X O L I D E S I G N S

By Coco

A creative by birth, visionary and executioner throughout life. Sbusiso "Bash" Yanta as he is known is living proof of the aforementioned qualities of a creator.

The realisation of his soul-purpose came to him when he was young (now 25) with exposure to tailoring and colour coordination with fabrics, he grew up with an inner urge to do it himself and so he began by having his school uniform altered. Noticing the reaction as well as compliments he was getting from colleagues from school, it dawned on him that a career in fashion was the answer and he must - by all means - pursue.

While in high school, he began a clothing brand with childhood friends making bomber jackets and  t-shirts. The inner urge had eased, however he felt there was more to be done, having realised this the universe led him to a higher calling of a traditional and formal nature which is making suits.

He started tailoring with a friend of his (Thulani) who already had a workshop of his own. While working tirelessly on this craft he had to endure the physical and mental toll it took to make it happen. Alas, his supportive sister helped him further the dream he had  by buying him a sewing machine, which he recalls being the most impactful gesture in the birth of his business.

Having learnt the fundamentals of tailoring he was encouraged to participate in a fashion show  ( RVK – Retro Vintage Kollection) held in Pretoria within the same year he started making suits. Although he was uncertain about the outcome of his work he still took part in it, there he met Musa Taylor Mathebula who taught how assemble suits something which had not learnt during his “foundation phase” of making suits.

I couldn’t help but visualise the surrounding of a man who had invested so much of his life in self-invention. What of the worldly pleasures, the synthetic rewards and the constant meditation on wealth that so many us have see as success?   

You lose friends and receive family.

What do you think of the direction that South Africa is taking in terms of fashion?

“It isn’t there yet, competition is tight. We need to consider individuality, fitting into the industry as well.

Corporate may have the power of mainstream media but we have the power of the internet.”

Design Theory

·         A client would be assessed on their personal attributes.

·         The cut of the suit.

·         The colour of the suit.

·         Style of the particular client e.g. Peak lapel or slim lapel.

Clients also get to hand pick the fabric of the suit from an array of provided materials.

How much do you charge on making them?

“They differ, depending on who or what age group the client is within. For students/youth we charge R3 800 +

And for adults we charge R4 500+”.

What are some of the things one must consider when buying a suit?

“First the season you intended on wearing it in, it could either be a heavy material or light. One must check the shoulder pads, for added weight it will have and less weight of the suit it shouldn’t have. The fabric used for the suit, always check the density of it.

Check the chest canvas of the suit (see video below for more details). Look at the stitching of the suit like darted stitching or spider fusing.

Most importantly look at the quality of the suit. This helps with knowing the durability of it.

Have you worked with recognisable people or brands?

“I worked with people like people like ifani and taken part in fashion shows held by students (UJ), I also worked with street cred.

I firmly believe in giving back to the community, so in the spirit of giving back I donated blazers to schools.

DID YOU KNOW: Sbusiso worked as a social work after graduating at UNISA and in marketing prior to his break-through.

Knowledge is key. Stay woke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rvBOOCLpi0