The handbook guide to making it in fashion and job opportunities
When someone suggested I bring back the blog I thought to myself, why should I share content when I am going through some rough patches. However this blog was never about the fab life, it was sharing the realities of my life which are not always rosey and as simple as can be.
Winter is coming, at least it has hit some parts of South Africa already and we have you covered for the winter with our bomber jackets under HAMBA, which solve so many of fashions problems.
Problem 1: I want a jacket that is versatile throughout Winter and Summer and easy to layer
Solution: We have the classic bomber jacket that is available with a light fabric and light inner lining. Enjoy this jacket that is unisex and versatile as well, fabrics subject to availability.
The Classic Piece
Problem 2: I need to show off my figure and need a feminine jacket
Solution: Our crop versions have the beautiful length to show off the figure and a flattering cut to show off your feminine curves
Problem 3: I need a super bomber for winter to survive the windy days and extra cold weather
Solution: Our bated bombers give volume and warmth for the wearer and really useful for cold weather.
We got you covered you can find out the prices of these items with a $10 USD cash discount for cash payments. www.hambanow.bigcartel.com
Images and Creative Direction by SEIPONE MEDIA by Refenste Sebothoma
xoxo
Robin
Harare, Zimbabwe – I recall starting this blog as a tumblr account on a dialup connection with ZOL as well as my moms HP computer which was for her company. If I had seen that in a few years I was going to have a collection in Malawi and clothes shot in Johannesburg I would have never believed.
I started very small but driven. I had a web camera for my content. Imagine a laptop on the ground as I took pictures of my shoe finds.
Often we forget where we came from. How much has been done to fuel a dream. Often making us feel ungrateful when we look back 5 years ago how one dream to start a blog has turned into a business from travel to fashion.
In 2014 I started Ngosikadzi and the designer I worked with, was a mess. In 2017 I met Michelle Hakata as a boss of mine ended up teaching me how to run a fashion line. A senior media person taught me how to start a fashion line! Mentors are found everywhere.
The point I am making is there is no need to get bogged down in getting trained before you find that drive to work with what you have access to.
Today could be the beginning of a new journey into unknown territory…your obstacle is YOU as much as your enabler is YOU. What side of you are you going to let dominate you.
Just do it. As long as you do something you learn.
Xoxo
Robin
As a continuation from when I revealed I quit my job for freedom one would think this was planned out to perfection. The answer is No it was not quite.
A normal person would have savings, I had used all mine on trips for travel blogging sake!
The day I resigned I realized that my opinion or feelings were always going to be ignored for as long as I was a single young black female. For some women staying true to themselves is how they break glass ceiling, for me staying true to myself is to never allow my worth be questioned and reach a stage I feel like crap.
Maasai jacket
2016 was a difficult year for me already in addition to being obese, the relationship aspect pretty much involved me being lonely and alone a lot. Being really fat helped worsen my lack of a dating life too.
So here I am back from captivity and now the Freedom Project began, I am free. When I let go of the job a day later I was invited to showcase designs in Lilongwe, I got a job interview as well at an ad agency (I did not get a response but I know I did not get the job.)
the favorite jacket
I never imagined myself as a designer for my travel blog but Lilongwe made me break into a new area, in a month I created a collection inspired by travel.
For now my energy is going towards the fashion aspect of it as I figure out other things.
I was told how depressing it would be but I have time to visit family and make merchandise, Lilongwe was fabulous a success in the people I met and the result for me was great at Malawians and South Africans connected with Zimbabwean crafts as fashion.
I also needed to break away before I felt miserable, more to my worth than money but purpose and God is providing.
For now a sneak peak to my top sellers the bomber under hambanow… more LIFW show pics with Camron Pixel Perfect.
client bought this to be made in Zimbabwe
batik Blue jacket
x.x.o.o
rob
A month since my last blog post but more than a year since I have been completely open and blogger like on this platform. So here I am, Concrete Jungle Fashionista back to do what I began years ago, which is share too much information.
For the past three years I was defined by my employer so in May I quit my job to pursue a project I call freedom. The freedom project was when I decided it was time to turn my life around.
A complete change started when I was miserable in my job for over 12 months of absolute misery, then I started gaining weight. It crept up slowly over several months of eating crap and not moving an inch.
I went to the Doctor and my body was in bad shape from all the misery at work. See people say that work things should not affect you, but it does get to be a stress at a certain point. It stemmed from actual harassment from people abusing power to make my experience hell. The sad thing is the level of presence of these individuals when they greet me as if they care how I am. (Bish Please).
I got prescribed mild anti depressants, instead of medicating myself while under misery I decided to fight off the negative energy through exercise.
In two weeks I realized how exercise is like fighting for a dream, putting in the work discipline and mental resilience taught me this was more about my need to start my venture as hamba now and have FREEDOM.
Back with a bang!
So here I am free to express myself and mostly live my dream and running away from negative feeling. Exercise has given me a level of achievement I cannot imagine to explain.
In 6 months I have lost 13 kilograms and have learnt a lot about hard work and myself in the process.
So far the leap of faith has resulted in events in my life I will be sharing weekly, more than once that include the following,
Travelling around Africa for festivals
Debut Fashion Collection in Lilongwe
The truth about travel tips and sheer comedy when traveling
Here is to a new chapter in my life, it feels good to be back and stronger than ever before😍!
x.o.x.o
robz
Everyone has that guy they know who has horrid style. While they may not like the idea of a gay stylist or their bae telling them their style is whack, they need this infographic. There is no shade here, remembering someone was not impressed with AKA a South African rappers black tie brown shoes at an event with his current bae, Bonang.
So please all those with a husband, boyfriend, guy friend, brother, cousin whose style never knows what to wear for a dresscode www.theblacktux.com sent me an infographic to solve that mess!
Harare is becoming a fashion hub in its own right, back when I started this blog it was unclear to me where we stood as an industry.
This year Designer of Zuvva is launching a fashion school branch.
They call us Miss Independent. She walks like the boss, talks like the boss…and is fly effortlessly
Do not be fooled. It can come with connotations that independence means from love and human contact.
Let us be honest…
Being a female entrepreneur has enough challenges as being a corporate working female.
It is the snide remarks on women having to be domesticated, despite that when people decide to be housewives they also face challenges.
But there is hope
This past month I have been settling down in a new job. Yes the job that was my entrance in media at Sunday Mail has changed. It was a rather long and hard decision, okay maybe I WhatsApped my 4 friends who said GO GET IT GIRL!!!
So here is what I learned so far when I changed from the biggest newspaper brand in Zimbabwe to … well… somewhere unknown
HARARE – A haven for bloggers is definitely a coffee shop. The coffee shop gives a mobile home office, WiFi and power source and you are ready to do your thang (Not sure if it is cool to say thang instead of thing anymore).
Being a blogger means you wear many hats so you can also be a business person, a student studying school or setting up a project – we make several plans.
So I have not shopped in a while, but I now coffee “shop” often. Today I want to talk about a coffee shop I call home for a day,
Concrete Jungle Blog 