Senia Shipo (25), owner of Fashion Wins clothing shop and a teacher by profession, is expanding her fashion business and her brand countrywide.
She plans to have Fashion Wins branches all over the country, and seeing more local and international people wearing her collections. Based in the North, Shipo says growing up she has always been passionate about fashion and beauty, but after failing her final year at the University of Namibia (Unam) she got an opportunity to start selling clothes for extra income to fund her studies. “When I failed, I thought it was unfair to make my mother pay for my tuition fees after my study loan was put on hold,” says Shipo. She started by selling bags from China shops and saved some money to buy bigger stocks in Johannesburg, South Africa.
She started marketing her business online, and created an Instagram page @Fashionwins_collection, where she has been advertising her collections. The page currently has more than 50 000 followers. “The page grew day by day, as did my clientele. I managed to pay for my studies through the little I made and also paid for my rent without troubling my mother,” explains Shipo, who graduated as teacher last year.
After graduation, Shipo opened her clothing shop in Oshakati in the Oshana Region, as well as a beauty salon that sell different type of clothes and accessories. “Although my business is based in Oshakati, my clients are all over the country and nearby countries through an online boutique. I also have four employees and wish to grow bigger not only for me, but so I can give back to the community by creating employment,” she says.
Challenges akin to the fashion industry notwithstanding, Shipo believes in ‘losers quit when they fail, but winners fail until they succeed’. “That’s why I like to call myself #SHEWINS. I also believe I am still far from where I want to be, and that motivates me to work harder.”
She wishes to take over the fashion industry on early next year buying her products from Turkey and China, where she travels occasionally, sometimes ordering online. “My wish is to see more women doing business, and to know that they can always start small with the little they have. I started small and I am all the way up. All it takes is hard work and commitment.”