By Mosa Mojonothoane
MASERU
Growing from an ordinary tailor to a factory owner, Hessie Mofolo Letsie proudly shares her passion for fashion design.
Letsie has devotedly paved her own route in the design industry, an adventure that is rarely explored in Lesotho.
From her own factory, all kinds of clothing are tailored and accustomed according to the needs of the customers.
While most women tailors seem to comfortably stay at the small-scale businesses or opt for job seeking, Letsie aspires to change the narrative.
Her story is a simple narrative from a local setting in Mafeteng, Motse-mocha, a common background for most ordinary Basotho women. She disclosed to this reporter that this career was channeled from childhood, taking inspiration from her neighbor who was a fashion designer.
“Growing up, I have always loved clothes, and seeing my neighbour’s work was but fuel on fire. So I approached her for lessons and I was very passionate in the learning process. Despite the fact that I always dreamed about owning a firm and a fashion boutique, that’s how I happened to perfect my craft,” she revealed.
To rekindle the light, Letsie enrolled as a factory worker before she decided to venture into fashion entrepreneurship. She worked for Crestberry, a clothing and accessory firm that was based in Maseru in 2012 and the firm closed in 2014, leaving her with an option for self-employment.
From this experience, she was convinced that one can indeed pave their own route in the design industry. This is where she went back to open a fashion boutique, Hessie’s Creation and founded a firm from which she and her two employees sew. She revealed the plan is to offer space for fashion design students’ internships.
Found at Phokeng Street, Khubetsoana, Hessie’s Firm is a small space for fashion creations that are sold at Hessie’s Boutique which is located at Magnet Complex room 14 in Maseru.
Currently, the firm supplies individual orders and sews casual fashion wear for males and females, however, Letsie revealed her plan is to supply bulk orders for school uniforms and office wear. In the long run, Letsie wants to supply huge franchises with all kinds of clothing.
“I want to see items from Hessie’s Creation in famous clothing shops like Mr. Price, Jet and Fashion world. These are the locally found businesses that have opened a platform for small businesses and local producers,” she observed. She also noted that the plan is to decentralize the business and open branches in other districts where more job opportunities will surface. This, she said will also be an opportunity to build her legacy and share the knowledge that was freely acquired while giving others with the same dream a platform to showcase their potential.
The Mafeteng born insisted on a need to join forces in order to localize and boost the fashion industry in Lesotho. She mentioned that she is already working with other local designers.
Among the key challenges, she decried exposure and lack of skills for brand improvement. She called upon brand promoters to propose ideas for improving the market and the entire brand for it to perform to its fullest potential. “I believe that collaborating with one or two influencers will also sell our good work to the right market,” she said.
Paving my own route in design industry: Letsie
Mosa Mojonothoane
MASERU
Growing from an ordinary tailor to a factory owner, Hessie Mofolo Letsie proudly shares her passion for fashion design.
Letsie has devotedly paved her own route in the design industry, an adventure that is rarely explored in Lesotho.
From her own factory, all kinds of clothing are tailored and accustomed according to the needs of the customers.
While most women tailors seem to comfortably stay at the small-scale businesses or opt for job seeking, Letsie aspires to change the narrative.
Her story is a simple narrative from a local setting in Mafeteng, Motse-mocha, a common background for most ordinary Basotho women. She disclosed to this reporter that this career was channeled from childhood, taking inspiration from her neighbor who was a fashion designer.
“Growing up, I have always loved clothes, and seeing my neighbour’s work was but fuel on fire. So I approached her for lessons and I was very passionate in the learning process. Despite the fact that I always dreamed about owning a firm and a fashion boutique, that’s how I happened to perfect my craft,” she revealed.
To rekindle the light, Letsie enrolled as a factory worker before she decided to venture into fashion entrepreneurship. She worked for Crestberry, a clothing and accessory firm that was based in Maseru in 2012 and the firm closed in 2014, leaving her with an option for self-employment.
From this experience, she was convinced that one can indeed pave their own route in the design industry. This is where she went back to open a fashion boutique, Hessie’s Creation and founded a firm from which she and her two employees sew. She revealed the plan is to offer space for fashion design students’ internships.
Found at Phokeng Street, Khubetsoana, Hessie’s Firm is a small space for fashion creations that are sold at Hessie’s Boutique which is located at Magnet Complex room 14 in Maseru.
Currently, the firm supplies individual orders and sews casual fashion wear for males and females, however, Letsie revealed her plan is to supply bulk orders for school uniforms and office wear. In the long run, Letsie wants to supply huge franchises with all kinds of clothing.
“I want to see items from Hessie’s Creation in famous clothing shops like Mr. Price, Jet and Fashion world. These are the locally found businesses that have opened a platform for small businesses and local producers,” she observed. She also noted that the plan is to decentralize the business and open branches in other districts where more job opportunities will surface. This, she said will also be an opportunity to build her legacy and share the knowledge that was freely acquired while giving others with the same dream a platform to showcase their potential.
The Mafeteng born insisted on a need to join forces in order to localize and boost the fashion industry in Lesotho. She mentioned that she is already working with other local designers.
Among the key challenges, she decried exposure and lack of skills for brand improvement. She called upon brand promoters to propose ideas for improving the market and the entire brand for it to perform to its fullest potential. “I believe that collaborating with one or two influencers will also sell our good work to the right market,” she said.