. From the media side, people telling our story in different languages is mind blowing. As well as seeing designers’ growth, from opening their retail store in a high-end shopping mall, for me that is exciting.” 

At the heart of Senyolo’s excitement is the brick-and-mortar store launch of designer Sandi Mazibuko of FabroSanz. Mazibuko was joined by fellow designer Mpumelelo Dhlamini of Ezokhetho last year in Amsterdam when Senyolo debuted her fashion-focused business with the belief that “who tells better stories about Africa than Africans themselves”. 

“European designers would often come here to get inspiration from our heritage but would not communicate the narrative correctly. If we went ourselves internationally and told our stories that would be amazing. It would help our designers get more exposure and new clientele,” says Senyolo.

“Also, taking designers that side to get more inspiration and grow in their understanding of how other cultures work; and to broaden their spectrum and business acumen and not feel that they are boxed in only in SA.” 

The 33-year-old from Johannesburg recalls how she travelled a lot and got exposed to the fashion world when growing up. While her career path was initially set in science and medicine, Senyolo credits her father for encouraging her to explore her creative and artistic side.  

“My interest in fashion grew and I enrolled at the University of Johannesburg to study fashion design. After university, I became interested in organising events in fashion and interned at AFI (African Fashion International) with Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe where I was an all-rounder – from marketing, creating a store, production, you name it,” Senyolo says.

“Few years later I worked with SA Fashion Week doing the same thing. In 2019, I started International Monetary Fund (IMF) Business to help established and upcoming designers to showcase internationally and to tell our African narrative.” 

Senyolo was selected to take part in The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation summer school programme that entailed that she travels abroad and find solutions within the ITC, fashion and tourism sectors. Through the programme, Senyolo founded her business.  

“I got to learn a lot and I would often be a guest lecturer, exchanging my knowledge about the African fashion industry and research and establishing ways on how we can get better,” she says.

“As IMF Business, our mission is to restore and build a better fashion industry by creating better fashion designers and creatives that want to showcase their product while enabling them to create sustainable employment opportunities."

Coming from an entrepreneurial family background coupled with her years working in the fashion industry, Senyolo’s understanding of the business of fashion far exceeded her itch to sketch and design clothing. Although relatively young, Senyolo says that the secret to designers attaining Thebe Magugu’s global influence is to believe in themselves.  

“Sometimes when I work with designers, they are not 100% sure that they are ready for an international stage and they are like maybe not now. But when we start with the journey it starts opening different many doors. Designers need to believe in their ability. The fashion industry is underrated and we have many creatives that need to be built and moulded and to be shown that they can make it in the international market.”