Luminance Boutique, In My Stylist Opinion
I have always expressed my undeniable love for Khanyi Dhlomo,
much to the point where I know for sure that she is the one woman I aspire to
be like. Khanyi has defied every stereotype there is out there; she is
beautiful, educated, is a successful business woman and is married with a
beautiful family. Very often as women we are led to believe that we can not
"have it all". Well, if you think I can not be a beautiful, educated,
successful and happily married woman, I have two words for you: Khanyi Dhlomo!
For this article, let us not get into the now ugly political debacle over the R34.1
Million loan from the South African National Empowerment Fund that was received by Khanyi Dhlomo's Luminance Boutique. Let us rather just focus on the boutique
and the positive message that it sends out to dreamers like myself and you out
there.
Luminance is a high-end fashion and lifestyle boutique department store situated in Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg, for consumers who love world-class quality and beauty. The Luminance brand inspires its customers to Live Life Beautifully. The store is owned by Ndalo Luxury Ventures, a fashion and lifestyle retail company founded by award-winning South African entrepreneur, Khanyi Dhlomo. The name " Luminance" is taken from her own name Khanyisile which means "light".
When describing Luminance, Khanyi Dhlomo says "Luminance is based on the kind of retail
expereience I've seen in some of the world's best department and concept
stores, where everything is aimed at delighting and surprising customers. It
provides a carefully curated luxury and contemporary retail experience. It's designed in a way that's proudly
African, yet global in its feel, with plenty of attention to detail, great
customer service and beautiful packaging that makes you feel as if every
purchase you make is a special gift for yourself. Its a unique retail
experience even for international shoppers but also a world -class platform for
some of our best African artists and designers." Reading that description already makes me
imagine The Lourve Museum in Paris with giant Picassas hanging from the walls;
it sounds exactly how opulence would sound if it had a sound.
On the evening of Wednesday the 24th of July, the rich and
famous honoured their invites and attended the official Launch of the Luminance
boutique store in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. The store boasts high fashion brand
labels such as Alexander McQueen, Baby Dior, Balenciaga, Carolina Herrera,
Giusseppe Zanotti, Stella McCartney, Tom Ford as well as South African Stoned
Cherrie and Luminance Private Label to name but a few. Basically if you have
seen it on the runway in a fashion week in one of the international fashion capitals,
Luminance has it.
To see her
fashion dream into fruition, Khanyi Dhlomo has partnered with other equally
powerful women to bring the Luminance Boutique to life. These women are her
mother Mrs Venetia Dhlomo, who together with Khanyi is a major shareholder,
there is also South African business woman Dr Judy Dlamini, The South African
National Empowered Fund and Nonduna Investments as shareholders.
In an interview
with 702 FM, Khanyi said Luminance caters to various clients as there are items
from R80.00 to-and-over R80,000.00 per item and has empowered over 56 people
through employment. For me, I love the fact that it sounds like those boutiques
where one has to wear her best dress and heels just to window shop, imagine a
boutique that sells a single item higher than the net-worth of your car LOL!
On a very
serious note though, in my very humble opinion I would love to show my
appreciation and applaud Khanyi Dhlomo for following her dreams, empowering
other women through fashion as well as making us all believe that it is
possible to dream big and achieve those dreams. She is one black, young woman
that most of us women look up to. I see Luminance growing in leaps and bounds
even to the point of being listed in the JSE, as they do plan to have several
of these boutiques all around Africa.
In a weakly Destiny mailer Khanyi Dhlomo
stated that the previous week had been a special one for her; the culmination
of a dream she has held for a long time, that is, the opening of a luxury
department store in South Africa and she further encouraged us all to dream
big, I quote: "This week, I
leave you with this simple challenge: Dream big and believe in your
dreams."
Pictures Credit:
Pictures and information used in this article are from www.luminanceonline.co.za
and www.justcurious.co.za.
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Written By: Koko Shabangu
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