Greetings hope you are all quite well, at least I hope you are better than me.
Though I should say that I am quite excited that it is my birthday next week on Tuesday, I am not telling you how old I am.
Maybe if you do like my official pages on Facebook I might be there so that you see me how I am digressing.
Speaking of excitement, here is another thing I am excited about, the Zambian fashion week.
In a few weeks time, the Zambian Fashion week will be on and it’s slated to be very huge.
I will put on spotlight some of the designers who are going to showcase their designs at the event.
Today we start with Thandiwe Banda who participated at the Zambian fashion week last year as an emerging designer.
Well, she definitely is emerging more and more. Her gorgeous designs everything to go by.
Thandiwe fashion label is called ISA Designs and her growing clientele ranges from kids to senior citizens but she says that she focuses mainly on the youth because that’s where she has the highest influence and largest number of clients.
She discovered her designing skills in high school but she says that it was mostly from boredom until she completed her high school that’s when she decided to take her talent seriously (Thank Goodness for that).
“I then enrolled myself into a one year TEVETA tailoring and designing course at Waddington centre,” Thandiwe says.
This means that the versatile designer can both sew and sketch which does come in handy.
She is, however, very humble about her achievements, saying “I appreciate all my accomplishments but I believe you are only as great as your next big thing , I still have a long way to  go and I have so many plans, for my label. “
Thandiwe also enthuses about how she wants to make a difference by empowering young people the same way she says her parents empowered her.
Every creation has a ‘birthing’ process as the soft spoken Thandiwe describes hers.
“What inspires my outfits is mostly the fabric I am working with and I love structured clothing because my aim is to tell a story people will relate to.
Before an outfit is made I decide on the fabrics that will best suit the design, I cut the fabric to suit the design patterns and then
tailor it to design specifications.
Despite being a couture artiste, she says that her personal style is laid back and that she can wear jeans every day.
The beautiful designer gives some fashion tips’ though by saying that her one beauty must have is lip care (lip balm).
For Chitenge lovers she says: “Chitenge is diverse, all I can say is take and make it your own, everyone has their sense of uniqueness.”
Thandiwe says that local designer powerhouses like Charity Nyirongo and Towani Clarke inspire her.
“They have taken Chitenge and infused modern fabrics yet the outfits cultural value has not been distorted and it’s easy to tell the passion behind every design.”
Thandiwe is set to blow and this is something that she is working towards as she outlines how she sees herself in the next 10 years.
“Owning Zambia’s largest clothing factory and to take my brand (ISA) worldwide is my dream,” she says.
Big dreams are always possible, especially judging from her commitment and professionalism.
The designer is currently studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Zambia (UNZA) yet she still manages to deliver her clients clothes in good time.
You can go to her facebook page ISA Designs on Facebook to see more of her couture.
We can only wish her the best of luck.
Meanwhile, I will be waiting for your emails in divadiarys@gmail.com and on my blog divadiarys.blogspot.com.
If you haven’t liked my facebook page you are missing out on all the fun so go search for Nancy Handabile and follow me on twitter @Arushapot.
Check out Thandiwe’s beautiful outfits. Yes! they are fabulous.