POP-YA-COLOUR: Itumeleng 'Mercia' Matlhaku (Interview)

PART 2: The Interview

I had the privillige to do the press coverage for a NWSD shoot & once again we had a successful fashion photo shoot featuring NORTH WEST SCHOOL OF DESIGN Graduate, designer...

 Itumeleng Mercia Matlhaku 

from Deep Moon Fashion Emporium

http://www.deepmoonfashions.com/

The Questions:

K: Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? What's your educational background? What are your general professional and non-professional interests?

M: "I'm vibrant person yet an introvert at the same time, when it comes to other personal things I become very private but When it comes to work and my life as a designer then what you see is what you get, I am a type of person who shoot straight from the hip, I'm from MAFIKENG but I grew up in different places, I was born and bred in the North West, after Matric I studied Clothing design and technology with North west school of design and currently studding BA Communication science with UNISA.

K: What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?

M: The very first article of my designed clothing was with TRUE LOVE MAGAZINE 2004.it was for ethnic chic! The fashion editor gave me two full pages and it was worth 60 000 and the response was profound! It gave me a break because it happened right after I opened a bigger studio in Johannesburg fashion district.

K: What do you believe makes a quality article of clothing?

M: When an article sell a designer/store attract the readers and covers a relevant line for its readers; it is explanatory and has all the necessary info like contacts.

K: What's your favourite part about conceptualizing a design?

M: The very first part! Gathering information about the design, what, who, where, when and how, immediately in my head a picture emerges and makes the next step of garment illustration very pleasurable!

K: What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?

M: Being a designer is not easy! You have to work twice as hard to make it in this industry! You must be self-motivated, driven and have perseverance .It is basically a field for hard workers and go-getters; there is absolutely no time for excuses."

K: How would you define your personal style?

M: Funky and...depending on my mood, there are days when I can compromise sophistication for class. But personally I am what they call an evangelist for iskhothane (obsessed fashionistas). I always rock high fashion garments hairstyle and shoes. I’m a sucker for style. If I had my way everything I do or about me would be stylish, from my kids, the house I live in to the car I drive depending on my mood.

K: How would you define the style your line exemplifies?

M: With this collection I was bidding farewell to color block and unarranged full colour, it’s a no relation collection! The garments a totally not sisters to one another, they dont come from same concept or fabric!

K: Where do you get your inspiration?

M: People inspire me! Their characters, moods, attitude, love, hatred, envy, jealousy, body sizes and shapes. I believe PEOPLE ARE LIFE! THEY MAKE LIFE! Every negative a person does drives me to be a winner every positive thing a person does drive me to the top of my world.

Missed part 1?

http://kalala-fashion.blogspot.com/2013/03/pop-ya-colour-deepmoon-fashion-emporium.html