By Cynthia Thanda

It was just around 2014 when Rose Segadimo started designing at Sir Seretse Khama Memorial Community Junior Secondary school.

She made fancy gloves, hand bands, and wallets using her brother’s cut-away fabrics. Tailoring is a talent to her. However, she learned how to work a machine at her brother’s workshop (RockaBonke fashion line).

With time she started making her own clothes and at the beginning of this year, Rose decided it was time that she flew higher.

Now 19 years of age, Rose is making a name for herself. She was born in Mahalapye but raised in Gaborone, which she proudly states is a great environment for her hustle to be fruitful.

Being raised by a single parent, Ms. Bonosi Segadimo, gave Rose a thick skin. Although her mother has no name in the fashion industry, Rose’s obsession for fashion comes from watching her unique taste and eye for clothes.

Bonosi tells The Pan Afrikanist that Rose’s unique taste for clothes is something that comes naturally.

“All I can say is that I am just somebody who likes things which are unique. I love designed clothes more than something that is all over the place,” said Bonosi.

Although she has always wanted her daughter to be a model, Bonosi supports her current profession by giving her pointers. She would listen to what she wants and let her go for it.

Occasionally she would check the designs and if there is something to add to the design then she assists. She is proud of how far her daughter is thriving and says it is beautiful to see her showcasing her clothes.

At the age of eight (8) and 14, her mother was hospitalised for depression. The cause of this was stress. Rose remembers vividly that in 2014, her cousin had dropped out of school when he was the only one of the three children who made it to high school.

Her mother felt she was not doing enough to raise her sister’s children since it was her responsibility upon the passing of her sister.

As such Rose lived with her family friends. Even though life was rough, it taught her to be independent and she strives to be an inspirational fashionista.

Rose pursed tailoring because she feels there are clothes that she wishes could have been made differently.

Furthermore, there are clothes that she cannot access because of her geographical location and financial status. Therefore, she thought tailoring could be her solution.

Her first crazy design was a two-piece denim outfit inspired by one of Skai Jackson’s outfits who is a black American actress. Having it done and ready for wear was an achievement for the young tailor. But the design was only made once.

People loved it, hence she started making corsets (a woman’s tightly fitting undergarment extending from below the chest to the hips, worn to shape the figure) and women loved them.

“My fellow sisters are out there looking the part with just a touch of my hand. I am just happy I can make some of their dreams come to life”, Rose said.

Talking to one of her customers, Lorraine Pheage who purchased a corset from Rose mentioned that she loved it and did not regret spending her money on it as it goes well with pretty much every outfit she picks out.

“She provides such excellent customer service. She engages her customers when it comes to designing. You tell her what kind of details you want and she delivers, she brings what you have imagined to life. Plus, she meets her deadlines”, Lorraine commented.

Mostly all Rose does is post her work and believes that it is seen and appreciated as she does get offers.

Rose works well under pressure. She values and respects deadlines. With designing, she feels it is not always easy to make something brand new. According to her there is a designer and tailor and she believes the other one creates from scratch and the other just recreates and she is the latter.

Sometimes old fashion with a little altercation makes brand new trends and as such she mostly develops what is already there.

When asked if she has ever made a sewing mistake, Rose said, “I sure have. So, my client wanted to buy her own material and I agreed it was fine.

“What I did not take into consideration was that she did not know types of fabrics. I remembered it frayed badly. The threads kept on fraying and each time that happened I had to start all over.

“Finally, I managed to work with it because a happy customer symbolizes a successful business”.

Rose can make her own designs and she is also flexible with customers’ designs. Nothing gives her joy than having customers who seek extraordinary costumes.

The most challenging thing she faces about the aspect of constructing garments based on customer’s ideas and designs is mostly body-hugging designs that have zippers. She feels zippers don’t do well with pressure.

In addition to her challenges, Rose faces customers who buy the wrong material and having customers that tend to treat her as if she is desperate.

Customers tend to negotiate prices, more so that she has nothing to gain from the entire transaction. Nonetheless, Rose is willing to grow in the mud and blossom.

Currently she is not using her own machines. She is suing her brother’s Daniel Chiwaya but she has managed to lay bye her own machine and looks forward to collecting it at month-end.

Her plans for the future include; giving people-designed red carpet gowns, wedding dresses, and dressing the Miss Botswana contestants.

Although she had registered for the call for designers this year, she feels her profile was lacking content. The plan is ‘Recreating the normal styles to be extraordinary’ because she believes that ‘simplicity is never a wise fashion choice’.

Besides tailoring, Rose can paint, draw portraits and she even sings. Talk about a multi-talent!

Rose is active on her social media platforms;