Streetwear brand soars to new heights
An ambitious streetwear brand is soaring to new heights, thanks to the impressive groundwork of its determined founder Sandiso Sithole, 26, of Eskhawini in KwaZulu-Natal.
Sithole is the brain behind Eagle Eye Clothing, a trendy streetwear brand targeted at the youth.
Speaking to Vuk’uzenzele, he reminisced how the journey started in 2015.
“I needed to adjust the size of my school pants while I was in Grade 12. My sister, who was doing a fashion design course, bought a sewing machine and I asked her to adjust it for me. She was busy so I asked her to thread the machine and I’d do
the rest myself,” he recalled.
His untapped sewing skills left a huge impression on his family as well as a neighbour who was a professional seamstress. Buoyed by the glowing remarks, Sithole took on work with little to no guidance.
He continued to experiment with the machine while studying towards a corporation management degree at the University of Zululand (UniZulu) in 2017. After completing the degree, Sithole enrolled for a fashion design diploma at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in 2020.
“I went to fashion school because I wanted to refine and sharpen my skill. That’s where I met up with the three guys that I currently work with in the business,” he said.
Prior to that, he continued to do alterations for clients and designed his own clothing items. Before he knew it, people asked him to design for them. Convinced he was on to something, Sithole established his brand.
However, the journey has not been easy, “especially because all this started while we were still in school. There have been some serious challenges, especially when I was still alone. I had to sacrifice sleep to fulfil orders” he said.
Things became worse when he lost student financial aid during his second year at the DUT. Not prepared to give up, Sithole worked harder to pay for his own studies, rent and food.
In September 2023, his brand was announced among winners at the eThekwini Municipality’s Durban Business Fair (BDF) Excellence Awards, Durban Fashion Fair Recognition Awards and Lion’s Den Business Plan Competition Awards.
In total 23 businesses scooped prizes of up to R50 000 each. The prizes also included business equipment and one-year business courses to further improve their knowledge and skills.
The awards are part of the DBF programme, which is part of the City's efforts to support and elevate local businesses and entrepreneurs by providing financial support, mentoring and capacity building.