August's theme of Women Empowerment is in full swing! Every Friday this month you've experienced an interview with another #girlboss and got to know what keeps these Queens motivated to do the mostest! But why just stop at August? Women should be celebrated every month. So every second Friday for the rest of 2018 you can expect a new another one of these Girls Boss interviews - I hope it inspires you as much as it inspires me! This week we chat to Teshie Ogallo, a UCT student and fashion blogger who just this month launched her online store, STYLETECH by Teshie Ogallo.
1. If you could have coffee (Or in your case wine!) with any woman (dead or alive) who would you want to have coffee with?
Haha wine ;) well I'd choose to have it with RIHANNA most
definitely. Love her, she's such an inspiration and fashion mogul. Plus we
share a birthday and I'm convinced that if, no WHEN we meet we'll become
besties!
2. A genie could grant you 3 wishes. What would you wish for?
At this particular moment in time I'd wish for 1. my degree to
be handed to me on a silver platter, 2. I'd wish for money to fund my business
which would include funding some travel trips that would help grow my brand and
lastly I'd wish for 3. continuous good health (mentally, physically,
financially) for my family and I.
3. The big question, do you identify as a feminist? Why or why not?
Yes I definitely identify as a feminist. First of all, I come
from a family of 4 sisters (I am the second born) and have grown up looking up
to strong, successful women in my family. Women have been mistreated in the
past and continue to be mistreated in the present day on the basis of them
being female. I strongly believe in equal rights for all and want to be in the
fight to implement equality for all.
4. What are some of the biggest issues young girls in South Africa
face? What can be done about them?
Young girls in South Africa face a lot of issues. Some of the
ones I've witnessed are rape and lack of sufficient sex education. I think it
is important to start teaching our young girls about sex from an early age;
warn them about STIs, teach them about contraceptives to prevent unwanted
pregnancy or STIs, teach them to love and respect their own bodies, teach them
the value of saying "No". Men need to be educated too and taught that
they are not entitled to a woman's body. They need to learn how to respect
women's bodies.
5. As a blogger and fashion designer, more and more girls look up to you. What example do you want to set for them?
I want to inspire young girls and even more mature ladies to
follow their dreams. I've been through a very tough road in university studying
something I really dislike and the only thing that's kept me going is my love
for my craft. Blogging, vlogging and sewing give me so much joy and help wipe
away the tears I may have after a long day at school. I want to inspire ladies
to believe that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Hard work will
always pay off, no matter how long it takes...
6. Which female fashion designers do you look up to?
Oh my gosh so many! Off the top of my head, Diane Von
Furstenberg, Donatella Versace, Sarah Diouf (Tongoro Studio) who is from
Senegal; girl dressed Beyonce whaaat! Plus I loved her collection when she
showcased on the runway during AFICTFW18 (Africa Fashion International Cape
Town Fashion Week 2018).
7. The fashion industry is infamously cut throat. What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?
Stop worrying too much about financial constraints and your
competition and just start. If you are uniquely you someone will love and want
to buy your products. Identify your target market, and truly understand them.
Design with your customers in mind. Don't be afraid to shamelessly market
yourself, something I'm personally still working on.. Lastly, get out of your
comfort zone and ask people in the industry to guide you on what you don't
know.
8. Tell us a bit more about yourself? (Abit about where you're from, what you do, your passions and dreams and goals for the future)
Well I'm a fashion and lifestyle blogger and fashion designer as
you probably know by now. I am also a student at UCT, studying towards a Bcom
Degree Majoring in Information Systems and Computer Science. I am in my final
semester and I am 23 years old. I am originally from Nairobi, Kenya and moved
to Cape Town to do my matric in 2013. I love this city and hope to stay in Cape
Town for at least (could be more) 2-3 years after graduating while I continue
working on building my brand and my business. I also wanna live in Johannesburg
for at least 6 months to see what the whole Jo'burg vibe is like. My plans for
the future, well obviously to get this degree as fast as possible. I really
want to work in the fashion industry, travel the world showcasing my art and
become a well-known and successful proudly African fashion house and fashion
mogul. While doing so, I want to continue spreading my message of women
empowerment and impact change in many women's lives.
9. If you could give your 13 year old self one piece of advice, what would it be?
It gets better, keep going.
10. Lastly, where can we find you?
Website: https://teshieogallo.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/teshie.ogallo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeshieOgallo
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/teshie.ogallo
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