Happy Fashion Friday! It’s still our favourite day of the week — and the perfect excuse to celebrate our biggest passion: fashion with purpose ❤️🔥 This post is a little throwback, taking us back to earlier this year for a project that continues to inspire us. Now feels like just the right time to look …
Category Archives: Reflection
Say It With Your Chest!
Last week was an exciting one for us at UP_PHELELE! 🎉 We officially launched our brand-new T-shirt Collection and UP_ccessories Collection. You can catch up on our previous blog post HERE if you missed the full breakdown. We introduced these collections with our #SayItWithYourChest campaign — inspired by a phrase often used to encourage people to …
Remember to Slow Things Down…
One lesson life continues to teach me – again and again – is the beauty and necessity of slowing down. For me, this lesson began in the most life-altering way: surviving a fatal car accident (you can read my full testimony here. Since then, it’s resurfaced in quieter moments – especially when things don’t go …
Our HDJ 2025 Fashion Faves
First things first – how is this year flying by so fast? It feels like just yesterday we shared the announcement of this year’s theme – read it here – and now, just like that, the main event has come and gone! That said, what a spectacle it was. The HollywoodBets Durban July 2025 served …
Marvels of Mzansi: a celebration of South African fashion
“But we’re only in February…” – was the reaction I got when I shared the exciting news about an invitation I had the honour of accepting recently. Well, let me tell you – this timing is intentional! We’ve been given more than enough time to prepare, perfect, and bring our creative visions to life. So, …
Continue reading “Marvels of Mzansi: a celebration of South African fashion”
Turning Visions to Reality
While doing some much-needed cleaning in our fashion studio, I stumbled upon my long-lost CAD portfolio from my undergrad days. OMG, I can’t believe it’s been nine years since then—but I digress… Among the treasures in my portfolio was a vision board we created in our third year, capturing how we envisioned our lives after …
Durban July 2024: a fashion celebration
Fashion’s most anticipated event in South Africa was here, and I feel blessed to be based in the city that hosts it! My perspective on the Durban July completely transformed after witnessing South Africa’s beloved pop-superstar, Tyla, showcasing her custom-made Balmain look at this year’s MET Gala. Seeing her shine at such a prestigious event inspired …