Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:13):
I'm always always be careful.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Love those um books.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Yet we'll use your head. They will tear you up.
Lack a purple talk. Oh no, no, no, yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah yeah yeah, oh no no no.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Hi.
Speaker 5 (00:39):
I'm Amanda and I'm Rumby.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Welcome to It's lay It.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
We're in a long distance friendship that started over twenty
years ago when we were in high school.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
We'll be talking about all things life, love, family, anything
and everything else under the sun.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Delve deeper with us because in life, you know my layers.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Oh no, no, no, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Hello everybody, and
welcome to a brand new episode of It's Layered, Season five.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Season five.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
I don't know. Somehow we blinked and we're here. We
have this very special guest in the building, someone we
both got to meet last year when we were in
zim for Mairora and an incredible, incredible member of the
zimbabwe and fashion community. We're talking about Lanai Manondo. She
is a fashion designer, texts our artist, storyteller who is
(01:39):
based in Harare. Her work uses multidisciplinary approaches and it
takes a storytelling approach to sharing our culture and our
history and she has a strong focus on preserving cultural
design practices as well as using I guess you would
call them sustainable.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Methods towards creative bomb as you know, say that again, remembering.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Mom, I mean I'm representing if you're watching a video,
I'm actually yes, Oh.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
My god, to die for.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
For my daughter, Like she uses such incredible you know,
style and tactics and methods and while being sustainable and
just you know, she pays attention to detail. We're talking
to Nanai Manondo today. Welcome to the podcast, and.
Speaker 6 (02:27):
I, oh gosh, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
That introduction was like.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
That's why we got to your flowers.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Give you.
Speaker 6 (02:44):
The actually really humble and yeah, the hype is like amazing,
and yeah, wow, thank you guys for having me.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
We're so glad you could be here.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Yeah, I was so happy to have you.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
And obviously we're going to go into all things House
of Stone and all things having a big business, which
is we like to dowve on this podcast and just
ask those questions. I guess you don't normally get a
chance to ask in a regular conversation and get to
know you and get to know House of Stone.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
I mean, when did you decide that.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
You are not doing the typical nine to five job
and you're setting up a business instead because you know
them parents be like a doctor and.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
I know, yeah, you know what.
Speaker 6 (03:27):
It's almost like I feel like I actually didn't even
choose to say I don't want a nine to five.
I always feel like the interrepreneurship life chose me, Like
after people ask me questions and like how did you
get to sustainability? How did you get into design?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
And sometimes I genuine you're like, this stuff chose me.
Speaker 6 (03:44):
So for example, like when I started designing, it's because
I couldn't get a job an essays, so I wanted
to come home and create almost like a portfolio. But
for some odd reason, I was like, let me start
with my brand, Old House of Stone. I was literally like,
let me start this brand which I can sort of
create a portfolio underneath. And before I knew it was
(04:05):
a whole business, and I was like, oh, I didn't
expect that, you know.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
The response was not what I expected.
Speaker 6 (04:12):
I hadn't really planned out a proper business plan, so
I found myself a bit overwhelmed and just like burnt
out at some point because it's almost like the business
itself was running me and I wasn't running the business
because I hadn't actually created a business plan or a
proper vision for what I wanted to create around this
(04:33):
whole concept called House of Stone. I set it up
more as a platform for me to develop a portfolio
so that I could actually go back to essay.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
And apply for a job.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
So I was very much so, I was very much
that ninety five person. But then, like when I started
and the response was so electric, I was like, oh gosh, okay,
so I could actually be a fashion business own.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Now let's do this.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Yeah, that's incredible, especially when you talk about how the
business was running you at some point, like you know,
and kind of following, like running after and trying to
catch up.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
I guess with their literally.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Though that would you say that you've managed to kind
of figure out how to run it now as opposed
to it running you, if that makes sense.
Speaker 6 (05:24):
I think I have a better understanding of how to
run it now, but I'm still on this learning journey
because I feel like you go to institutions internationally, you
learn the protocols, the one to threes of how things
are supposed to work in a functioning society. Then you
try and come back to Zimbabwe and apply those exact
same methodologies. But Zimbabwe is its own ecosister, like we
(05:48):
actually need like a thesis on the economy.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Of zerm and how it works. It's its own little creature.
Speaker 6 (05:55):
So for me, I've had to actually kind of like
step back erase everything that I thought I knew about
the fashion.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
Business, especially from a global perspective.
Speaker 6 (06:04):
And understand how does evolve wave function and in understanding
how it's involve way functions, how can I take that
knowledge and then create a brand that I can still
export to the world. So it's almost like I always
feel like having a business and Zim is like game
of Thrones. It's like a chessboard and you're trying to
figure out which way to move the pieces. Tomorrow you
might find out that there's an information rate that's just
(06:26):
skyrocketed up, or suddenly people don't want to spend their money.
So there's so many things that you sort of cannot
always predict. But I think because I've sort of gotten
used to this environment, I.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
Always have like three four, five backup plans.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Who dos to you, who don't?
Speaker 6 (06:47):
If this happens, how are you going to respond, if
that happens, how will you respond?
Speaker 5 (06:50):
I try to create as many scenarios.
Speaker 6 (06:52):
As I possibly can, and yeah, we'll see how it
works out this year. But I feel like then you
just need to take the plunge. Yeah, and you figure
it out as as you go. You can prepare yourself
as much as you possibly can. But as I mentioned,
ZIM is its own little creature.
Speaker 5 (07:13):
And you're just like living in its world.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Absolutely, And you know, talking about how you know you
kind of found yourself in this this industry as an entrepreneur. Essentially,
how did you those close to you respond to your decision,
like your family, you know, close friends and things like that.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
How was that well likely for me? I'm not the firstborn.
Speaker 6 (07:39):
I always like to give credit to my elder sister,
who chose the straight and narrow road of becoming a dentist.
My brother went into I could study economics, but he
ended up going into art eventually, so I almost feel
like they sacrificed their lives so that I could live
my best life.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
Yeah, yeah, you know, I'll do the thing.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
So by the time I was telling my parents I
want to go study fashion, my mom was all for it.
Because my mom comes from an extremely creative family and
she always likes to say how a reminder of her mother,
who was also a maker. She was always just like knitting,
making stuff. And then my dad was on that whole
tip of you want to sew curtains. I was like,
I don't know how fashion.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Has gone into curtains, omen.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
But the funniest thing about it is that my graduation
collection was actually made out of tapestry that is usually
used for curtaining.
Speaker 5 (08:32):
And I said, who's the joke on?
Speaker 6 (08:37):
But yeah, that's interesting, And I think eventually he got
into it, and you actually ended up becoming my biggest
hype master. You'd like I went to become the Gucci
of Zimbabwe.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Amen.
Speaker 7 (08:49):
Sweet when my parents like try and picture it like
but then they go to like Gucci and they're like, no, yeah,
that's not even thee of mynyway.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
I will take any positivity point a lot.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
You knows, child Ucci.
Speaker 6 (09:10):
Exactly.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
That's exactly what I was thinking. I was like, oh,
you know what it is. Wow.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
I mean a lot of our listeners like to know things,
and maybe on they have wishes on their hearts as well,
So we're gonna just take it back as much as
you like went into the deep end starting your business,
how do you think you garnered the support to start
your business even emotionally, financially physically, I mean, did you
(09:37):
have to have the right connections in Zimbabwe.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
So when I came back from essay my little car,
I don't even know if I want to say the figure,
but I'll say the figure because it's so embarrassing to
me right now. But I had twenty thousand rands saved
to start my little business, and I really thought it
was a lot, and always forget me. It was an
industrial secondhand industrial machine and maybe the roles of fabric
(10:02):
that I purchased. And obviously I say that money whilst
I was working in like my retail job, and I
really thought it was something because I was so bad
with maths and like accounting that in my mind, I.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Was like, I've got money rolling.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
But then I think when you start fashion, you realize
that it's so capital intensive and that a lot of
like the major brands or brands that are emerging have
like a really strong backing. Sometimes you can find a
person who wants to maybe buy part of your business
and they focus purely on the business side. Then you
have someone that maybe might come in from a marketing
(10:41):
point of view and support you.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Then they pretty much just leave you to be the
genius that you.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
Are creatively, and you find that the brands that have
that end up going really far. But most of us
independent self towards, self funded, self everything, who play like five.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Million roles in the one business.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
We sort of have to be all those people in
one so the growth ends up being a lot slower.
But I think what I've noticed is I am a
person that always shoots my shots, and I think somehow
that has that is somehow paid off.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Like half the time I do it scared.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Actually, everything that I've done, I've always been scared. But
I feel like if you wait to feel like everything
is perfect, you'll never get anything done. So half of
the time I feel like, let me just do it,
let me shoot my shots. If it fails, look, I
didn't have it to begin with, and who knows, they
might say yes and voila. And I also think people
(11:42):
respect the consistency that I have shown and the desire
to keep going and how sometimes when I fall down
I managed to still pick myself up. It's easy to
get defeated but I feel like sometimes people have gone
it and have supported me because I've supported myself over
the years and they've seen it, They've seen the consistency,
(12:02):
and I think people ultimately end up respecting that.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
So even if they didn't like it, they're like, we
like what you stand for.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yeah, I'm good enough.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
I think they like what you stand for because they
can see the consistity.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
And me at least trying to.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Improve, especially in the environment you're in. It it's it's
very like commendable to be able to continue, you know,
as you mentioned.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
And Rumby and I can get you about shooting your shot.
I mean even this podcast when we started, we were
like I I personally had to even look at what
podcasting was like, like I go back to the jump,
but like, it's just it's a testament of if you
have something sitting on your heart, just to go for it.
I think sometimes you always see ourselves at the end like, oh,
(12:54):
I'm going to be successful, but it's like it's her
journey and the success is the journey. It's not you know,
it's not the nation. So it's like, yeah, shooting a
short man.
Speaker 6 (13:03):
Works, and it's not funny actually say that because I
always feel like if shooting your shot were a country,
it would be Zimbabwe.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
We we know how to do.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
For sure, for sure.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
And that's such a perfect segue because Amanda and I
on this podcast we celebrate Zimbabwe and creatives and minds
and just everything or a lot of things Zimbabwe. How
excited are you for the creative industry coming out of Zimbabwe?
Because I feel we are a truly I don't know,
(13:39):
I just feel like we're incredibly creative and have a
lot to offer. It's just perhaps we haven't always been
given the platform or it hasn't been as respected by
our own people in terms of, you know, our creative
genius or prowess a few all that. So have you
found it easy or hard to stay motivated? You know
(14:01):
you've already alluded to the difficulties of running a business,
But how do you keep thriving and pushing forward? And
how are you excited for what's coming out of the country.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
I am actually, like, I won't lie, there were many
seasons that I've had where I felt demotivated and I've
had to like find the strength somehow to motivate myself.
But simultaneously, when you see what creatives are managing to
accomplish with very little support and just using their creativity,
their resourcefulness. It almost gives me the energy to be like, yes,
(14:33):
let's get this going. And I feel like this year
and maybe beyond this year, my mantra has been Zimbabwe
to the world, and I keep telling people that I
feel like when the world finally looks at Zimbabwe, it
won't really be through our mining per se, but it
will actually be through the arts. I feel like our
narratives somehow is similar to that of the Nigerian economy,
(14:54):
where Nigeria's at some point were looked down upon, nobody
wanted them around, but now they really dominate within the
creative spaces, and I feel like when I look at
them as a reference, our story is somewhat similar in
that Zimbabweans are always the last people to be thought of,
but I'm starting to see that the way we are
(15:15):
just pushing, coming together, collaborating and just making it happen
with whatever we've got, because we are now understanding, or
at least I say, we're not valuating our own voices
and our own stories, and we're like, look, we're going
to put it out there, even if it's two cents
that we've got. What can we do with those two cents?
So I'm excited because I really feel like it's our time.
(15:36):
This is something stirring energy wise within the creative space.
I love how a lot of our diaspora and celebs
if I can call them that, are coming back to
them and connecting even with the local creatives, and we're
just finding ways to synergize and just tell our stories
and share our arts ultimately.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
You know, it's obviously we've been following along with all
the things that you and House of Stone are doing.
I mean recently you were in London, am I correct?
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
And what ways when you're in those spaces, do you
distinctly think Zimbabwe is being represented or making its mark creatively?
Speaker 5 (16:16):
You know, it's that's quite a challenging question to answer.
Speaker 6 (16:24):
Because I feel like we're still trying to figure out
who we are and what we want to say. Because
even in terms of our history, even if it's from
a form of language or dress, a lot of it
has sort of been lost. So in a space of
really trying to reclaim it, rether fine it and I
think our esthetic right now.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Is actually very fluid.
Speaker 6 (16:41):
Is very much informed by international global trends and trying
to find ways in which we can incorporate.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
Our traditional cultural nuances into that.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
So I think for now, I think we are more
interested in what do we have to stay, say, story wise,
more than the.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Actual, let's say product.
Speaker 6 (17:00):
So I feel like when Zimbabwe's go into these spaces,
they want to hear our story more than anything else.
And even when I ask people in those spaces like
what was it about House of Stone, it's actually never
the clothing, It's always the stories. It's always the power
behind the visuals and the storytelling that has opened doors
(17:20):
for me to be in those spaces because people are
very curious to hear what do zimbabwe think about themselves.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Because we don't know, but the world doesn't know, and.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
They want to know their curious and I think everyone's
looking towards the whole world is looking towards Africa to
state their position.
Speaker 5 (17:38):
So when I go into those spaces, I think that's.
Speaker 6 (17:41):
What I try to do is speak from my perspective,
my experience.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
But I'm only just one voice.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
We need many more voices to show how dynamic we
are as a people, even our different experiences, the different
ways in which we have grown up. We're so diverse
even in those few things, so just to be able
to share that, I tried to just contribute what I
can from my own experience and interests.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
Yeah, that's really dope. And I think something you mentioned
earlier was collaboration, like collaborating with each other. Someone we've
had on our podcast a friend of yours, you know,
in the creative space, Gemma Griffiths, and we've had such
an incredible conversation with her, and she's obviously worn your
(18:28):
pieces many many times. How do you feel like we're
doing as Zimbabwe's collaboratively because I think sometimes as a people,
we have a bit of talking about, you know, how
do we see ourselves? I think sometimes we want, you know,
as long as my things are firing, I don't care
about anyone else, like you know, a bit of that
selfish mentality. But how do you see collaboration working to
(18:53):
help build the creative industry?
Speaker 5 (18:57):
You know?
Speaker 6 (18:57):
Okay, before I even answer that, I should I say
that that culture or that characteristic that we have as
if my things are firing, they we don't worry about
anyone else. I think it comes from our upbringing and
our culture here our high school culture where everything is
so competitive and it's almost like each man for himself.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
But I think as you mature.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
And you become an adult and you work a little bit,
you're not realizing that, yeah, you can have a moment,
you know what I mean, You can actually have several moments,
But life is a season and for true sustainability, it
needs to benefit more than just yourself. And even right now,
from a fashion perspective, we don't even have I don't
even think we have a fashioned culture or system in Zimbabwe.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
It's not there, it's not president, it doesn't exist. So
how can you be so worried about yourself.
Speaker 6 (19:47):
In a space where the actual system doesn't exist.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
You need to work with others in order to build it.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
That's the only way that there's anything worth fighting over
or srubbling over. It's like being a big fish in
a ball and there's a whole ocean and it's like,
but you're.
Speaker 5 (20:04):
In a ball. But I just feel like we.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Need to like get out of that mindset and realize
that we first need to build our industry. But the
only way we can build it is by working together
and by collaborating and then once we built something, then
there's actually something tangible to actually compete over. But until then,
what are we actually competing over? Sense that doesn't make
sense to.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
I didn't say that again, that's just sense.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
It don't make sense, don't make.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Yeah, so I thought it, like that's my attitude towards it,
to be honest.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
That is very frank Actually, I think people would still
be fighting and you're thinking, guys, And I think Gemma's
ethos was that as well, that we need to collaborate
and to do things together. So it's lovely to see
you guys. I suppose champion that because I guess people
look up to you guys obviously being in the creative space,
and I feel like it just will filter through to.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Us as a people as well. Oh that's my hope. Anyway.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
On a personal level, though, how do you balance your
personal life and business obviously being a mom, a wife.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
It's a hard mess. It's a hard mess right now.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
But you know what I feel like, whenever you start
something new, you never really know what it's going to
be like or what the response is, So whilst you're
in it, it always starts off looking a bit messy,
but you clean it up, you clean it up as
much as you possibly can. And I think one thing
I've come to sort of like maybe not a theft,
(21:47):
but sort of like considers that maybe the concept of
balance balance is never really gonna be there.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
You just do the best you can.
Speaker 6 (21:56):
What you've got, and you try and show up, and
you try and prayerrioritize the things that matter the most.
Speaker 5 (22:02):
And I think as long as.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
You're prioritizing the things that matter the most, and that
I suppose becomes your balance. So in terms of prioritizing,
I could do better. Definitely, I think I still have
a way to go with that. But I'm also just
not beating myself up about being imperfect right now. Like
I feel like I've lived a long enough life of
beating myself up for not having it all together that
(22:24):
I wasn't able to enjoy life. So I think today
I can genuinely say, yeah, it's just a bit of
a mess, but I'm good.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Yeah I'm happy, you know what, I totally understand. I
totally relate to that because I think we have also
grown up with this level of perfectionism, especially with women,
especially with mothers. We thought we saw our mothers do
it so, But meanwhile they're probably also thinking, child, I.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Didn't do half the things I was meant to do.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
But like we saw that and we emulate that, and
we think that's what we ought to do.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
But really, as long as.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
A child child to spend, you're going to sleep.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Like a crazy person. You know you've done your job. Yeah, absolutely,
that's so dope.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
But how do you balance the travel though in amongst that,
because obviously you've just been a way for business.
Speaker 6 (23:19):
Mm, well, you know what, I'm so blessed to have
a very supportive husband, to be honest, and I think
a lot of time we often underrate the person that
you choose to have in your life because I feel
like that also differentiates how successful you'll be in your pursuits.
I always say, if you are a person that a
(23:41):
woman that is really like gun Ho and really determinates
lots of things she wants to accomplish in your life
and kind of play all these multiple roles, you need
to definitely have a supportive husband if you're married, and
even like a supportive family that really just shows up
and says, how can we pitch in to help where
we can? And I think I've been blessed to have that,
(24:02):
and I don't take it for granted. Well, I hope
I don't, beautiful, Yeah, because I wouldn't be able to
do the things that I do today if people were
fighting me every single time saying no, you.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
Can't do this, your mother, you have to stay at home,
you can't go there? What what? What? You know? Like
the theotypical sort of wraps. So un luckily that's not
my story.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
So you know, I wanted to talk to you a
little bit about influence, you know, whether creatively or just
your approach to business. So you and I, fun fact,
we grew up a few years together living in Ghana,
West Africa.
Speaker 5 (24:38):
Literally the best time of my life.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Absolutely said that about her life.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
Yeah, it's really just opened for me.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Yeah, it was so great, and our families got to
know each other while there. And I know, for me personally,
the influence of Ghanean culture, just the pride they took
in their culture, the art, their clothing, their food, who
they were as a people and how proud they were.
And I remember, I think that left that has left
(25:08):
a lifetime impression on me on just.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
How I perceive myself.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
And you know, the continent and how proud I have
become of where I come from. So I'm curious to
know about your time, how that influenced you, and how
the rest of the continents influenced you, if at all, If.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
You can talk a bit about that, I was actually
gonna influence me in my character more than anything. And
what I've come to realize is that if I was
to define Ganaan people, they're very warm, welcoming, happy people,
and I think they're considerate and I think I sort
of took that quarter baptism. So that's why sometimes, like
(25:45):
as much as I love my people, there's certain characterismics
attributes that we could work on improving. And I think
it's those attributes that I just mentioned where it's like,
I'm very open, I'm very welcoming. I see people for
who they are upon meeting them. I don't rank people
(26:07):
according to their background or what school they went to,
and I think that's a very Ganane thing. I felt
like Gnaines are just like happy, open people. They didn't
really care too much where you came from. We were like,
we're all humans.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
I feel like that's what I took away from them
in terms of my character as a person.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
How it influences my work. Wow, I think.
Speaker 6 (26:29):
There was a time there was a major influence on
my work. But I tend to like to give myself
time to study my work and actually look at it
and see like these little things that I've subconsciously been
taking in because we're all sponges, right, and sometimes it's
easier to pick up the things that you've been inspired by,
and then there are other nuances, subtle ones that you
(26:50):
might not be able to pick up on.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
But I have a.
Speaker 6 (26:52):
Feeling there's definitely something they beyond just the character influence.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
I think even entrepreneurship, because especially when we lived there,
Ghana was very much there was a lot of that
hustle like just make things work culture. There were a
lot of market that was the life, you know, And
I remember going back to zim and everything was very
kind of clinical and like managed, like.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
You go here to do this, you go here.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
You know, early mid to late nineties that's when I
went before things, you know. Yeah, so but yeah, I think,
you know, even your mentality around entrepreneurship could you know,
maybe subliminately, because I remember being.
Speaker 5 (27:35):
Like, wow, this is different.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
When I was there, I was like, this is so
different to what I knew compared to so yeah, that's
really cool.
Speaker 6 (27:42):
Yeah you've actually given me something to go and like
reflect on. But I definitely feel like I'm a sponge
and I'm always soaking up something like garnering inspiration from
some way. And sometimes that's why I feel like my
esthetics sometimes don't traditionally or stereotypically look Zimbabwean, although we
don't even know what that zimbabwan esthetic is.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
We're judging each other on an aesthetic we don't even
know what it is.
Speaker 5 (28:09):
So I never forget going I was in.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
I think I was in kindergarten or elementary, so I
don't remember where I was, and we had to go
our traditional clothing and I remember like, oh, so what
am I gonna wear?
Speaker 1 (28:21):
And then either I had.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
A zambia just tied around me or I had the
two pieces and isn't it neble like where you wear
like a boob tube like a brass skirt or something
like that. But that's like mele de Mela is also
South African, so you know, I don't know.
Speaker 6 (28:37):
I actually think you did pretty good with the fusion though,
like like the descriptors you're using are sort of like
stereotypically considered Zimbabwee. And also like when you talk about
the borders, right when you say it's South African, is
it really.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
That's true? Like these borders were not created by us,
so true, you know.
Speaker 6 (29:00):
So it's like there's going to be so many cultural
things that people might share that might have crossed over
when they crossed over.
Speaker 5 (29:06):
We don't know.
Speaker 6 (29:07):
So I just feel like, yeah, it's an ongoing study
of ourselves, to be honest, and it's exciting because there's
just so much information that's out there, but we haven't
yet tapped into it.
Speaker 5 (29:20):
And I think we're now. We are the generation that
are curious. We're the generation that wants to know.
Speaker 6 (29:25):
And even when I hear about the history of fashion
and zim, I heard that a lot of it is
in Portugal, and You're like, what, Yeah, there's so much.
Speaker 5 (29:37):
Like our history is just so interesting and dynamic, and
I feel like, will I be alive long enough to
figure it all out?
Speaker 6 (29:44):
But I'm more interested in just doing the work and
sharing the progress and my experience.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
And I do think, like from a dice for a perspective,
us leaving sometimes even makes you even more curious about
where you come from, because you're also like people will
be asking all these questions. You're like, oh, actually, I
don't know, like let me go look that up, and
we're looking at you like what do you mean you
don't know?
Speaker 1 (30:09):
You know, don't you know?
Speaker 2 (30:13):
But it's like, yeah, it confronts you in a way
where you see other people being super proud of their identity,
you know, opening restaurants, opening all these things even though
they're miles from home. Then you think, okay, but where
does Zimbabwe fit into this space? So I'm really grateful
for creatives like you because then we see ourselves presented,
(30:33):
especially internationally, it's just like, oh, yeah, you know, like
you know, are my people.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
Yeah, every time I've shown people like photos of bra
and the legal wedding or whatever, everyone if they see
my outfit for they're like, oh my gosh, and I'm like, yeah,
so I'm telling it also gives us a level of pride.
(31:02):
And that's why it was also important for me to
have that representation on such a day because it was
like I could just wear anyone or any you know
what I mean, So anything, it's like it's it's that
and that's how you know, we build our confidence. I
feel like through the work of you know how creatives.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Yeah, yeah, then we feel.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Confident and proud and like yeah that's us. Okay, that's it,
that's okay.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
So yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 6 (31:33):
Know interesting you speak about your aura because I could
even tell how thoughtful you were in everything that you're
trying to do with that.
Speaker 5 (31:39):
I was like, yeah, that's deep, Like yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Like that's just like okay, come and bring the cars
and yeah, like I won't lie.
Speaker 6 (31:47):
I fought the pressure, but I wanted to be a
part of it, you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
It's like a pressure that you sort of like.
Speaker 6 (31:53):
That you want, not even sort of, but there's a
pressure that you want and it's like, wow, you know.
Speaker 5 (31:56):
What the meaning the thoughtfulness that has gone behind this.
I want to be a part of it, and you
deliver it. Then pride elevel is so great.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Where do you see your business headed?
Speaker 8 (32:07):
Like?
Speaker 2 (32:07):
What is success? Especially what is success to you? For
House of Stone?
Speaker 5 (32:11):
You know, guys? Can I be honest?
Speaker 6 (32:13):
I want to be referenced in lecture theaters. Yeah, when
people are studying fashion play.
Speaker 5 (32:18):
I want to be.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
A reference where people are like in twenty eighteen to whatever,
these were the fashion aesthetics in Zimbabwe and I am
a reference point.
Speaker 5 (32:28):
I'm a study point.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
That is what I'm working towards because I feel like
now I'm struggling to find.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
Zimbabwean designers to reference. Why let's tell you.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Want so you want a moment in time?
Speaker 6 (32:43):
Yeah, And I want him to be able to see
their own doing something the same way other countries and
nations have their own that they reference, and they'll be like, oh,
look at Margiela from the nineteen whatevers or eighteen eighteen
hundred time.
Speaker 5 (33:00):
You know what, we need our own archives. Why reference
foreign designers? Why not reference our own?
Speaker 6 (33:07):
And to be honest as a designer today, I desire
that I desire to be like, oh, who are the.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
Designers I can reference? But they aren't they?
Speaker 6 (33:16):
But likely we have a culture that we can still
reference and look back to and be like, okay, fine,
I'll take from the culture, from the broad cultural spectrum
that exists and be influenced by that. So I think
it's important for us to have our own.
Speaker 5 (33:29):
People to reference.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
With this in fashion, with it's in music, whether it's
in film, to be able to study our own films
and lecture theaters and be like okay, Joe jangu In, Yeah,
twenty twenty, this is what they created, This was the
narrative behind it. Why were these sort of stories being
told this year? What was the influence and how can
we reinterpret it for you.
Speaker 5 (33:48):
Know, twenty eighty or something. So I feel like that's
important to have your.
Speaker 6 (33:53):
Own people to be able to reference, even from lecture material.
Like half the time when people write on Zimbabwe or politics,
it's a foreigner writing about us.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
No excuse me, no, no, yeah, how do I know
you're even telling the truth? And even with like research
and references.
Speaker 6 (34:14):
One thing I've learnt about Zimbabweans is that when they
get interviewed about a certain topic by a foreigner, they
pander to the interview so they say what they think
the interviewer once. Yeah, what it is the difference of
I go into a real community and I want to ask.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
What, what's what's the life on the ground.
Speaker 6 (34:34):
That kind of camaraderie, brother sister conversation will be so
different than from what they will have with a foreigner.
Speaker 5 (34:40):
And you'll find if you were to put the two
documentations together, like wow, that was vastly different.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Yeah, definitely, And we are a prideful people, so we'll
present a certain image to you because you're like, I
ain't telling you my house is burning right now.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
I'm not done.
Speaker 6 (34:58):
Or if you want to tell me that my strugg
is this, because I know that's what you want me
to say. Have you ever had like those interviews when
someone interviews you asked you a question with an answer
and it's.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
Like why did you ask?
Speaker 4 (35:08):
Yeah, or when they literally want to hear you talk
about struggle and you're like, oh, no, I didn't grow
up like that was yeah, I didn't grow up like that,
Like no, but like you're you're you're Africa, you gotta struggle.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
And I'm like, I.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Mean yes, but not like yeah, yeah, I see that
a lot with travel and when we tell them, I
mean even you guys talking about growing up in Ghana
for a part of your childhoods or saying, oh, we
used to travel a lot when we were kids, you
know a Zimbabwe was working, like you know, it's like
one of those things probably be like no, we don't
want to hear that story, like this is a valid
(35:47):
including mine, you know it is.
Speaker 4 (35:50):
Absolutely do you know what you talk about being referenced
by other designers in the future, which is so beautiful.
And I think even as a customer like who wants
to you know, we had the whole movement of by
black after twenty twenty, the riots in the US. Legitimately,
I think I sometimes and I'm like, oh, I need
(36:12):
something new, and I'm like, okay, African designers and it's
all you know, someone from UK based, American based, typically Nigerian,
maybe Gannaan, maybe some one or two other nationalities, and
even as like other fellows Zimbabweans.
Speaker 5 (36:29):
It's hard because you can't even be.
Speaker 4 (36:30):
Like hekay, so I bought a cozy from you know
this and like I'm telling you a hot girl summer
in a zimbabwin fit.
Speaker 5 (36:39):
I'm telling you I got a little yeah, you know,
but like do you get what I mean?
Speaker 4 (36:46):
It's like even from that level of like you're kind
of like thrown like where do I go?
Speaker 5 (36:52):
Or like what do I choose?
Speaker 4 (36:54):
And that's why I think First Fashion continues to thrive
because we're just like you know what, I just this.
Speaker 5 (36:58):
Is easier to access or to fine. True.
Speaker 4 (37:02):
As we prepare to wrap up, I wanted to ask
you what your ideal client would be, like, who is
someone who because you also do you know, to order,
you make to order a lot of your club. I
remember I felt like I was auditioning.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
I was like, who, I hope you know? Fine?
Speaker 1 (37:25):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (37:26):
So what's your deal? Client?
Speaker 6 (37:28):
You know, I usually have like a broad descriptor, and
I always say it's the conscious wonderer that what I
mean by that is someone that is open to learning,
someone that cares and is intentional about what they wear.
They care about the materials, they care about the stories
as much as the actual final product, and there are
in a sense exposed. They want to see the world.
(37:51):
They want to see what the world has to offer,
whether it's just like even your own space.
Speaker 5 (37:55):
Let's say, if you can't afford.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
To travel to the States and be curious about where
you come from, least try and figure out like what's
happening in your space. So that's why always say the
curious wonder us. Someone that is curious, wants to learn,
wants to grow what's to be exposed, and wants to
live an intentional life as much as they possibly can.
It's not an easy thing to do because sometimes life
(38:17):
is happening. But I feel like when you put intention
into things, you get a better result out of it. Ultimately,
it's a win win for everyone involved.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
Question just preaching to us just like bars, any upcoming
projects that you we should look forward to. Obviously you
can share with our listeners anything happening for your store.
I know you also got a store in Helensvale, you know,
(38:45):
can we just because if some people might have been like, hustle.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
Stone, what's this? I've never heard of this? Where can
they find? You? Just share all about yourself with us, please.
Speaker 4 (38:54):
House of Stone. The name am I correct to say?
It comes from Zimbabwe, which comes from zimbabe ma which.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Literally we get but with.
Speaker 8 (39:03):
A twist because she speus h a u okay, but
no like it doesn't like things that I happened oh
so much with the showroom.
Speaker 6 (39:21):
Actually, the angle that I took was really different. I
guess people would call it a store because there's things
that they can go in and buy. But the reason
I called it a show was it was more of
like a display space where people could come in and
see the pieces that I have available, order them and
I can make them and if they like it what's
in store and they fit it, then they can buy
it off the rail but then I also incorporated other creatives,
(39:43):
other zimbabwe and females Zimbabwean creatives. And you know the
funny thing about it is when I invited all these
other amazing Zimbabwean creatives to be a part of it,
I was like, Hey, we can have a one stop
shop being experienced where maybe someone comes to see me,
then they can see Boyeka or see patch my Walko
and discover other brands and we can sort of cross market.
(40:05):
But the thing that I later discovered was all my
suppliers were female, and I was like, that was not intentional,
But I felt like I always believe in the spirit
and the mood of the times, right and for me,
I felt like that was telling me that it's the
time of the sheep.
Speaker 5 (40:22):
Women need to come together.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
Women creatives are doing things, amazing things, and we can
work together. This stanky narrative that we can't work together,
it's a lie from the pets.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Of how yees say it again?
Speaker 5 (40:38):
Hi? Right?
Speaker 6 (40:40):
You know, I feel like that narrative has sort of
like been people keep saying that narratives sort of trying
and convince us women.
Speaker 5 (40:46):
That we don't like each other, that we can't work together.
Speaker 6 (40:48):
And it's almost like trying to saturate it into our
soul so that we believe that lie and it's not true.
Because is when women do work together and we finally
find a level ground with were sisters. Whatever we are, right,
the things that we managed to accomplish exceed us as individuals.
So I said, this lie, this trap from the pips
(41:10):
of how.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
I need Yeah, that's great.
Speaker 4 (41:24):
Yeah, and you and your handles on social media. You know,
she has a website. We're gonna link everything in the
show notes and.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
You know.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
The description, but please share with us where we can
find you for those who are not in ZIM who
can't go.
Speaker 5 (41:40):
To the showroom.
Speaker 4 (41:42):
As you know, she's got a website and you can
work collaboratively with that.
Speaker 5 (41:46):
I virtually, which.
Speaker 4 (41:48):
Was a really she takes a very let me just say,
it's very serious business.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Like she she don't play with.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
Personalizes it. She asked you what you were saying, King,
and if you have any references? Then she goes through
some of her work and says, is there anything here
that like she I don't want to kill her, you know,
but she people, I'm not getting this.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
It was really nice.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Pressure. The pressure is getting wet.
Speaker 6 (42:22):
It's good pressure because now I can't let my girl
down like you can't.
Speaker 5 (42:27):
I can't let me down.
Speaker 4 (42:29):
No, So please let us know how we how we
can find you or where we can reach you and where.
Speaker 6 (42:38):
Well you can find me on social media across every
platform is house of Stone spelled h a u s
of stone and in them you can find me at
Helensville Shopping Center inside the Emmagumen Culture Center and that
place is about to be a whole vibe culturally, So
you guys have to come through because the same vibe
(42:59):
you guys are coming back the doors for.
Speaker 5 (43:01):
Yeah, we've heard.
Speaker 4 (43:03):
About emmy, I have heard about it.
Speaker 5 (43:07):
Whatever you heard about it?
Speaker 4 (43:13):
Yeah, okay, wonderful. Thank you so much, and I amana.
I don't know if there's anything else you want to add,
but this was just so enriching. This is why we
wanted you on the podcast. We stand people like and
I who are truly change makers in the creative industry
and ripping them so hard, like I can't even keep
(43:34):
up with what she has done. So much respect, much respect,
and as always, thank you for being here. Thank you
to our listeners for tuning in and spending your time
with us. We are on all the social platforms, we're
gonna link them in the description, and we look forward
(43:54):
to seeing you on our next episode. Bye everybody, Bye guys.
Speaker 5 (44:00):
Fine yeh yeh, yeh yeh