Nomvelo Dlamini uses her childhood experience in eSwatini as inspiration

Dlamini remembers that at the beginning of every school term as a pupil at Enjabulweni Independent School and Living Waters Primary School in eSwatini, her grandmother would shave her head. This left her with a feeling of discomfort and humiliation. But since relocating to the UK, she has come to embrace the beauty of the shaven head.

She has now used that childhood experience as a source of inspiration for her graduate collection at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College (CSM). The collection that debuted in February has garnered international attention from fashion Bibles such as Vogue Runway, Women’s Wear Daily and Dazed Digital.

“CSM graduation showcase is similar to the British rite of fashion passage with renowned designers such as Stella McCarthy and Alexander McQueen having showcased there too. I never thought that I would get in and was truly humbled when I did,” Dlamini shares.

“Looking at my childhood inspiration, I wanted to take my negative experience and re-define the narrative into something positive through the clothing.”

“She [Veleko] celebrated Black identity through her photography and her work reminded me of the clothing I used to wear back home. In the collection there is reference to garments being designed to look like school uniform, but at a closer look they are designed differently, the skirts are actually trousers,” Dlamini explains. 

“I am interested to continue with this sort of genre within my work and fuse it in my identity as a designer.”

Dlamini says that if given the opportunity to curate a collection of her own, she would recreate that culture shock she experienced when she first moved to the UK.  

While what the future holds for Dlamini in fashion remains to be seen, one thing that is clear is that Dlamini would appreciate the opportunity to showcase in eSwatini and SA.

“It’s all in God’s hands and timing. I would love to showcase in SA or Swaziland (eSwatini) because that’s where my identity began. I would want to demonstrate to a lot of the kids back home in Swaziland that they can make it in anything, as long as they trust in God,” she says.

Growing up in a Christian family, Dlamini is the firstborn of two and relocated to the UK with her mother and sister. Her grandmother remained behind and still lives in eSwatini. Dlamini, who considers herself as a tomboy, never thought her past-time of designing clothing for dolls would lead to her falling in love with fashion.  

“As a kid, I was always a creative person. I never thought I would be in fashion but as a kid I loved designing clothing for dolls. I was raised in a household that was education based, such as you need to be a doctor or nurse.”