Palse exceeded my expectations, says Segapo

Fashion designer Paledi Segapo was joined by his famous friends Refilwe Modiselle, Omuhle Gela, Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala, Yaya Mavundla, Nonku Williams and Donald last Sunday to celebrate 10 years of his label Palse.

The soirée took place at his new atelier at the Webber Wentzel Building in Sandton, Johannesburg. This comes a few months after closing his flagship store in Marshalltown, in the Johannesburg CBD, concluding the studio’s six-year history.

What does 10 years of Palse mean?

It means growth – new strategy and vision. We have to adapt to doing things the new way that will gravitate the consumer. I look at it as a business learning experience that has taught me to do things smarter and efficiently – and understanding the consumer’s taste and demand.

Did you expect that Palse will be here after 10 years?

I thought it would grow, but I never expected it to be where it is now. I had direction of where I wanted to be, but at the time I didn’t envision that in a decade we would be based in Sandton and we would have dressed both local and international stars.

What has been your best year?

I look at everything achieved collectively. One thing led to the other. After putting up a billboard in 2014 in Soweto, it gravitated business to us. People in Soweto thought we were not accessible before that move. Dressing Donald and him winning best styled at the Metro FM Music Awards, had it not worked for him we wouldn’t have been recognised as one of the big brands. If you look at our track record almost every year we have won an award.

What has been driving the evolution of Palse over the years?

We have mastered the art of diversifying and were not only able to move with the trends. I’ve learnt that you cannot have only one income stream in business and you have to evolve with the times. One of the things we have evolved into is to visit our high-end clients and bring the service [to them] in the comfort of their space.

What has been your worst year?

Like many businesses, last year was tough. When Covid-19 hit us we didn’t have events anymore and people started working from home. So, the demand for tailor-made clothing went down the drain and affected our cash in-flow.

The Covid period also led to the closure of your studio in Marshalltown. That must not have been easy.

It wasn’t easy because it had become my first born and had become attached to where I was stationed. But we had to evolve with the times and go online. It was also a catalyst for us to penetrate the digital market. It’s something we wanted to do but kept procrastinating because we were comfortable.

What is fashion in 2021, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic?

Fashion is now all about sustainability and being conscious about what you wear. You have to buy clothes that you are able to wear in the comfort of your home and also be able to wear them when you go out. The whole thing of looking over-the-top is becoming old news, and less is more. It’s more about saving the environment instead of dressing to impress people.

What other fashion brands are you enjoying right now?

I have been liking a lot of what Nicolas Ghesquière is doing. I like what Virgil Abloh is doing at Louis Vuitton and he has truly been able to make the tribal print look chic on a global platform.

What has been your favourite collection during these 10 years?

When I came back from Mumbai, India in 2014/15, I did a monochrome collection and back then monochrome wasn’t that big. I styled it with men wearing turbans and gladiator sandals. There was so much thought process and the creativity was insane.

What has been your worst collection?

My second collection, and people said a lot of hurtful things because I did a lot of floral blazers in 2011/12. I also did crop pants and happy socks. I was inspired to make happy socks because I had just returned from London and they were already a big trend there. But people here at home thought I was crazy and mocked me. Later when those trends exploded, people forgot what they said.