As the founder and Creative Director of Sbhiva clothing brand, Sihle Dube (32) is delivering high-quality casualwear and vintage fashion.
When did you start Sbhiva?
I started Sbhiva, which is township slang for the Beetle car, in 2017.
I started my business while studying computer science and software engineering at university and worked in this field for two years after graduating. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, I decided to pursue Sbhiva full time due to the hype around clothes and local brands that was accelerated by COVID. People only had access to essential services at that time and couldn’t go out to buy clothes, so contacted entrepreneurs in the retail space when needing to upgrade their cupboards.
Sbhiva has grown from strength-to-strength over the years. We have showcased the brand at pop-up and flea markets in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, Free State and the North West. I am applying to sell our range in other provinces. I am proud to say that we have just opened a Sbhiva store at 27 BOXES, a cutting-edge shopping centre in Melville, Johannesburg.
Why did you choose to name your business Sbhiva?
Sbhiva is a name that blends township swag with the Beetle’s timeless ingenuity, perfectly capturing the vintage and iconic spirit of the Beetle. Sbhiva not only taps into the rich potential presented by the sizeable township VW Beetle following, but is also positioned to fill the gap represented by the shortage of local iconically stylish brands.
Who designs your clothing range?
I design our clothes – which include T-shirts, caps, shirts, jackets, hoodies and beanies – and collaborate with small factories to create a full range.
How would you describe your brand?
With deep roots in the township of Phiri in Soweto, Sbhiva is a vintage clothing lifestyle brand.
While our brand is unisex, it leans more towards being a men’s range. Consisting mainly of hoodies, tracksuits and normal casual wear, it can be described as Athleisure wear.
We use a lot of corduroy in our designs. One of our most unique items is a T-shirt with corduroy pockets on the side enabling one to have a space to place their sunglasses and cellphone.
We aim to deliver products that display high-end qualities and elegant fashion while cultivating brand loyalty. We want to tap into patriotism and be a reminder that “local is lekker”. Although our brand is of an exceptional quality, it is affordable to the average South African.
How many people do you employ?
I employ four people, of whom two are students working with me on a temporary basis and the other two work full time. They do various tasks including carrying out quality control on our clothes, changing the look and feel of our shop and manning the shop and stalls at markets.
What do you most enjoy about running Sbhiva?
I love meeting people from different walks of life and the support I receive – from people congratulating me because my product is exclusive to really wanting me to succeed.
What have been your greatest challenges?
Translating my designs and specifications into a product can be difficult when using a factory where clothes are mass produced. I therefore have to find factories that are less busy, so there are dedicated designers with enough time to perfect our designs.
Another challenge is getting our brand into big retailers due to stiff competition and the need to align our clothing with the designs of the season.
I have also lost customers due to some galleries and box shops shutting down.
As I am completely self-funded, I struggle with cash flow. I am working to get funding from various government agencies that support Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise (SMMEs) in order to overcome this challenge.
What motivates you to keep running Sbhiva in spite of the challenges?
The support of different customers and believing in my dream keeps me going. My dream is for Sbhiva to exist on a global platform and for it to become a legacy brand that my kids can take charge of and hand down to future generations, ensuring it runs for 100 years and beyond.
Can you share a memorable achievement that stands out for you?
I have several stand-out moments including opening our first-ever store in Melville two weeks ago and having our brand’s clothing showcased on the store front of Edgars at Sandton City Mall.
What is your message to other entrepreneurs?
If you’re in the creative space, whether making clothes, selling music or art pieces, etc., keep a good network among other creatives to gain more knowledge on selling products and services. It’s also important to be disciplined and consistent.
What are your views on transformation in South Africa?
We are a diverse country with a multitude of races, cultures and languages. It’s important that our diversity is maintained and that we keep defining the rainbow nation.
