When considering what type of products I was going to create, I thought to myself, this is going to be “art in progress” because I had no idea what I was capable of.
To be perfectly honest, I never ever learned how to hold knitting needles properly and my knitting is basically learnt from a Ladybird “How to knit ” book and internet tutorials plus a mass of imagination and listening to what people want.
My initial plan was to focus on South African knitted products and yarn and to create a proudly South African brand of comfortable, classic modern luxury items with a dash of fun.
For some odd reason, I have been criticised as catering to “narcissism”.
I find it rather laughable on account that it is my business and my skills and my labour and I have the right to determine what kind of business I run.
Did anyone call Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, Zuhair Morad, Gucci, Ellie Saab and the likes as “narcissists”? No, they just followed and follow their passion and enjoyment to create beautiful things that people want to buy and wear.
Do people question the raison d’etre of the baker of bread, the potter, the sushi artist, the accountant, the lawyer, or the milkman? No, they just are. God has given each and every one of us useful talents and skills that just need to be used.
So what right indeed to people have to insist that every business should carry a “mission” or a “purpose” ?
Many businesses today , once they are established, support non profit organisations that benefit those in need. But in deed, it has become an unnecessary pressure to force people to give charity just to compete with their neighbours and/or to feed gossip mongers with news that the company also does good in giving back to the less fortunate.
Charity to the less fortunate is not a forced situation. One gives if one is able to give and one wants to give. Giving charity just to endorse a curriculum vitae or a business website has become a norm rather than an act of voluntary kindness and it feeds a sense of entitlement among those that are unable to create anything worthwhile for themselves for it is indeed a shame that certain people become so dependent on charity that they fail to fuel themselves or feed their own education.
There are people that are purpose driven and there are people who run businesses in areas of their enjoyment that fulfill man’s primal need to consume and enjoy. Neither is wrong and both are right.
Personally I gain enormous satisfaction in learning new knitting skills and styles and seeing the enjoyment of my clients faces with a garment of carefully planned work with the intent of making life more beautiful.
Overseas buyers can order on line via myself and please expect packaging and post to cost a little extra.
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