Setena’s designs earn him a Pheli Awards nomination
Ivory Park-born fashion designer passes his skills to the next generation of designers.
Local fashion designer and entrepreneur Jeffery Setena has been nominated for Best Fashion Designer at the Pheli Awards.
Setena, from Ivory Park, regards fashion designing as his first love. The founder of a custom label called Flex grew the love for fashion while in high school. He is inspired by the likes American hip-hop star Kanye West and South African fashion guru David Tlale.
Setana says though he did not have all the skills of fashion designing in high school, he still liked the idea of expressing himself through the clothes he wears.
“My brand name Flex was inspired by Zoochi Coke Dope, a hip-hop artist, when he released a song titled Flex in 2017.
“Kanye West and David Tlale always bring something new to the fashion world. Just about few years back, there was a hobo swag fashion trend initiated by Kanye West.”
Flex has caught the eyes of many in the streets, while others come knocking on Setana’s door to have their clothes customised.
“As a freestyle fashion designer, I do not necessarily have to sketch everything down, all I need is to bring the thought into reality,” said Setena.
“The aim is to empower people coming from disadvantaged backgrounds through Flex because the vision is to be one of the most recognised and established brands worldwide.
“To further empower others, I give them the clothes to distribute and in return they get a cut from the profit, that way both sides get a chance to sustain their lives.
“I also pass my skills of sewing to others. I currently have two students from the neighbourhood and I do it for free.”
After completing his matric in 2016, Setana enrolled at Brooklyn College where he studied fashion designing for about a year before dropping out. Soon after that, he met Rodney Mabudi, a local fashion designer who taught Setena the basics of fashion designing.
“While at college, I felt like we have spent the whole year without actual work. Studying fashion design, I felt there are much more needed male designers in the fashion world.
“Rodney taught me everything I know now and he did that for free, hence I am doing the same for free. I need more students because I believe more people can change their lives through the skills they acquire from me.
“These sewing machines changed my life and they can change someone’s life too. The purpose is to empower and educate those who need the skill to grow and have an income.”
The Flex brand founder has grown from using a home machine to using at least two industrial machines at his backroom space.
“When it all began, my mother had a domestic machine which she gave to me as a starter. Today, I have two additional machines and I am teaching people how to use them. It is all thanks to the people who support and believe in my brand that I am this far.
“In the future, I believe we will make it to the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and the New York Fashion Week.”
Setena is available at social media platforms as Jeffery Black and is available for business on WhatsApp on 061 051 2021.
