How Sefolo left the safety of auditing job
Designer ignored criticism to pursue his true love
Meet Otsile Sefolo, auditor turned fashion designer who hails from Pretoria and is responsible for the plethora of extravagant looks we’ve seen adorned by our local celebrities. Sefolo of Otiz Seflo recently dressed Real Housewives of Durban’s Nonku Williams for their season 2 reunion show and a month ago made the much-talked-about Faith Nketsi wedding dress, which he revealed took two days to complete.
We sat down with the 35year-old fashioner to share on the beginning of his 14-year long career of making memorable garments.
When did you know that fashion was your first love?
Fashion has always been my love but because I come from a family of academics, I felt I had to follow that route as well. But my love for fashion dates back to my high school days when I’d take my siblings’ clothes and piece them up to create something. But at the time I didn’t even know that was a passion for fashion because I didn’t know that there was a career for fashion design. I didn’t attend any arts school but I was always curious about the creation of garments.
What did your family say about your decision to leave auditing?
I completed my auditing qualification and had started building a career there but I was miserable. I quit everything and went to Lisof Fashion School in 2008 when I was 21 years old and for the first time I felt free and content. But my family didn’t understand. My partner at the time would show me people I studied with and say “people your age are far in life and look at you wasting time.” My brother also said I was throwing my life away, while my mother remarked, “what kind of man goes and plays with fabric?”
There was a period when I wasn’t on speaking terms with my family. I had decided to cut myself off because I felt misunderstood. It was only when the business was picking up in 2014 when they could see my progress, that’s when they started understanding me.
When did the brand Otiz Seflo begin?
Three months into studying fashion, a man called Theo Mabongwa asked that I make him pants. I told him I don’t know how to because I had just begun with my studies but he gave me R250 nonetheless. I bought some material but those pants wouldn’t move past one thigh, that’s how small they were. But he encouraged me that “at least they go in and they look nice.”“Try again,” he said. So, he gave me a second R250 and this time around, the pants wouldn’t go past his buttocks. He still encouraged me and gave me my third R250 to try again, and those fitted well. From there I made him his second, third and many to come. Clients started coming in through him and we started.
There must have been challenges to your journey?
Definitely, especially from a financial point of view when I was studying. When I left my job I had only saved up R70,000 and when I went to study, I could only cover the first six months of studying. For the other six months I wasn’t allowed to attend classes, so I would walk from Bramley to Rosebank, everyday just to sit outside and wait for the other students to get information from them and notes. I’d go and study by myself but, by God’s grace, I managed to finish.
What do you hope your journey teaches the next person?
It’s never too late to start again, to figure yourself out, to find your passion and purpose. And there’s nothing as beautiful as being remunerated while doing what you love.