Bloemfontein woman Natacia McKenzie’s love for travelling has spawned a business idea – she has decided to bring the glamourous clothes and accessories spotted during trips abroad for resale back home, giving local women access to the latest global fashion they might otherwise only see in magazines.
Having travelled to Dubai, China, Hong Kong and Bali, to name a few places, McKenzie has set up Royal Blush boutique with the aim of bringing global fashion home. “I travel often and being the lady I am, take pictures and send them straight to my friends. The circle I keep always have endless questions about where I shop for certain pieces and that’s what got me thinking,” says McKenzie.
“I saw an opportunity of actually buying trendy clothes overseas and bringing them back to South Africa.”
McKenzie has some basic advice for the hundreds of South Africans who have failed to transform their ideas into actual businesses due to lack of funds: “save your own money”.
McKenzie made the decision to draw on her own resources to get Royal Blush going, a long and arduous process which was however well worth it in the end.
“I raised the money to start this business through savings,” she said. “I saved for a very long time while I was managing a family business.”
For now, Royal Blush operates mainly through social media and by word of mouth. McKenzie has a simple, but an effective system where she posts pictures of the clothes and accessories she believes will appeal to South African women on Instagram (@royalblush_01) and accepts orders from clients via the platform.
A big coup recently was when popular South African actress and television Nonhle Thema host wore an outfit from Royal Blush during an appearance on the local TV programme Trending SA.
“What sets me apart is that I am between two worlds. I understand South African trends and needs so it makes it easier for me to get exactly what my clients need from overseas when it comes to fashion,” says McKenzie, who is now hard at work getting a physical store up and running to showcase her clothes.
