Khai Swartz / 24 / Designer & Founder of House of Velour
You’re a young female making moves in the fashion industry, has this always been your dream?
Definitely, ever since I was a little girl I always knew I’d work in the fashion industry.
How did House of Velour come about?
I studied a BBA in Media at Lisof, worked for two years at Studio Space Pictures as a Production Assistant and decided I wanted to do my own thing. What better than going back to my roots? Fashion! I love working with different fabrics and textiles, so I started making my own clothes and posting them on social media. I then got the opportunity to work with Moozlie, and since then I’ve been making pieces for people who work in the entertainment industry: Musicians, Presenters, Actresses, Social Media Influencers, etc.
Who’s your target market and why?
My target market initially was influencers, I believed that if you influence the influencer, then the influencer will influence the public, if you get me. It now ranges from young to older people, whether they are creatives or work in the corporate industry, individuals who are bold and enjoy being daring, feeding their alter egos, love dressing up and stealing the show wherever they go, at an affordable price.
What’s the process like when creating a piece for a client?
The client has the option to see my designs online, and can alter it to their requirements. We make custom made garments too, it all depends on the client really.
How does House of Velour stand out from other designer lines?
HOV currently has it’s own aesthetic that nobody else really has. We have an old Hollywood twist to things, 90s Black Excellence vibes with a modern twist of colour. For example, with fur trench coats, HOV’s trench coats are baby blue. Eccentric colours.
What’s your plan for building a lasting, fashionable brand?
Just to stay relevant, keep up with trends but design my own twist to things of course, then hopefully open a boutique in the near future.
What would you like House of Velour to resonate with within the industry as a whole?
Class. Opulence. The Versace of designer lines!
How does a typical day look like for you?
I work alone. I have seamstresses in Town and Randburg that constantly work on my garments, turning my designs into reality. I wake up at around 9am, check on my seamstresses, have fittings throughout the day, then if I have time, go have lunch with friends then get back to delivering garments, all while having photo shoots and sending quotes, lol. My days are busy but I love what I do. Always up and down.
What’s still missing in the South African fashion industry when it comes to opportunities for the youth?
Exactly that. Opportunities for the youth. People believe in you and your dreams, however, they don’t like to assist up and coming artists with a monetary injection to help them grow and sustain their brand and that’s what I’ve mainly struggled with, especially men who have the ability to do so. If you’re a pretty girl, it’s even harder because people always want something from you that has absolutely nothing to do with your talent and aspirations, which has kind of set me back. I’ve rubbed shoulders with some of the most powerful and influential people in Johannesburg and have been miserably disappointed in their interests. I think the industry is dark, and if you’re not willing to “do what it takes”, you will hustle longer and harder than the rest.
Follow Khai Swartz & House of Velour!
Instagram: @khaiswz
Instagram: @houseofvelour
–Bridgette Makhela
bkoolmedia 