Young artist launches a fashion logo
22- year-old Thabiso Cele, who lives in Vosloorus, thinks he may have some of the answers to some of the problems faced by his contemporaries in the townships.
Cele told Kathorus MAIL that he believes by aspiring and striving to acquire educational knowledge about their own history will enlighten them about what is going on around them.
“I have been watching the black community and I noticed that our first major drawback is that we are not united. We always fight among ourselves instead of building one another up,” Thabiso said.
Thabiso recalled how as a young man he developed an interest in history books while he was still a learner at Rondebult High School. He remembered being drawn more closely to books about the history of South Africa before slavery and apartheid. He said he was curious as to who black people were before being oppressed and said this is when he started digging into black history which led to the birth of his fashion branding design.
“The idea was soon groomed and nurtured by a group of his like-minded young friends who gave it a name and called themselves “The Void”. Soon, Thabiso and his buddies started sharing their passion with a wider audience through their Facebook Page.
Thabiso explained that because of the group’s continuous contact and exchanging of ideas with the public on a much wider social platform this gave birth to their group of followers on their Facebook Page. He came up with yet another idea, this time, to expand his communicative skills by sharing them with the public through messages printed on his clothes.
“A person can acquire knowledge by reading what is written on what you are wearing – it makes things easier because in that way you spread the message quicker,” he said. “I want Africans to be united,” he said, pointing out that South Africans who ill-treat foreigners in our country could cause them to unite against us.
Thabiso explained that he personally wants to see more black youth owned businesses in the townships. He said locals rent out their premises to foreigners to run businesses and when they fail to compete with them – then they burn and loot their shops.
“We are very good at fighting against each other over human body parts, drugs and alcohol,” said Thabiso in his message to his peers.
Already, the young forward thinking Thabiso has put his foot in the door of a corporate outlet, Carpo, which had offered to assist Thabiso to achieve his marketing potential by supporting his new clothing venture. Carpo trades under the name Family Tree in Johannesburg. “My aim is to reach all four corners of the world with my new clothing creations,” he said excitedly.
These are not the only influential people who have helped him. Other influential people, such as local poet Makhafula Vilakzi, radio personality, Ferocious Moosa and comedian and YTV presenter Wasabi, has already purchased some of his clothes.
Thabiso’s wide range of printed clothing includes t-shirts, jackets, caps and hoodies and his other dream is to one day start a museum in the township. “I want local communities to have easy access to a facility that showcases their talent.”
He has many fears about his dreams but have decided to make his time on earth an exciting adventure. “I am human, one way or the another I will perish one day but in the meantime I will put a smile on my face every day.”
Thabiso has a strong team, who includes family and friends, that will always have his back.
Also Read: JoburgToday.tv
