There is nothing better than discovering fellow entrepreneurs who are doing amazing work and when I say amazing – you don’t have to even ask around you can see the work. Building the Marvin store has been one of the most difficult tasks we have undertaken as company, difficult not because it’s impossible, but rather because we require a high standard for the greatness that is associated with Marvin.

I love the space that we are in now as a country. I know that a lot of things are not great right now, but I am loving the entrepreneurial spirit that’s happening all over the country. As a country we will get to a point where we are as the people have economic power because we have the numbers. There will come a time where what we buy is either an African brand or something that is produced locally. From the likes of Skinny Sbu Socks, Gugu Intimates, Tshepo The Jean Maker, RSA Made and Burgundy Fly – you can tell that we are creating products and brands for ourselves.

iKhayaElite is a brand in the same league, that believes in high quality products and services. I met a young lady named Lisa Ngonyama and she owns a bag collection called iKhayaElite and to be honest I was blown away by the quality. I immediately reached out to her and asked if we could do a collaboration with Marvin and she was keen. I was excited that slowly but surely there is progress with regards to the store situation and it’s something Marvin would retail.

I remember the morning when I went to collect the box at the courier, I was like a proud parent who had given birth to this brand that is growing in ways beyond my imagination. We will be doing more work with Lisa and her company because it makes sense to build each other and it’s inspiring to deal with other young people who are pushing their dreams because I know that it’s not easy to push your dreams from nothing.

We are working on the online store and it will be launched with the new website and you will be able to buy Marvin merchandise. I hope that this will be a relationship that is continually built over time and that both brands grow to be forces in Africa and throughout the world.