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Siyanda Stofile
- 1. ones to watch PhotobyNeoNtsoma T he personal can meet professional in rare, calculated instances. That is true for Siyanda Stofile, who at 26 is the founder and creative force behind the Butter Jewellery brand in South Africa. She began at a small flea market in Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape and now appears on television lifestyle shows while selling her jewelry exclusively at South African boutiques. Stofile says she cannot divorce her personality from the brand. To her, it is more than just a business. Every woman is unique and we pride ourselves in our ability to make women stand out. Although she speaks with confidence and conviction about her business, Stofile had an inward battle because she struggled to believe her craft would lead to a lucrative career. Faced with the dilemma of pursuing her passion or a career in law, she eventually decided to relocate from Johannesburg to Nelson Mandela Bay to continue with her law studies. One day, a friend at university uploaded a photo of her jewelry onto micro-blogging site Twitter. The online publicity got her a response from model and radio personality Claire Mawisa who wanted one of her pieces. Mawisa supported and encouraged Stofile to make a career of her talent. The bewildered and uneasy 22-year-old realized she could become a jewelry designer with that kind of support. She began designing for herself and friends. Her popularity grew and soon she was receiving calls from others who had seen her work. One of those calls was an invite for a profile on South African television luxury lifestyle magazine Top Billing. After the television debut, calls from Botswana to Dubai began trickling in. Her hobby had been transformed into a business so she had to develop a business plan. She decided to drop her law studies and invest her time to raise seed funds. She took on a day job, selling energy drinks and in the evenings, she would make jewelry. Now simply called Butter, brand forays into bridal couture, wedding cakes, accessories and chandeliers are being planned. Stofile has also expanded her raw material. Shes adding metals to her range after predominantly working with beads. After training in jewelry design- making from the Novus Jewellery Design Studio in Pretoria, she has created a collection of gold, silver and copper pieces. What surprised me the most through this journey was the goodness of people, as a lot of women supported me, from my mother Claire, Lebo and Zahara to the alumni of Queenstown Girls High. Through that, I have become a better person and want to support other women through my company. FW Thando Matutu How did your collection come about? I had difficulties finding shoes because of my small feet. I was literally shopping in the kids section. When I turned 18, it was boring shopping there, because they didnt have gorgeous heels and platforms that are glamorous. I got R300,000 ($28,000) from my father, who is also my mentor, to start my shoe business. What did you study? I have an honors degree in accounting and finance from the London Metropolitan University. This qualification allows me to do my own book-keeping and I am involved in making sure the business is financially-sound. How do you give back? Giving back is really important to me. I am one of the ambassadors of Cheese Kids and we go around disadvantaged areas in Johannesburg and surrounding areas and we paint schools, host karaoke nights and the like. Any mistakes so far? Not doing basic research before getting into business. I now know how important it is to read up on business in general, do a market analysis. Your plans for the future? To possibly have my range of shoes sold in high-end retail stores like Stuttafords; and to design a mens collection. My third collection is still in the works and should be out within the next 12 months. FW Leigh-Ann Carey She is only 25, but Carren Eda Rose Lamperini runs a shoe and bag business, sings, acts and also does radio and TV. Born to a South African mother and Italian father, this managing director of ER Collection sells handmade leather shoes, sometimes embellished with Swarovski crystals. No Biz Like Shoe Biz Siyanda Stofile Minting Money From Metal Eda Rose PhotobyLeePhotography