Profile: Creating impressions that last a lifetime

A wedding day is a very special day for any person.

It is the day that one gets to make vows to a beloved partner meant to last a lifetime. That is the sole reason why both women and men will do their utmost best to look their best on this very special occasion – a marriage celebration, which in a number of cases is witnessed by hundreds of guests.This is what Zeborah Gowases intends to do with her creations – make a lasting impression on the bride and groom and witnesses.Her job as a designer is make the best and unique outfit for her clients.Gowases, is the owner of ‘Zeborah’s Sexy Creations.Com’, and she is based in Windhoek from where she has been doing her business for the last four years.Gowases who is the sole owner of the business, currently employs four women, but sees herself expanding to a mega-fashion industry.Although, Gowases designs and sews all types of garments, she is more inclined to wedding dresses and other wedding related apparel.When I asked her how she creates her designs and how she came up with the garb that suits each individual style; Gowases with a faraway gaze said: “Oh my dear you have to understand that these creations are often revealed in dreams.I just need to see the person and then I can easily come up with an idea, which I sketch and after consulting with a customer then I make the garment.”Looking through her portfolio, I am of the impression that there is something special and inspirational about the designs.Gowases -who attributes her talent to God – takes me back in a journey where she tells me how she ended up in this trade.Growing up with her grandmother in Katutura, Gowases said she was privileged to be exposed to the world of designing and sewing at any early age as her grandmother was a tailor.She said although her grandmother was an ordinary tailor, she learnt a lot from her and being raised in such an environment Gowases’ passion to do something advanced in that line of business grew with her.Gowases said her grandmother would let her help with the handiwork and after she was taught embroidery, she found herself coming up with different artistic styles, she would do on her own clothes and sometimes on her grandmother’s garments for clients.After completing her secondary school education, Gowases found herself in a job with a parastatal, but after two years, she was not entirely satisfied with her employment that she decided to go back and start her own business.With her winning smile, Gowases explains that her business is the love of her life and she wants to see it growing with herself becoming a force to reckon with in the local fashion industry.”Besides being profitable, this business is pleasurable and when you see a customer happy, you are also gratified.Ten years from now, I see myself owning boutiques, and being recognised not only nationally but regionally and internationally as well,” she says while expertly fingering and smoothing the many materials in her workshop, as she and an assistant work on traffic-stopping lilac engagement dress.Gowases says she mostly deals with silk, Thai silk, organza, Chinese bricott, linen and satin, among a number of different kinds of materials with each unique design.A whole lot of different accessories are also incorporated into these designs.She explains that the trend is that the older generation is more conservative in their style while the younger ones are willing to try trendier and sexier outfits, adding that the African ethnic style was also becoming very popular.Outfits’ prices range from N$200 to more than N$ 8000, depending on the customers’ tastes, materials and accessories used.Born 30 years ago, Gowases is the eldest of two children and has a younger brother, Christoph.She talks lovingly about her parents who she says have been with her through thick and thin.Her mother who passed on in 1998, while her father currently resides in Arandis, just outside Swakopmund.Gowases is single and says she does not have time for much else as her business takes up most of her time.When she does get the time to relax, she loves spending time partying with her friends, who are also her main supporters and motivators.Gowases’ designs have been showcased at a number of local prominent fashion shows including Italy meets Namibia Modelling Show in 2000, last year’s Miss Malaika – Namibia, and she is scheduled to participate in the Namibia Fashion Week to take place in Windhoek on October 16.That is the sole reason why both women and men will do their utmost best to look their best on this very special occasion – a marriage celebration, which in a number of cases is witnessed by hundreds of guests.This is what Zeborah Gowases intends to do with her creations – make a lasting impression on the bride and groom and witnesses.Her job as a designer is make the best and unique outfit for her clients.Gowases, is the owner of ‘Zeborah’s Sexy Creations.Com’, and she is based in Windhoek from where she has been doing her business for the last four years.Gowases who is the sole owner of the business, currently employs four women, but sees herself expanding to a mega-fashion industry.Although, Gowases designs and sews all types of garments, she is more inclined to wedding dresses and other wedding related apparel.When I asked her how she creates her designs and how she came up with the garb that suits each individual style; Gowases with a faraway gaze said: “Oh my dear you have to understand that these creations are often revealed in dreams.I just need to see the person and then I can easily come up with an idea, which I sketch and after consulting with a customer then I make the garment.”Looking through her portfolio, I am of the impression that there is something special and inspirational about the designs.Gowases -who attributes her talent to God – takes me back in a journey where she tells me how she ended up in this trade.Growing up with her grandmother in Katutura, Gowases said she was privileged to be exposed to the world of designing and sewing at any early age as her grandmother was a tailor.She said although her grandmother was an ordinary tailor, she learnt a lot from her and being raised in such an environment Gowases’ passion to do something advanced in that line of business grew with her.Gowases said her grandmother would let her help with the handiwork and after she was taught embroidery, she found herself coming up with different artistic styles, she would do on her own clothes and sometimes on her grandmother’s garments for clients.After completing her secondary school education, Gowases found herself in a job with a parastatal, but after two years, she was not entirely satisfied with her employment that she decided to go back and start her own business.With her winning smile, Gowases explains that her business is the love of her life and she wants to see it growing with herself becoming a force to reckon with in the local fashion industry.”Besides being profitable, this business is pleasurable and when you see a customer happy, you are also gratified.Ten years from now, I see myself owning boutiques, and being recognised not only nationally but regionally and internationally as well,” she says while expertly fingering and smoothing the many materials in her workshop, as she and an assistant work on traffic-stopping lilac engagement dress.Gowases says she mostly deals with silk, Thai silk, organza, Chinese bricott, linen and satin, among a number of different kinds of materials with each unique design.A whole lot of different accessories are also incorporated into these designs.She explains that the trend is that the older generation is more conservative in their style while the younger ones are willing to try trendier and sexier outfits, adding that the African ethnic style was also becoming very popular.Outfits’ prices range from N$200 to more than N$ 8000, depending on the customers’ tastes, materials and accessories used. Born 30 years ago, Gowases is the eldest of two children and has a younger brother, Christoph.She talks lovingly about her parents who she says have been with her through thick and thin.Her mother who passed on in 1998, while her father currently resides in Arandis, just outside Swakopmund.Gowases is single and says she does not have time for much else as her business takes up most of her time.When she does get the time to relax, she loves spending time partying with her friends, who are also her main supporters and motivators.Gowases’ designs have been showcased at a number of local prominent fashion shows including Italy meets Namibia Modelling Show in 2000, last year’s Miss Malaika – Namibia, and she is scheduled to participate in the Namibia Fashion Week to take place in Windhoek on October 16.