House of Nalo Expands with Empress

She’s got the music industry by the neck, and she’s coming for fashion.

Afroberries’ DJ Alba’s name is slowly becoming synonymous with consistency, hard work and creativity. With a busy schedule such as hers, it’s no wonder she’s so hard to get a hold of, but The Weekender finally caught up with the young creative and found out more about House of Nalo’s new line.

Last year, she was interviewed on her fashion brand by The Weekender and she mentioned that she wishes to see her accessories add some spice to the Namibian fashion industry. And that she has been working on this idea for almost half a decade. “I’ve always been a DIY enthusiast. I started making my own accessories around 2014 and people would always ask where I bought the items.”

A number of local celebs scooped up her handmade bracelets which kicked off the brand. “With the economic crisis in the country, I needed to expand my brand and thought creating House of Nalo was a great start,” Alba said.

And a great start it was indeed. The DJ turned designer recently expanded her range with much sought-after earrings. “We have added a collection of earrings called Empress. We started off creating a small number of pieces but the demand is increasing.”

Inclusivity was the driving force behind Empress. “I created Empress, because I wanted ladies to feel included as I’ve noticed that the majority of my clients are male.” She adds that when women do shop, it’s for their male counterparts.

Royalty is the inspiration behind the earrings as Alba researched the fashion trends of the queens Nefertiti and Nandi, while thinking to herself: What earrings would they have worn? Although Alba had the concept in mind, the earrings didn’t have a name until an Instagram user commented on one of her posts using a single word – empress – and a light bulb lit above her head.

Her innovation and breakthrough into the accessories segment has won her popularity and the new line has been doing well so far. Donlu Africa’s official Twitter gave Alba a shout out recently saying the range is “coming with the sauce!” Photographer Augusto Bolas also backed the young entrepreneur online asking others to also show their support for the brand. The likes of Gazza and KK also sported her unisex bracelets since the brand’s inception.

Alba believes she spotted a gap in the market especially with her patriotic Namibian-shaped pieces that sold out within a fortnight. “The funny thing is I was actually not too sure about how people would respond to wearing Namibian shaped earrings, but the fact that it sold out fast spoke volumes.” Besides the shape, Alba fosters a sense of national pride through the materials she uses: Odelela cloth, local beads and wood.

Want to get your hands on a pair? “All the details are on all our social media pages, it’s as simple as dropping a direct message or a text and then we arrange the logistics,” Alba says to the prospective clients.

She is hopeful that House of Nalo will grow into a Namibian household brand. “I still have so many ideas that I want to bring to life under House of Nalo, we are not going anywhere anytime soon.” she concluded.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.