Wilhelmina Iimene 

Many women love a pretty dress, and what a blessing if they can get two dresses in one. 

This is where Iyaloo “Nisha” Shimbulu’s ‘Sunset Crawls’ comes in to play with its transformative clothing. 

Transformable garments are designed and constructed in such a way that they could be worn in two different ways, showing two totally different designs.

Shimbulu stamped her mark on the local fashion industry when she showcased at the 2021 MTC Windhoek Fashion Week as the event’s Pitch Night winner. In fact, she won the competition through one of her transformative designs.

The designer likens her transformable designs to “being a butterfly”. 

“It is my outlook on life that, like butterflies, if we go through layers of changes that are beyond our control, we can hold the grace to transition into better versions of ourselves anytime we wish,” she told VIBEZ!

The fashion brand has since been making waves in the local fashion industry, and is turning out garment after garment. 

A birthday dress made for her cousin Taamba Kakoma, who is now her brand ambassador, shook local fashionistas on social media, and positive feedback fuelled her to now take her brand to the top. 

Shimbulu has since dressed the likes of local doctor Julita-Kitwe Mbangula (pictured on the right), who was, just last week, crowned Miss Supranational Namibia.

Her interest in fashion actually started when she was still in high school, but Shimbulu never developed her talent further until she was going through academic burnout during her studies at Unam in 2020. 

She used the now-famous Sunset Crawls brand as a way to overcome her academic stress and find purpose again in the academic space. 

Little did she know, it will blow up. 

The 20-year-old occupational therapy student hails from a small village called Othingo on the outskirts of Oshakati, and comes from a family of seamstresses. Her aunt and cousin own and run small fashion boutiques in Oshakati and while growing up, Shimbulu always found time to sit behind the sewing machines to imitate what her aunt did. 

“I have always been very naughty and creative, but everyone thought I just wanted to play with sewing machines, as I had a different perception of what fashion should be. I redesigned my clothes, and I must confess that most times I stole my mother’s clothes just to cut them into my own,” she said. 

This young sentimental creative curates her ideas and designs from an emotional standpoint. She loves to read books, and this inspires her garment designs in many ways, said Shimbulu. 

“New places I had visited, my struggles and loved ones also influence the creation of my garments. I see art everywhere and in everything, even in strangers.”  

Watch this space to see what the brand has in store in decades to come.

Sunset Crawls can be viewed on Instagram @sunset_crawls, and Shimbulu can be reached on 0813564840.

-imenewilly@gmail.com