Bright, beaded handbags catch the eye
Trudging to Francistown Magistrates Court on a grey, overcast Monday morning, feeling slightly glum at the grim stories that lay in wait, the colourful sight of bright, beaded handbags lifted The Voice reporter’s mood considerably.
Deciding to put off the blood and misery of court for half-an-hour, we went in for a closer look.
Situated along the side of the street that divides Ntshe House from Galo Mall, the small stall is owned by 25-year-old Kopo Keamogetswe.
A Broadcasting and Journalism student who graduated from Limkokwing University in 2023, with job opportunities in the oversubscribed industry proving illusive, the Tutume native tried something different.
Taking matters into her own hands, quite literally, inspired by a TikTok video, Keamogetswe began making her handbags in July last year.
“What truly ignited my passion was taking a closer look at how these bags were constructed. As I studied their design and detailed involvement in the creation, my interest deepened into a genuine passion. It then motivated me to turn this passion into a business,” explains the well-spoken youth.
Sourcing her beads from Zambia, Keamogetswe uses a fishline, cloth, and magnetic clips to expertly knit her handbags together.
She estimates it takes 24 hours to produce one bag, which come in an array of colours, from luminous pink to dark black, dazzling white to light blue, with purple, yellow, lime, and orange too – all the colours of the rainbow and more!
Her designs differ in shape and size, with prices ranging between P300 to P350.
“I wanted to create something unique in the market. My bags are timeless and gorgeous accessories that complete a woman’s outfit,” says Keamogetswe, who has nine handbags neatly displayed on her tidy little table, including a red heart-shaped one.
Although interested pedestrians often stop by her stall to check out the bags, in these tough economic times ‘accessories’ are often sacrificed for ‘necessities’ and sales are hard to come by.
Still, the upbeat entrepreneur says she sells at least three bags a week.
“Business is doing well. I am targeting women who value elegance and appreciate class and fashion. Those who are keen on complementing their dresses with a small, stylish handbag that enhances their overall look without overshadowing it,” she explains, adding there is a misconception her handbags are for ‘slay queens’ only.
“Some customers complain the bags are too small or believe they are only suitable for bardies, you know the ma 2k generation, failing to see them as statement accessories perfect for weddings, dinners and photos. The other problem I have is that the beads locally are expensive and of poor quality and not sold in bulk which makes it pricey and forces me to order them in Zambia.”
Despite these challenges, Keamogetswe remains cheery, noting that as far as she’s aware, locally there’s only one other person in the country producing similar bags.
“The main competition comes from outside the country,” she adds.
As well as street-side sales, Keamogetswe takes orders, and can design a bag to the customer’s specifics.
For clients outside Francistown, she couriers while for those in and around Ghetto she can personally meet them.
Ending with a word of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, she says, “It’s important to conduct thorough research before you get going; anyone can start a business, maintaining one requires dedication!”
The blues of earlier blown away, we leave feeling far happier, ready to tackle a long day in court. Now, to figure out how to squeeze an extra P350 out of next month’s budget; hopefully Christmas Bonuses are on the way…
