You’ve probably never heard of this designer but by the time you’re through reading this, you’d be awed by the ‘adventures’ of the CEO of R&R Klodin. Ladies and gents, I present aMiss Rosemond Twumasi the creative mind behind R&R Klodin.
“I don’t even know how I got here,” she maintained during an interview. “I have always wanted to be a teacher… fashion was never my dream,” she added with a laugh. Unlike most children, Rosemond had an avid interest in becoming a teacher when she grew up. “I always thought teachers were the coolest to ever hit the world. They could get us to do whatever they wanted. Even parents seemed to be afraid of teachers,” Rosemond related. The ‘power’ teachers held in young Rosemond’s mind piqued her interest in wanting to become a teacher. So how did the dream shift from teaching to designing?
According to this young CEO, it all started one vacation when she ruined her sister’s doll’s dress. “I unintentionally or was it intentionally wiped my soiled fingers on the doll’s dress. Unfortunately for me, I ripped the dress when I was frantically washing it,” she reminisced. To placate her sister she sewed a new one from the laces underneath her old church dresses. “Those frilly Christmas dresses with the caps and bags we used to wear. I sewed a lace dress and cap for the doll,” she said. It wasn’t really well done but her sister loved it so much. She showed the doll around. Soon children around were clamouring for the doll dresses. “They would bring me materials and some candies or biscuits so I could sew doll dresses for them.” She got better with practice however her mother found out about the candies and biscuits and banned her from the practice.
“I forgot all about sewing till I got to Junior High School. We were introduced to Textiles. I rediscovered my love for sewing.” She graduated from miniature dresses to handkerchiefs, tablecloths, and simple cloth bags among others. Her mother recognizing her talent made her train with a seamstress in their area after her B.E.C.E. “My mom thought it was a good idea to spend the few months learning something meaningful. Little did she know that it would be instrumental in landing me where I am now”.
Rosemond proceeded to S.H.S. where she studied Home Economics (Clothing and Textiles). “I had to battle with my parents about that one, they wanted me to study business,” she said. Her interests won, and her parents gave in after realizing it was her passion. She proceeded to Kumasi Technical University to study fashion. There she honed her skills through training given to her by tutors and through internships with fashion designers. She started sewing clothes for herself and her little sisters. “It didn’t start as a business at first, people will see my designs from school and ask me to pattern some styles for them. They would dash me tips afterwards.” Little by little, Rosemond started charging for her clothes. She later added beads, bags and purses. Thus R &R Klodin was born.
Through an accident, a young woman was able to realize her real passion in life. Well, Rosemond insists she hasn’t really cast away teaching. She planning to start a fashion school soon. Talk about pure coincidence, an accident brought her closer to her true calling. “Thinking back on it, the whole situation sounds funny. If I hadn’t soiled the clothes I might not have have discovered my true calling,” she replied when I asked her if she believed in fate.
“But I truly believe it was all through God’s direction and not just coincidence,” she added.
Rosemond now sews men, women and children’s clothing. She has orders from mostly her acquaintances. Her business is growing mainly through word of mouth adverts. Friends of friends, friends of family connect her to clients. She even has a few international clients. She advertises on Facebook as well. “Now, you don’t just sit in your corner and wait for people come to you… Go out there and meet them halfway.”
She gathers inspiration from other designers and from nature. I asked her to say few words to the world on dreams. She replied, “we have a lot of motivational speakers for that but I must say that wherever you find yourself you need to do your best because you’d never know in which area you will find your niche.”
