Gugu Mlambo Msomi: Stylist Turned Designer, "I Design For The Free-Thinking Woman With A Refined Sense Of Style"

Written By: Nani Hapa—Fashion designer Gugu Mlambo Msomi hails from a family of creative women. With a dressmaker grandmother and an interior designer mother, Gugu naturally gravitated towards a design career, getting training in many related fields such as window dressing and styling, until 2008 when she took the plunge and launched her own range, Gugulam.

Gugu shares, "I worked in several movies and soaps in their wardrobe departments. Until I landed a position as the Head of Wardrobe for television soap called Generations, the biggest television shows on South African television. During that time I learnt a lot about women and clothing and the type of message I wanted to send out. I was able to get a lot of feedback from the viewers and from that I made a decision that I would no longer make clothes for make belief but rather for real life women. That is how Gugulam came to life. In 2008 I decide to set up my own lifestyle brand. In September 2009 we launched at Sanlam South African Fashion Week. Gugulam means my treasure; we believe that everything that comes out of Gugulam is a little piece of our treasure to you."

The line is strong, modern and edgy; Gugu shares, "I design for the free-thinking woman with a refined sense of style." See more from Gugu's collection by visiting www.gugulam.co.za.

(Photo Credits: © Gugulam)