Standerton’s Letta Zulu gets fashion designing on track
“I used bubblegum as buttons on shirts in primary school,” he also said.
Mr Letta Zulu, a designer, journey’s on the road to success had some hiccups, but culminated in a summer fashion shoot at the railway station in Standerton.
It all began for the man, who wanted to be an actor, with a gift of a second-hand sewing machine from a teacher.
His uncle was the one who suggested a designing career.
“Something clicked and it felt right,” he said.
“I decided from that moment on never to buy clothes from shops.”
Letta was on to creativity from a young age and home circumstances with clothes to wear, did not faze him at all.
“I used bubblegum as buttons on shirts in primary school,” he also said.
He began sewing in earnest and left for Durban, carried on with little sleep and a fashion designer gave him a sewing machine.
The interlude in Durban where he fell in with a bad crowd and his sewing machines were stolen, made him decide to return to Standerton in 2016.
He was down and out and spent time with his family, an altogether humbled soul by then.
“I told my dad that I wanted to begin sewing again in 2018.
“He though it was a great idea.”
Letta had to negotiate the family waters to explain to them that their privacy would be invaded, once customers arrive at the house.
“My family helped me to buy an industrial sewing machine.”
He did not however, want to focus on branding, but invest in creativity.
He trains the elderly in Charl Cilliers in exercise lessons and donated 200 masks to the community at the fashion event in town.
“If your talent does not benefit the community, it is not a talent,” the committed Christian concluded.
