When designer and owner of Layback Garments Lethabo Sathekge started out, he never imagined his company being where it is today.
What started out as a small clothing brand today has turned into a design company with different specialties.
Lethabo told SunBuzz: “Layback Garments was born from a clothing line.
“When I started out my aim was to create a clothing line, which later grew to a point where I decided that it should be a design company. I never imagined it being where it is now, but I was very optimistic and confident about my work.”
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The 22-year-old said he was following in the footsteps of his gogo who was a dressmaker and his mum, who’s a knitwear designer.
One of Lethabo’s biggest wishes is to have branches all over Mzansi and overseas.
The Mpumalanga-designer said running a business was not easy.
“It has been a learning curve and still is one. There are a lot of things I was forced to learn along the way, and it has toughened me up at a young age.
“At school I never did commercial subjects, so I had a challenge with the business side of Layback Garments.
“I believe if I find an appropriate mentor I’ll prosper as I’ve matured well in the creative side of the business.”
It brings him joy to have been able to hire other youths.
“Through the support that I’ve been getting, which I’m very grateful for, I was able to take a step further and hire three people to join my company.
“South Africa is facing a very big problem of unemployment. I’m happy I’m doing my bit to help, even though it is on a small scale,” he said.
