In the December of 2017, I was at a crossroads in my life, I had just resigned from my then job with no plan. I should have been panicking but I felt calm, I jumped into action mode and used a portion of my severance to buy a laptop and started to look for a job again. I made a bunch of calls and tried to pull favours from my network. I applied to more jobs than I care to admit only to receive rejection after rejection. Multiple interviews led nowhere, weeks turned into months, and I wasn’t finding anything.
One night sitting outside my place, talking to my friend I ranted about how my savings were vanishing as I tried to stay in Johannesburg and look for a job. Their response was simple and profound, “Since you not finding a job, create your own”.
Starting my own studio felt like an impossible feat. The Studio is named ‘UMUGQA’, which is isiZulu for ‘a line or a mark’, I wanted to create products that leave a mark or strong impression on people. I had no clients and no portfolio of work, just had the dream of creating a space where I can do great work and get paid accordingly. Worked on my technical skills, started to talk more about my work, deep-dived into changing my mindset, unpacked my limiting beliefs, and learned how to handle clients better.
Flash forward 4 years of me doing freelance projects for a few clients and struggling to get real traction and a friend suggests I enter a design competition to make a trophy for the iconic Durban International film festival. I was already late to enter and got an extension over the weekend. Did my entry and submitted it. A week later I find out that I had won the competition and would have my design publicized and promoted. That would be followed up later that month with the news I had become a finalist in the Nando’s Hot Young Designer competition. My life has been a roller coaster since then.
I couldn’t have imagined that day back in 2017 when I made that leap that would end up with me launching my debut furniture collection, collaborating with the biggest brands in the industry, showcasing at Decorex Cape town and Joburg, and being nominated as one of the best-emerging designers in the country of 2022.
Now I am the excited to have this opportunity to continue creating products and contributing to the South African design industry.
If you are interested in finding out more about the collection contact us via the company WhatsApp or email.
sales@umugqastudio.com
066 055 4018
