The purpose of wearing nice clothes goes beyond covering our bodies. It is the best way to convey messages, bold statements – and express love for our bodies. Ayanda More can help you achieve that. She started a business that dresses people, Apara Fashion.
It was not difficult for Ayanda to choose a perfect name for her business. She just had to think about what she was passionate about. As a result, she decided to “dress up” people. The Tswana word for this is Apara.
One of the most interesting things about Apara is that all of its active wear is made from recycled plastic bottles that would otherwise clog landfills or threaten marine life. TransformSA touched base with Amanda to learn more about dressing up people.
What does Apara mean to you, and what inspired you to start it?
Apara means to dress up, it is a Tswana or Sotho. What inspired Apara was me really trying to find my purpose in life and wanting to understand what I was born for. As a result, I learned that I am here to serve the youth.
My next thought was, what other talents do I have, that come naturally and don’t require me to create, or that I can do with so much enthusiasm? That’s how the idea to dress up people came about. I started dressing up models, professionals, and ordinary people. The business went so quickly. During African Fashion Week, I dressed up the models for the show. Although my brand has evolved to sustainable branding, we don’t use recycled fabrics to make these suits. Basically, it’s more active wear.
Give us some tips for surviving and thriving in business.
The first thing you need is discipline because discipline drives business growth. Discipline helps you to be consistent in pursuing your business goals. Second, you must be decisive, that is, you decide to do this and stick to it. Believing in yourself wholeheartedly is essential. If you believe in yourself, other people will believe in what you’re doing as well. Make a change in your habits, because when you make a change in your habits, your thinking will change as well. Lastly, be consistent. Don’t change what you’re doing in your business.
In what ways have you implemented gender-driven development at work?
No matter what industry you work in, it’s not easy to be a woman to work and thrive. Although women are generally much better than men. We are just as good in corporate as men are. Yet, it is extremely difficult for a woman to blend into the corporate environment or into the entrepreneurial one.
To address this, we have launched a mentorship program that will pave a way for young women. We are now recruiting other women graduates from outside South Africa, mentoring them, and teaching them about project management.
