Santia Poroto Clothing: A Force to be Reckoned With

The weekender recently chatted to Rundu-based fashion designer Santia Poroto, who owns Santia Poroto Clothing.

She says fashion is never easy and, of course, not always glamorous.

Behind the glamour liee a lot of hard work, strict deadlines, last-minute changes and sleepless nights, she says.

Poroto, who says she started designing clothes at the age of 11, had the opportunity to showcase her work alongside South Africas David Tlale in 2017, when she launched her brand at the Windhoek Fashion Week.

Poroto says what she likes most about the fashion industry is the creative process.

“I often find myself working 48 to 72 hours straight with no sleep. Working in this field requires endless learning. I want to always learn, develop and grow creatively. I want to contribute to the world and leave something behind,” she says.

Poroto impressed the public with her 2019/20 collection, titled Individual Expression, and recently launched her 22021/22 collection, titled Work in Namibia.

Other collections under her belt are Unisex and African Sway.

Some items from African Sway have been showcased in the music video Tingolo by Mighty Ill Game, or MIG, from Rundu.

Poroto says her latest work basically explores the Namibian work environment.

She says she wanted to create a body of work that celebrates life amid struggle, loss and destruction.

It is a combination of playful sexiness and corporate sleek, she says.

“It easily switches between boardroom to after-work drinks or party clothing, because it transitions from day to night. Its clothing that is easily identifiable as Namibian without being limited to the sphere of our country.

“I wanted to create looks that easily transition from work to party, from day to night. The collection represents power, fierceness, sensuality, embracing personal strength, triumph and freedom. Its a celebration of yourself,” Poroto says.

The pieces are created from a range of materials, such as cotton, satin, twill, canvas and faux leather.

She used many fabrics because she wanted a balance between soft and hard fabrics – the feminine and the masculine.

“I made the mens pieces softer, and I gave the womens pieces edginess. There is a range of colours, such as floral, pink and ondelela. I mostly used ondelela to bring that uniformity and cohesiveness, and also, ondelela is an extremely recognisable fixture in terms of what we see as Namibian.

“I also experimented with accessories and created bags, as I design bags too now,” she says.

Poroto says her new work is also inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic, and aims to inspire.

“In 2021, having gone through one of the worst times the world has ever seen, what the pandemic has taught me is to celebrate life and all the moments in between.

“The one thing I realised is that we as humans tend to not remember what happened to us in detail, but we remember how we felt at a particular time.

“Clothing is so powerful, because it evokes feeling, and why not dress powerful? When you look powerful, you feel powerful,” she says.

Poroto says the collection reflects her own growth.

“On this journey I got to really push myself into new design spheres I was previously too scared to try out. The collection does not follow one particular trend.

“I wanted to create pieces that are lasting, and can be worn and mixed with existing pieces in ones closet. This collection is so different from anything Ive done in the past,” she says.

Poroto says she has especially learnt to appreciate mental health, and that her creative voice or opinion is valid.

“I want to empower young women, one at a time. My assistant is a breath of fresh air, and extremely hard-working and willing to learn. Its been a blast having her around,” Poroto says.

She says success lies in a combination of talent, hard work, having a thick skin, tenacity, confidence, self-belief, perseverance, a willingness to struggle and the strength to bounce back from challenges.

“You really have to love it to keep pushing. My journey has been hard. Breaking in to the Namibian industry is really hard . . . Im enjoying it though. I do love me a challenge,” Poroto says.

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.