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Entering a saturated fashion industry as a self-funded, unknown designer takes a little bit more than guts. For Orah Banyini-Dube the urge to enter fashion was a spiritual driving force that led her to believe that this was where she belonged. And for now she’s harbouring some growing success. Tallit Wear, a name inspired by the Jewish prayer shawl, has been around since February 2016 but is already gearing up to take to the world runway at the International Fashion Week held in Istanbul in the first week of September.
Banyini-Dube, from Tzaneen, Limpopo, moved to Johannesburg 18 years ago to study public relations at Wits Technikon, (now known as the University of Technology).
“Growing up, all I wanted to do was be a flight attendant and see the world, but we didn’t have money at home so I never thought that I would be able to get a university qualification,” she tells #Trending at her Northcliff home, which is also where she runs her business from.
“I worked in sales and advertising too before journeying into business when I started a hair salon in North Riding, which specialised in the care of ethnic hair. I ran that for three years until it was the right time to sell and venture into the restaurant business.” But it was fashion that the gracious designer said chose her and wouldn’t let go.
“This is something that I love. I’m very passionate about fashion.” She expresses deep endearment for the industry like nothing else she has talked about during the interview. “It leaves me thinking, what have I been doing all of my life – but everything happens at the right time as it should. So I feel like I am in the right place in my life to create to my fullest potential.”
The adoring designer is wearing a brightly coloured long-sleeved maxi dress from her collection. She says that, while scouting for a dress for her birthday, it became a struggle to find someone who could execute her dream dress.
“I found someone that I could guide through the process to create the dress that I wanted. The response on Instagram was overwhelming and the thought of getting into the industry was sparked there, but I suppressed it.
“That is, until God whispered in my ear that this is what I’m supposed to do.”
Once Banyini-Dube – who only sources material locally – got over her fear and put her first range together, the success that she garnered grew Tallit Wear to a place where she now has her own small factory with four employees who implement her designs that will be going international.
- Shop it at tallit.co.za
