BOLD & BEAUTIFUL

Sharon is a freelance fashion designer with 3 years experience in women’s wear fashion design. She has a BA and MA in fashion design from European design schools and in 2015 won an Italian Vogue Talents competition for a fashion communication scholarship

What should everyone know about you?
SM: I am a full-time Freelance Technical/Fashion Designer with 5 years of experience currently based in Harare, Zimbabwe. I mostly freelance for companies based in Australia, China and America and I specialize in women’s wear.

How would you describe what you do?
SM: Most of my work are technical designs and computer generated designs, I work using mix media in order to create visually appealing images that usually have a 3D effect to them.

Why did you choose to be a designer?
SM: I fell in love with fashion at the age of 11 but being from Zimbabwe my contact with fashion was pretty remote through watching FTV. I always loved to draw and I was fascinated with creating designs which can be worn by people.

What steps did you take to become a designer?
SM: I studied at a small American art school in Paris, France called Paris American Academy for my Bachelor’s degree. Afterwards I interned for a year in New York then returned to school for a Master’s in Fashion Design in Florence, Italy at Accademia Italiana, then did a short work placement in China.

Best/Most Challenging part of your job?
SM: The best part of my job is the designing; developing the concept then creating the designs. The most challenging is of course as a freelance designer you work from project to project and your schedule changes with whatever project you are working on.

If you weren’t a designer what would you be?
SM: A writer. A fashion writer or a script writer.

How did you get started in design?
SM: Through several internships for fashion brands, it strengthened my desire to be a designer. Learning and seeing how a fashion brand is run and watching how the designers worked.

What do you like about what you do?
SM: I like being creative. With fashion design it’s almost like creating your own world; you pick the  colours, the language and the people you are designing for.

What’s a common misconception people have about what you do?
SM: That its glamorous. It’s a lot of  work, fulfilling but a lot of work with tight deadlines.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
SM: With my own brand that caters to women and men.

What sparked your interest in design?
SM: This will sound weird but it was the American soap drama ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ which is centered around a family fashion house based in Los Angeles. The design sketches I would see on the show encouraged me to start sketching.

How has your work evolved since you began your career?
SM: It is definitely more refined and I stand out in my digital design skills which is not a very common aspect to focus on as a fashion designer. I now have my own distinct style concerning my personal designs, which is very important.

Are there any types of clothing/footwear/accessories that you avoid wearing?
SM: Not really, it’s more about style with me. If it’s my style I’ll buy it.

What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
SM: At the moment I am obsessed with urban style, especially in menswear. It’s a strong inspiration for me because they always come up with unique design details that you just can’t find in women’s wear.

What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your career?
SM: To network. It’s imperative.

What advice would you give to young designers?
SM: You need to be different. Take the time to know yourself as a designer so you can offer something that no one else can in the market.

What would you like to achieve before the end of the year?
SM: I recently completed a fashion communication course in Rome from winning a Vogue Talents scholarship and would love to continue building on that experience by writing for a fashion magazine.

Are you superstitious or do you have any rules you live by?
SM: I am absolutely not superstitious but I do try to live on the concept of belief. If you believe it you can achieve it.

What’s your motto?
SM: Never Give Up.

Learn more about Sharon at StylePortfolios.com

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