Business Name: Jaded Lifestyles
Support Received: Start Up Loan
Location: London
Website: http://sibu.london/
Although Jaded Lifestyles had its birth in South Africa, Sibu Dladla and his business partner, Peter Huffam, moved it to London in 2011.
Describing Jaded Lifestyles as a fashion menswear brand and events management company, their move to London was to ensure their business could reach a wider and more international audience, as encouraged by international fashion model, Iman.
The business partners are responsible for different aspects of the business; Sibu is the designer and vehicle of the brand while Peter deals with the business side of things.
We spoke to Jaded Lifestyles about their journey from South Africa to London.
What difference did the Start Up Loan make to your business?
Having first approached London Small Business Centre seeking a Start Up Loan in 2012, Jaded Lifestyles had a busy year. With the Start Up capital of £7,500, we launched our tailored menswear jackets in a private showcase, had a pop-up space in Notting Hill and even designed a one-off piece for Grace Jones.
We managed to get more out of the Start Up Loan than we had imagined. Throughout, we made sure we kept our costs low, kept an eye on our cash flow and used our existing contacts where possible.
Did you encounter any challenges?
Many artists struggle to differentiate between being an artist and the commercial side of their art, so the past year has been a learning experience. For example, instead of selecting a fabric based on its luxuriousness, I have now learned to consider the bottom-line too. You can do fashion week until the cows come home, but you won’t succeed without a robust business model.