Every successful entrepreneur will tell you a similar story: you quickly learn to embrace failure as a learning opportunity and need to consistently maintain a growth mindset to keep your goals in focus. But, it’s also important to add one more attribute: courage for the times you need to take that leap of faith!
Debbie, the founder of the popular DE TIAMO linen clothing range, looks back at her journey, fondly remembering her first sewing machine which was gifted to her as a teenager by her mother. This ignited her passion for sewing and design.
She trained as an image consultant and worked in that field dressing corporate clients for success. Debbie constantly honed her design and sewing skills, soon applying these in a factory setting, expanding her range to include tennis wear and later soft home accessories. These layers of experience and skills laid the foundation that enabled her to realise her dream, giving her the creative freedom to design and launch her own fashion range.
The challenge for many of us is putting together a coordinated outfit that looks great, is fuss-free, is easy to wear, and can be layered for all weather conditions, while creating texture and visual interest. This is where Debbie’s expertise shines. She realised there was an opportunity in the fashion industry for an exclusive range of women’s clothing, classically styled and immaculately finished, to enable women to build a foundation wardrobe that flattered all body types.
“I wanted to create the type of clothing I enjoy wearing – timeless designs in top-quality fabric, featuring Euro-chic styled in Euro-chic style and finished to international standards. Thus DE TIAMO was born – a range of smart casual wardrobes with seasonal additions of pop colours and new styles. It was important for me to get the right fabric, and I searched until I sourced the best natural linens that breathe and drape well for comfort and elegance. I wanted my range to have international style with an African heart.”
Debbie adds, “I enjoy the challenge of enhancing each woman’s self-image. When you know you are looking your best, you feel wonderful – poised and ready for success!” Her collection is designed to suit all ages and her carefully selected colour range allows for an effortless mix and matching of dresses, tops, pants, shorts and jackets – while maintaining understated glamour. Debbie has also sourced an exciting selection of accessories – both local and international – chosen to complement the linen garments.
What is remarkable about Debbie’s entrepreneurial journey is that she has opened up unique opportunities for a team of ladies she has mentored: from training them to become expert seamstresses how to operate in the retail market and how to co-ordinate product launches. This has broadened their horizons while up-skilling them. Inside each DE TIAMO garment, you will find a swing tag proudly bearing the name of the seamstress who constructed it.
Now that Debbie has realised her dream of producing her distinctive fashion label, what is next? It appears that Europe beckons with the launch of the range in the UK this July and then to expand into Europe. It seems as though there will be no stopping DE TIAMO.
You can shop the DE TIAMO range online at www.detiamo.co.za or visit one of their selected retail partners (Adele Catherine in Kloof or Coull Cotton in Ballito). Alternatively, treat yourself to a meander to Terbodore Coffee Shop in the KZN Midlands where you can browse the full linen range as well as the curated collection of complementary international and locally sourced accessories.
063 699 4434
Images by Paigel Chetty Photography
