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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
Almost a decade after it found its way to the wardrobes, fashion shows and ramps in neighbouring South Africa, the Freak Nyana clothing label is slowly making its way into Zimbabwe.

A brainchild of Bulawayo-bred fashion fanatic, Joseph “Joe” Tlou, the label which made waves in South Africa some eight years ago after Joe partnered top retail stores Mr Price and Edgars, is now being embraced locally as more and more people are donning it.

Recently, Bulawayo socialite, Ben Chest was captured clad in the label with so many people enquiring where it was from as it suited him well and seemed like an international label.

Most had no idea it belonged to their fellow countryman.

Interestingly, Joe, who relocated to South Africa 10 years ago to pursue studies in graphic designing, ventured into the world of fashion by chance.

Ben Chest

“I went to South Africa around 2010 intending to study graphic designing as I had a passion for drawing. During the first two months of studying, I found myself being drawn to fashion as I realised that I liked clothes too. So I decided to join the fashion design class instead and surprisingly, I was the only male in the class,” said Joe.

He said his final year project is the one that birthed the Freak Nyana label as they were requested to come up with their own fashion brands.

“Throughout my schooling, I managed to enhance my drawing skills and for our final year, we were asked to come up with brands that were unique. I managed to create the brand Freak Nyana.”

On why he called it Freak Nyana, Joe said he wanted his brand to stand out and be catchy.

“The name sounds different to many and that’s exactly what the brand is about. It shows that as people, we are all the same. Freak means unusual and Nyana is Sotho for little so my translation is a brand different from others but is for everyone once it hits the rails,” said Joe.

Because of its simplicity, the label which has a wide range of T-shirts and caps, became very popular in 2013, giving South Africa’s much loved Ama Kip Kip brand a good run for their money.

Well aware the he was in a competitive market, Joe said he enrolled for another course in order to keep abreast with the fashion industry requirements.

“In order to be abreast with the fashion industry, I enrolled for a Retail Management Bachelor’s degree at LISOF fashion design school in Pretoria. This 18- month programme helped me a lot as I managed to keep my label relevant.”

While pursuing this course, Joe said he managed to get stints as a specialist planner with Edcon Limited in Johannesburg before moving to Durban to work at the Mr Price head office where he was also a specialist planner.

On the sideline, he kept on pushing his brand through promoting models in Durban and selling his products door to door.

Unfortunately in 2016, Joe lost his sister Bianca and he had to come back home to run their family business.

But as fate would have it, this afforded him an opportunity to promote his brand in his home country.

“It hasn’t been easy penetrating the local industry but I’ve held on. I’m glad to say that we’re beginning to lure new markets now. We’ve also set up an online shop and also roped in male model, Ben Chest as our face. We’re also looking to rope in a female model soon,” Joe said. — @mthabisi_mthire.