Durban-based Duke ‘Clothe your Soul’, was established by Umlazi born Sandile Duke Mngadi, who first tried to obtain an Electrical Engineering qualification.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This was a blessing in disguise because this saw a new beginning and a better future for me. It hasn’t been a smooth ride, but the future is definitely brighter.
“I COULDN’T FINISH MY STUDIES DUE TO A LACK OF FUNDS, BUT I HAD ALREADY STARTED DESIGNING MY OWN PERSONAL CLOTHING AT HOME DURING STUDY BREAKS”…
Duke’s focus changed to fashion design when demand for his clothing started to grow. The clientele started to grow from friends to other people who were interested in the brand.
Duke commenced working at the Entrepreneurial Fashion Studio, paying rent to use their machines and the space. “Six months later Duke and two friends opened a studio together, and today we all have our own independent studios.
“THE CLIENTELE STARTED TO GROW FROM FRIENDS TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE INTERESTED IN THE BRAND”…
The brand was officially established in 2012 when we decide to partner up with Ms Zasembo W. Mkhize and registered DUKE AND ZASS PTY (L.T.D.) and Duke “Clothe Your Soul” is still the trading name because it has built an identity in the emerging fashion industry.
One of our dreams as the brand Duke is to open our own flagship store, so that we can meet the demand for our clothes and other related products.
OUR NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
The Brand has been invited to showcase on a few worldclass platforms such as MTN’s Durban Fashion Week ’08, East Meets West Fashion, Fashion By The Sea, Durban Fashion Fair, Vodacom Durban July, Cape Town J&B Met, David Tlale’s KZN Fashion Extravaganza, to name the few.
Duke has been also privileged to have been chosen as one of the winners of two World Class Fashion Internship Programmes, which are David Tlale’s The Intern Programme in 2013 alongside with 5 other young designers and Milan Fashion Internship Programme in 2011. The most recent being The David Tlale’s The Intern Sandile Duke Mngadi was chosen as the winner for 2013 alongside with Ruth Rankin.
“THIS HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO THE NEW AND IMPROVED DUKE “CLOTHE YOUR SOUL” BRAND IN TERMS OF DESIGN, TECHNIC AND RANGE PLANNING WE HAVE GATHERED WHILE INTERNING AT THE HOUSE OF DAVID TLALE…”
Working at David Tlale as an Intern Fashion Designer and I have my studio fully operating under the capable hands of my business partner. As Sandile Duke Mngadi and as Duke the Brand we understand that learning is vital to our growth and prosperity in the fashion industry, so we are still learning.
Duke had the opportunity to show case at The Jo’Burg Fashion Week. The Jo’Burg Fashion Week Fall 2014 was the perfect start to this new venture and the promising future for Duke as the Brand and as an emerging Designer.
“ON THE 7TH OF SEPTERMBER 2014 I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL IN LONDON, UK…”
Duke also had the opportunity to be invited by the KZN Fashion Counsel to be amoung designers that showcased at SA Fashion Week 2015 for Fall Winter ’16 Collection.