EMASWATI OPEN SHOP IN TAIWAN

NHLANGANO – For years, the country has relied on traditional diplomatic means to put the country on the world map.

But nowadays, several individuals have taken it upon themselves to fly the kingdom’s flag high by promoting local culture on the international scene.
Among these are two local young women, who happen to be the daughters of former envoy Mathendele Dlamini, who have taken the Taiwan fashion and design industry by storm.

It is at the Zhonyxin Culture and Creative Park, in the city of Yilan, where the clothes designed by the two sisters; Tivamile (33) and Dumile Dlamini(35), hang on the racks inside a unique store trading as LIHIYA (the local sarong).

As the younger of the two siblings, Tivamile said; the shop is where African culture blends with Asian cultures.
She described LIHIYA as the Eswatini ambassador in the fashion and design industry. She said through their business, they got to experiment with blending African clothing culture with those of Asia into products which arouse the curiosities of fashion lovers across the globe.

Being born to a diplomat, the sisters spent their teenage years in the United States of America, before moving on to settle in Taiwan where they eventually completed their tertiary studies.
They then pursued different careers before deciding on creating their own fashion brand.

The duo debuted their collection at the African Fashion Week London in 2015, where they presented designs which borrowed heavily from African and Taiwanese backgrounds. Afterwards, they continued to harness the cross-cultural design concept.

A year later, after their first international fashion debut, the siblings officially registered LIHIYA in Taiwan. Then last year (2017), the sisters received a grant from the city of Yilan to have their LIHIYA front store at the Zhonyxin Culture and Creative Park.
This has enabled the fashion fundis to continue sharing local stories to the global market, through their locally inspired designs. The young women believe that, with every piece of clothing, there is a cultural narrative.
“It is a medium through which one learns about different cultures. It further facilitates understanding of different cultures, which has the potential to promote love for one another as a global society,” Tivamile reckoned.
What is inspiring about the two siblings is that after they set up shop in Taiwan, they remembered there were other women back home who have stories to tell through fabric too, but who do not have the means to have their merchandise exhibited on the international stage.
So, they decided to come back to empower more women from the country, making their first stop yesterday at New Haven (Luqolweni) in the Shiselweni region, which coincidentally happens to be where their parents originated.
“Working with the women of New Haven gives LIHIYA a great opportunity to share stories. It also enables us to assist them to generate income through their work.
“This is our first project working with rural women from the country,” she said.

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