Weaving fashion industry networks

Two Mitchell’s Plain fashion industry entrepreneurs are teaching the basics of clothing manufacturing one stitch at a time - via social media.

Taryn Mentor, 32, from Wildwood, who has a degree in clothing management, had worked for various retail companies and had freelanced at smaller cut make and trim (CMT) garment manufacturers, joined forces with business savvy Elana Pekeur, 31, from Colorado Park, to help those stuck at home during the national Covid-19 lockdown.

Together they started Petor Creatives as a company and have now registered as Petor Creatives Youth Development, a non-profit company, which will be hosting a fundraising fashion show at Rocklands civic centre on Saturday August 27 between 2pm and 6pm.

They train and mentor youth in the fashion industry.

Their work will be on display and funds raised will be used to buy sewing machines, pattern and machine room equipment. They hope to eventually have their own work and learn studio.

In the past five months they have had 140 candidates learn the basics of manufacturing in the clothing industry, terminology, costing for the manufacture of a garment, stitching and seam types, tools and equipment in pattern and sewing rooms, and finance in the clothing industry.

The two started making pillow covers, progressed to making jewellery and had been selling their wares at markets when the pandemic hit.

“We then had to find a new way of doing things and had wanted to help other like-minded young people who were struggling to keep their businesses afloat,” said Ms Pekeur.

Ms Mentor said they shared their skills and have networked with Frank Julie, from YoungPeople@Work, who helped and advised them to encourage and support fellow entrepreneurs. The non-profit organisation supports unemployed youth to access decent employment.

Ms Pekeur is a biotechnologist by profession but has been unemployed since 2019.

Now as a co-founder of Petor Creatives, she manages WhatsApp chat groups, uploads videos and documents and information which participants can access whenever they have data or time to read through course material.

Access to their programme is free but a certificate of attendance would cost R30.

Participant Tarryn-Lee Truter, 31, who used to live in Rocklands but now lives in Eerste River, met the two when she was matching jewellery to lingerie.

She will be showcasing her brand Figure 8 Clothing line which features tracksuit, dresses, pants suits, jackets and her boot covers.

“A lot of what I do was self taught.

“I watched YouTube videos. Learned by trial and error,” she said.

Ms Truter, who is a mother of three, refuses to sit still and is determined to make her own salary.

“There is always something to do. There is always something to learn and you make it your own,” she said.

Tickets to the fashion show and market, at R100 each, and VIP tickets at, R250 are available from Webtickets. Market entry fee at the door is R10.

For more information email info.pcyouthdevelopment@gmail.com or text 064 384 9166.