The country’s fashion industry is evolving. And 2023 will go down the history as one of the most productive years where fashion gained spotlight both locally and internationally.
In 2023, designers came up with new elegant designs that are still trending in the New Year. Apart from dressing the local population, some locally made designs were exported to Europe.
Malawi is home to numerous fashion designers who have made names for themselves. Xandria House of fashion and Lilly Alfonso are probably some of the big names that need no introduction in the country’s fashion industry. They have been around for some time making impressive fashion wear.
But there is a fast rising brand called Ranks 45 that is making a name for itself for dressing most celebrities, especially musicians.
Owned and founded by a 24-year-ol, Anderk Thyolera, Ranks 45 is not just like any other new comer on the fashion arena but one with rare creativity to reckon with. His designs are unique and have come with a bang on the market.
They come in different styles such as rags to spot differently from the existing designs. Mostly, Ranks 45 has dressed female Afro Pop musician Zani Challe.
Zani Challe said she likes Ranks 45 designs because of its ingenuity and uniqueness.
“I wear different fashion designs for specific occasions. And one of them is Ranks 45. I like Ranks 45 designs because they are genuine and unique,” said Zani Challe.
Ranks 45 is just a new comer but his designs have already proved too hot to handle. Apart from winning the 2023 Maso Awards Fashion Designer of the Year Award, his designs have found a lucrative market among celebrities. For example, he has dressed most hot artists in the country from upcoming to established ones.
He said: “We only started our journey in September, 2022 but within a year and three months into the fashion industry, we have achieved a lot and beyond our imagination.
“We have won Best Fashion Designer of the Year 2023 and become the fashion power house working with almost 90 percent of celebrities in Malawi.”
Tay Grin, Gwamba, Zani Challe, Driemo, Emmie Deebo and Diego are some of the artists that Ranks 45 has dressed with his unique brand.
Asked about the secret behind the fast growing of his brand, Ranks said: “I love creating ‘unusuals’. My designs are unusual. I think that’s my secret.”
The Lilongwe-based fashion designer ventured in fashion in 2022 after getting an inspiration from the desire to bring sustainable and ethical practices in the country’s fashion industry.
“I saw a need for change, and I wanted to be a part of that change. I also wanted to create designs that were timeless and classic, rather than following the fast fashion trend of constantly creating new designs that go out of style quickly,” he said.
He, however, said that it was not easy to become accepted by big names in the industry. He once made a public statement on his Facebook about his struggles. But the idea was to inspire his fellow young stars to never give up on their dreams.
“Young people should never give up on their dreams. They will likely face rejection but hard work, determination and innovation will save them.
“The testimony of my journey in fashion has been a mixed bag. I remember to have been mocked when I first posted on Facebook that I had started making unique designs. A majority of the people who responded posted negative comments which discouraged me,” said Ranks.
But there was one comment which said his idea was original and this is what kept him soldiering on.
“I almost gave up fashion. But one comment said that I should keep going and never give up because my idea was original. I held on to this belief that I am original until now where the support I am getting is crazy because I didn’t give up.
“I have worked with big artists and I have covered big events with my designs,” said Ranks.
Some of the big events that Ranks has provided his services to included Mingoli Bash where he dressed comedian Nyau Uyu and musicians Driemo and Tay Grin.
He also designed an outfit for Driemo during his Mzaliwa official album launch and another outfit for Driemo’s Popo video production.
He also designed the red outfit for Gwamba during one of his Mzuzu concerts.
Ranks 45 has also designed outfits for Pop Young, Toast, Zonke, Martin Angels, Wikise, Kellie Divine and Spyral. And his aspirations include becoming one of the Africa’s trusted brands.
“We have already started exporting our brands and this year we are even working hard to become recognized internationally,” said Ranks.
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