Getting invited to show at an international fashion week is a big deal for any designer. Behind the glamour of the spotlights, what does this opportunity mean for a young fashion brand?
“Walking the ramp in the fashion capital gave us a taste of success. It means we are closer to the dream of taking our brand International” says business manager, Thabang. In the 6 months since the show, their direct sales have grown by 33% and sales with their retailer, Urban Zulu, have increased by 40%.
Salva and Thabang (Alvada’s co-owners) are investing the additional revenue back into the business, with prospects to open a shop at 27 Boxes in the Johannesburg suburb of Melville.
The opportunity to go to Turin came via the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), where Salva participated in a mentorship programme. The Wot-If? Trust assisted with buying fabric to make the garments and business skills development. Thabang has also found value in the business admin and marketing workshops offered by Wot-If?
“We’ve come a long way and organisations like Wot-If? have played a big role in our success” says designer, Salva. “We’re really excited about our future. We’re looking forward to going back to Turin in 2019.”
Thabang and Salva have been running Alvada Creations for 5 years. Their shop and studio are currently located in Diepsloot Extension 2. Alvada employs 2 additional people.
On Wednesday, 18 July 2018 we presented our interpretation of Nelson Mandela Day. Every year since 2014, The Wot-If? Trust has leveraged off Nelson Mandela Day to embark on 67 Days of Digital Activism! This time ‘round, our #ActionAgainstPoverty focused on business, technology and cooking for the Diepsloot community. One hundred and fifty corporates & community members lived by Nelson’s Mandela’s “Each one, teach one” philosophy.
The World Choir Games from 4 – 14 July 2018 kick off in Pretoria for the first time in Africa – a competition founded in the yea
r 2000. More than 300 choirs and 16 000 participants from over 60 countries are in Tshwane to compete in the Olympic Games of Choral music. One hundred and forty-seven of the total choirs are participating in 2018 are from South Africa. The World Choir Games (in their 10th edition) feature choirs such as award-winning, Takoma Academy Chorale from Takoma Park in Maryland, USA participating in the high schools segment of the competition.
Diepsloot Mobile Filmmaking Women and Girls
Twenty young women between the ages of 12 – 29 attended a Wot-If? Trust and twospinningwheels’ “bootcamp” about Mobile Filmmaking on Saturday, 9 June 2018 inside eHub Diepsloot. Through word-of-mouth as well as a digital (WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter) campaign, an impressive number of girls and women were attracted to attend the bootcamp. The bootcamp was an introductory measure to create awareness about videography to be able to select additional participants for phase two of Mobile Filmmaking. Read more
MediaTech Africa is a biennial media and entertainment Technology trade show held in Johannesburg South Africa. MediaTech Africa is a highlight event in the international exhibition calendar and gives a platform to showcase and purchase the latest in Technology. This year, the event took place from 19 – 21 July 2017 inside The TicketPro Dome and we made our way there with seven participants already within this value chain.
Permacultured
Permaculture derives from the words ‘permanent’ ‘agriculture’. It is a philosophy and practise that teaches farmers to cultivate land using whatever resources are available. Natural forces such as rain, direction of sunlight, water and wind are taken into consideration to ensure self-sustainable and edible gardens. To impart such knowledge, Food and Trees for Africa recently hosted a one-day permaculture workshop inside eHub Diepsloot.
It gives us great pleasure to inform you of the build and launch of a Media and Technology Hub officially known as “eHUB Diepsloot” funded by Ericsson. On Friday, 23 June 2017 from 10:00 – 13:00 community stakeholders, media personnel and Ericsson team members will join us for the official launch! Located on 7184 Peach Road in Extension 10 (opposite the Ext 5 Taxi Rank), this 244m2 containerised facility is built on the same property as the Father Louis Blondel Centre (hereafter referred to as FLBC).
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It has finally been recognised that the girl child has been socio-economically under-developed and under-resourced for decades. In an attempt to address this disparity, Cell C initiated Take a Girl Child to Work Day® on 8 May 2003. Fast-forward to 2017 and the business community will now celebrate the campaigns’ 15th Anniversary. On Thursday, 25 May 2017 businesses and organisations once again host and motivate a group of girls to “Dream, Believe and Achieve”.
Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work Day® has become a respected movement aimed at imparting knowledge to girl children. Ericsson, as a participant, has recognised this and this year decided to have a series of events leading up to the 2017 Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work Day®.
2017 International Save The Frogs Day in SA
On the last Saturday of April since 2008, International Save The Frogs Day lives out its mandate as the worlds leading amphibian conservation organisation. To use International Save The Frogs Day as a means to raise awareness about the global endangerment of frogs.
It all began with The Wot-If? Trust crossing (prosperous) paths with Pusha Mzala in 2015! The artist management and showcase company hosted their first #PushaKasi2Kasi Music Workshop which directly resulted in 25 Diepsloot artists enjoying the Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition from the 7th – 11th of September 2016.