VANDERBIJLPARK. –  The 22-year-old is the founder of Roar Clothing line which has a number of items in its collection, including trendy golf shirts, T-shirts, hoodies and more.

The Line draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including street styles, photography and active sportswear. It caters primarily to university students and is progressively gaining a following in Vanderbijlpark and surrounding areas.

The final-year BA Education student, who is originally from Qwaqwa in the Free State, says the brand was inspired by his love of photography.

“I’ve loved photography from a very young age. I wanted to pursue it as a career, but my family discouraged me. When I started varsity, I launched a photographic media company called MJ Media House.” Motaung adds that, because he could not afford to buy different outfits to wear at parties on weekends, he decided to buy plain t-shirts and brand them with his company logo.

“My logo had this powerful, captivating presence. People used to go crazy over my T-shirts and wanted to buy them, and that is how my business started,” he says.

Motaung’s brand’s lion logo represents his desire to dominate the industry and create a universal brand.

The brand garnered an impressive following in a short period of time. Motaung has expanded by adding golf shirts, jackets and hoodies.

He says social media has played a huge role in his business. “It’s been a journey of surprise and learning. Social media has played a big role in the growth of my label. I use it for advertising, taking orders and communicating with my clients,” he explains. After finishing his studies, he plans to develop his business.

Motaung says he got his business acumen from his grandmother, a seamstress, who used to fix clothes for people in the neighbourhood in her spare time.