A shift in creativity for Shirindza
Designer has gained plenty of experience
A leading South African fashion designer had to juggle several jobs to keep his studio afloat.
As a result, Odysseus Shirindza gained flexibility and moved from the fashion runway to managing a well-known art gallery.
Shirindza, who once worked at Amazon as a customer service liaison officer while in Cape Town pursuing his fashion career, conceded that having more than one job led to fatigue and that the Cape Town life was becoming too pricey for him.
“Being a self-sustaining business, because I had no sponsors, was difficult.
“So was running the studio while taking care of myself. I had to find [the] means to support myself and the business,” he said.
The second eldest of five siblings has now temporarily locked away his sewing machine to focus on managing Gallery Momo in Rosebank, Johannesburg.
Shirindza works as a director of the Johannesburg space at the gallery – where he confessed to wearing many hats in a day to make the gallery’s programmes a success.
“There is no one set title. I curate some shows, help organise events,” he said.
The Limpopo-born designer said his duties as a director include administrative tasks, and ensuring that the gallery is visible and well marketed.
Shirindza, who started working in the fine arts space two years ago, said his move from being a designer to the gallery was not a conscious decision and commended his fine-arts background from his fashion degree for assisting him in his current job.
“I had gotten to a space where I felt that I had exhausted all the options I had in the fashion space.
“It just felt like the right move to make.” His first stint in the arts was at the Association for Visual Arts in the Mother City.
Shirindza, who has spent the past 16 years away from home studying in Durban and working in Cape Town, said he enjoyed the Johannesburg cosmopolitan life.
“I grew up in a farm town, [Nkowankowa, Tzaneen].”
Shirindza graduated with a fashion degree from Linea Academy in Durban.
Two years after a successful show at the Cape Town Fashion Week, Shirindza relocated there to set up his fashion studio.
The Cut presenter has shown his designs at Cape Town Fashion Week, Durban Fashion Week and the SA Fashion Week satellite shows.
He still consults with a small, loyal client base, and continues to give them style tips and advice.
Shirindza revealed that although he was committed to his role at the gallery, he will be resuscitating his clothing label, Arnreuby, this year.
“People can expect a mature me.
“It will be something very small,” he said.