Self-made tailor making inroads Mr Bernard Hatirarami showcases some of his designs

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
GROWING up in a family where tailoring was a tradition, Mr Bernard Hatirarami (32) of Pumula South suburb in Bulawayo developed a palpable affinity for design and style at a tender age.

His impeccable style and proficiency in the semiotics of fashion are unparalleled, as he aptly adopted clothing styles in a repertoire of tailor-made suits.

Mr Bernard Hatirarami showcases some of his designs

Mr Hatirarami, a self-made tailor-cum-designer, represents a new crop of fashion designers.

He went beyond limits to pursue his dream and subsequently turning it into reality. The astonishing collaboration of social space, digital media and innovative technology has made his skills more efficient and effective.

Grabbing the right opportunity at the right time and enhancing his talent, Mr Hatirarami became a master in his field and subsequently developed his own clothing brand called Scarless Designs.

Mr Hatirarami has dressed prominent business people, celebrities and couples on their wedding day.

“There are lot of models in Bulawayo that I have dressed and these include Miss Tourism Zimbabwe, Mr Zimbabwe, Mr Bulawayo among others and some of these models are international ones. We actually make your wedding a memorable one with Scarless designs as we design suits which are tailored to fit our client,” he said.

“Normally I get business from weddings, graduation and birthday parties and I have done a lot of work for weddings in Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Harare, Gwanda and Kadoma.”

He also designed his own wedding suit.

Mr Hatirarami said he started the journey in 2016 although he has been doing tailoring from a young age.

“I specialise in formal menswear, particularly suits and have also ventured into formal ladies wear,” he said.

“I run a fashion company called Scarless Designs although it was not easy to get started. Patience has always given me more courage to face the challenges and allowed me to go with the flow in a fiercely competitive industry.”

Mr Hatirarami said all that he has achieved is purely on the basis of his talent, skills and knowledge of his field.

He said he decided to venture full time into tailoring after all his clothes were stolen from a washing line.

“You know as a boy, you let dirty clothes pile up until you’re left with nothing to wear. My parents couldn’t afford buying me new clothes hence they started providing me with fabric and a sewing machine,” said Mr Hatirarami.

“That is when I started taking tailoring seriously. Initially I started with jeans and shirts, but the market wasn’t good. So, I tried designing suits and people liked my work and that’s how I ventured into this business.”

Mr Hatirarami has employed three people at his shop in the city centre. In addition to being an ace fashion designer, the youthful entrepreneur is also an automobile engineer.

“Tailoring is something that has always been in my blood, but I once left this field and shifted to auto engineering which I studied at a local vocational training centre. The first suit I designed was for my pastor and he liked it and started marketing me, and that is how my clientele base grew,” he said.

Mr Hatirarami has since invested in industrial sewing machines and is planning to buy more equipment as the company continues to grow.

“I am looking forward to employing more people and secure a bigger place in the industrial area. When it comes to employing people, I prefer getting people who are not skilled so that I economically empower them with skills,” he said.

“Right now, one of the people I have employed is now doing his own things outside work on a part time basis and that helps him to make more money. He recently bought his own machine and is doing quite well.”

Mr Bernard Hatirarami showcases some of his designs

Mr Hatirarami is working on a five year-plan, which includes opening a shop in the city centre. “We are also working on opening another office in Harare so that we are able to penetrate the market there,” he said.

Through designing and making suits, Mr Hatirarami has built his mother a house in Cowdray Park and provides for his family.

“My father passed on in 2020. We were renting but through this business, I managed to build my mother a house,” he said.

Mr Hatirarami said he imports fabric from South Africa and the prices for the suits depends on the quality of the fabric and designs. The prices range from between US$60 to US$120 each. – @mashnets

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