Luno ’ s: Mzansi ’ s true fashion label
SOCIAL entrepreneur Luno “CK” Ntlangula is gradually making his mark in the hard-to-crack fashion industry with his LunoWear fashion brand start-up he established two years ago.
Ntlangula believes nothing will come between him and reaching his goal of becoming one of the most recognised designers in the country as he is driven by determination to make it big. “It’s been my dream as a young kid at school to design and own a clothing label,” says the Pretoria-based entrepreneur. “My long-held ambition is to become a household name in the fashion world. I am passionate about anything that has do to with creativity.”
Ntlangula, 21, says he is not only driven by determination but his circle of friends are his business partners who he works with to complete his designs and make them ready to wear.
The fashion enthusiast has enlisted seamstress Tawanda Rugora, who is the machinist and seamstress, while rapper Mbongeni Radebe and Bowcutz Events manager Bertram Mlotshwa, assist with marketing and publicity.
“Another factor that motivated me to start the brand is that I was seeing many young people wearing socalled international brands,” he says.
“I decided to do something that has a true South African signature.
“I also want to dedicate LunoWear to my late friend, Thando J Nkosi, who passed away in 2014 – some five months before I launched the label. We actually came up with the concept after brainstorming about what kind of business to start. We helped one another with ideas to make the brand a true Mzansi fashion label.”
Ntlangula says the material he uses for his garments, the fabrics and the wool is purchased from the Metro centre in Pretoria and the manufacturing factory and a small store manned by Rugora is at the Blu Valley Mall in Centurion.
At the moment the fashion label includes beanies, socks, vests, jackets, T-shirts and female bum shorts. Ntlangula uses social media as his marketing tools.
The young entrepreneur is looking forward to opening his first clothing store in Pretoria next year.
“At the moment my speciality is creating street wear for young people between the ages of 14 and 35 – but next year I will venture into manufacturing semi-formal wear as well as branded school and travelling bags. We are also toying with the idea of working on sneakers, fragrances, jewellery and opening tattoo parlours.”
He says there was no need for him to go to a formal fashion design school because he was confident of his talent from a young age. He studied at Midrand High School and Dansa International School.
“I studied graphic design but I did not pursue it after matric. I always believed I could do it naturally.”
The next big thing for the brand is taking it to other provinces, says Ntlangula, who has given the task of launching it in Cape Town to his close associate Tina Nombembe.
Ntlangula was born in Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape and grew up in East London before his family relocated to Pretoria when work commitments required his mother to move to the capital city in 1999.