Paheja Siririka
WINDHOEK- A favourite to many, young and old, Oshikandela, a product of Namibia Dairies is on a quest of promoting local creatives by partnering with local designers to produce four works of art using the new Oshikandela image as a reference through a competition themed ‘Hip with Heritage’.
The winner of Namibia’s Most Loved Object will walk away with N$15 000 in cash, a collaboration/endorsement on their next collection or initiative within 2020, as well as being the first ever titleholder of ‘Namibia’s Most Loved Object’.
The creatives chosen include DJ Alba representing House of Nalo, known for her jewellery pieces, Leon Engelbrecht of LED, Ndeshi Fikameni from Afroprint Line and Pewa Uushona of Proud.
Cheslyn du Plooy, brand manager of Namibia Dairies said the chosen designers are allowed to create anything they want, and all they need to do is use specially made Oshikandela fabric incorporating the new look and feel. “The process will be documented on the Oshikandela Instagram & Facebook pages and the public will then vote for their favourite as Namibia’s Most Loved Object,” she said.
Du Plooy told Entertainment Now! the creatives were randomly chosen as they stood out. “All of the designers operate in such different creative spheres and we wanted the whole experience to be a challenge for the designers. Being part of the O&L Group, we believe in cultivating our values in our daily lives. It was thus important that we chose designers who fit in with the overall culture of inclusivity, diversity as well as being able to create a sustainable future for all Namibians,” pointed out Du Plooy.
She said with Oshikandela being a nostalgic brand, they felt it would be important to take their consumers on the journey of how it evolved over the years but still keeping true to its heritage of being a staple in many Namibian households.
“Times are changing and although the old Oshikandela creative has been embedded into consumers’ lives, we felt that the brand needed to move with the times to stay relevant to its current consumers and to engage new consumers and markets,” said Du Plooy. The winner will be announced at an exclusive Oshikandela new look and feel launch event on 13 December. Voting starts on 21 November to 21 December 11.