Thato Chwaane
20 March 2007
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Years ago Ineeleng Kavindama was a household name in the fashion industry, only to be followed by a lull. As many wondered what had become of the haute couture designer she was busy honing her other creative side - this time in flower arranging.
Mmegi caught up with the woman who once made headlines in South Africa before returning home in 2001.
Kavindama, who has recently opened De-flower shop, hopes to promote culture through silk flower arrangements fusing them with Setswana curios.
The flowers that are made of silk are placed in dikika, metal buckets, dinkgo, wood and decorates with sorghum grain and letlhodi. She uses bamboos and traditional baskets as decors.
She said with different players in the market, she wanted her flower arrangements to be different and carried out a market research and tapped in where there was a loophole. Her target market varies from grass root to tourists to corporate and people having different functions. Over the weekend they have fresh flowers arrangements. She said one could either hire, lay-bye or pay in cash.
She said OK Foods at Westgate Mall, had agreed to give her space to display her wares. Kavindama said she and her two employees want to bring romance into people's lives. "Batswana have a mentality that flowers are a 'white man's thing' but flowers have always been there at celebrations, weddings and funerals.
Sending flowers should be a form of appreciation any time - not just on St Valentine's Day - especially when one is sick in hospital or at funerals," she said.
"Life is too short, so why don't you say it with flowers?" Kavindama said no one should be embarrassed to buy flowers or show emotions to family members, colleagues or their partners.
"We do deliveries to the doorstep of your loved or wronged ones," she added.
Asked about her fashion designing, she said she felt the need to diversify.
"I am a qualified fashion designer and have tried my hand at being the fashion police (freelance writing). You never know your forte until you find out and hope that it works out....do not quit," she emphasised.
She added that diversifying would help the economy in terms of job creation. She said that is why the United States of America (US) is a world power because people do two to three jobs at a time.
Not only is her interest directed to flower arranging, she also wants to start a business in tourism. She says her company, Okavango Island Safari, will operate as a tour operator.
"I am from the delta (Okavango), have lived in a bamboo built house, have eaten the food and have enough knowledge to run this business".
Her interest is to position herself for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Kavindama, who is determined to make it, says it is her six-year-old daughter Ditiro who inspires her to do all these. "It is the thought of her not having anything to eat or not being able to go to school that makes me stay up late at night," she said.
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