inBUSINESS Issue 14

‘Vintage’ Lingerie
Q: When did you establish Vintage?
A: I made a few pieces for the 2006
BOCCIM Fashion Show and True Blue
magazine in the same year. But for
some reason I didn’t continue until 2016
when I registered Vintage.
Q: Initial capital outlay can be hefty
for any project. Where did your
capitalisation come from? Self?
Government programmes?
A: The Ministry of Youth, Sports and
Culture helped me start the business by
funding me with P50 000 in 2009. Most
of it went to equipment.
Q: Kindly give us a brief description
of Vintage.
CM: Vintage is a sleepwear and
underwear brand that is locally
designed and manufactured. That is the
long and short of it. I am self-inspired. I
just love lingerie, so I create pieces that
look good on me because I know they
will look good on other women.
I believe women should look their
best not only in the intimacy stakes
because it’s about a woman feeling
fabulous about herself. It is another
way of giving yourself some self-love
and appreciation, which brings out
of self-confidence. Mind you, there’s
nothing wrong with a degree of selflove
because Jesus H. Christ preached
it. So long as it doesn’t degenerate into
Narcissism.
Q: What quality control measures do
you have to ensure your products
are of good quality?
A: As a fabric artist, I produce clothing
of great quality in both material and
construction. There are items that I
have not started producing yet because
I am working on their quality assurance
before they may go into production.
That’s how thorough I try to be.
Q: Who supplies Vintage with its
quality fabrics?
A: There is not much that one can get
in Botswana, so I import almost all the
material. Ideally, I should be getting
my raw materials locally as that would
create more jobs. But there is close to
nothing here.
Q: Share with us your Vintage
range.
A: I currently make pyjamas of different
styles - negligées, an assortment
of knickers, slips, brassieres, robes,
bodysuits and chemises. My product
line ranges from erotically naughty
pieces to sweet sugar and spicy ones.
Vintage will soon have pieces that are
specially designed for plus-size women
that will be as pretty as the petite
range.
From constant interaction with our
customers countrywide, I am able to
zero in on what they really want. What is
special about Vintage Lingerie is that it
is not boring, run-of-the-mill underwear
because we shun middling here. All the
pieces have a signature style and so
just have to make a statement!
Q: What about marketing? How do
you advertise Vintage?
A: As I had said, we are the new kid
on the block; still fairly little known
but sensational because we pack a
punch. ‘Bang’ is the word, I suppose,
because we are kind of ‘pussyfooting’
with erotica at the moment. Thus far
my products speak for themselves in
the sense that the individual for whom I
produce spread the word.
I get a lot of enquiries from women
who have seen their friends with
Vintage pieces. In due course I’ll have
a Facebook page and run a mini expo
in which I’ll be chatting with men and
women regarding good dress
sense. I see you raise your
eyebrows but I have indeed
been approached by men
who want to kit their lovely
wives out in my lingerie.
Some of them want to buy
seductive lingerie for their
partners.
Q: What challenges do you
encounter in the day-to-day
running of your business?
A: The main challenge that
most of us have as local fashion
designers is competing with stores that
sell imported clothing at exorbitant
prices. The point is that most people
still do not know the difference
between mass produced stuff and
customized designer clothing. As I
said, as a lingerie designer I also
have the challenge of accessing my
raw materials. I would have a design
concept in my mind but it is often a
challenge finding the appropriate
material. This difficulty has a bearing
on price, and I hope people would
understand this about my products
being made of imported fabric.
Q: What is the source of inspiration
for your designs?
A: From all sorts of things. My latest
line, “Sweet Love,” was inspired by
both 1930s and ’50s fashion with a
modern touch. In it I use sheer mesh
with lots of frills and ribbons. The
pieces ‘embody’ a lot of my personality.
Q: Where do you see yourself 10
years from now?
A: Ten years from now? Vintage will
be a global brand, of course. That
a promise, and I don’t make idle
promises.
Q: Where can people your
products?
A: Mine is still very much a cottage
industry because I sell from home at
the moment. My home is my factory
and store. But Boutique Concept Store
has a
so
certain appeal, and
my Vintage range
should soon
be available
from there. I’m
working on it.
www.inbusiness.co.bw | Issue 14 | 2017 21