MEET MATTE NOLIM

Siyethemba Duma, the designer behind the brand Matte Nolim, is all about making clothes that women can’t help but want to wear

It all started when I entered a competition back home in ’Maritzburg, KZN, and for some reason I decided to use Pick n Pay Plastic packets to make the top. This led to them paying for my formal fashion education at Durban University. From then on, I knew I wanted to start my own brand come hell or high water. I started out making pocket squares for men in Durban and then later found a vacant corner inside a fabric store and started working from there. I started making what women wanted and I got to understand the woman’s body better. Then I moved to Joburg to build the brand to what it is currently.

I felt my previous collections had given people a very narrow idea that Matte Nolim was just bell sleeves and wide legs. So for this collection I looked at a woman who is more sports driven even when she is at the office, she still obsesses about her latest sneakers and tailored leggings. She’s sporty but she’s not here to play games.

My favourite designer is Victoria Beckham. Her understanding of herself and how women see themselves in her vision is to be admired.

My favourite item of clothing at the moment is a pair of high-waist track pants for men by MNOLIM – they are similar to the ladies’ ones that we showed at the last fashion week.

Everyone should have a MNOLIM red crocodile sleeve jacket in their wardrobe.

My favourite fragrance is Tom Ford Oud Wood50ml, R2 950.

If money were not an issue, I would buy Picasso’s “Le Rêve”.

The last thing I bought was a semi-cropped denim jacket, R3 990, Replay, 011-884-6727

I currently have my eye on the new Puma Thunder Spectra sneakers, R2 499, shelflife.co.za

Two grooming products I swear by are, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, 250ml, R589,and Environ VitaComplex SuperMoisturiser, 50ml, R455. My girlfriend says they are good for my face.