Pulling out all the socks: Eastern Cape man tells African stories through footwear

The country's hard lockdown last year changed many people's lives unexpectedly, and Thando Imam Stephans, a young entrepreneur from Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape, is one of many who bore the brunt.

Before lockdown last year, he was running a small catering business and worked at a local radio station, but all this came to a grinding halt when the pandemic started. 

“My business failed and my radio show was paused. I couldn't afford the rent. I sold some of my belongings. I then squatted at my friend's place. I didn't want to go back home.

“I grew up with my both parents, my little brother, and my sister. But later on, my parents divorced so I had to stay with my grandparents to complete my matric,” Stephans said.

He was under severe pressure as he couldn't make ends meet, but an idea struck — and Zii Gallo Socks was born.

“After I lost everything during level 5 lockdown I was sleeping on my friend’s couch. I had nothing but an idea of creating culturally inspired socks. I liked colourful socks. I wanted to tell our African stories to the world through socks,” he said.

Starting a business during a pandemic, however, was a challenge.

“It was very difficult to deliver on time to our customers. I didn't have a marketing budget so I decided to start selling in the streets of Maboneng,” Stephans said.

“I wouldn't say that not having capital was a challenge. I've already started, so investors will find me on my way.

“I'd like to see Zii Gallo Socks being sold in more than 10,000 stores in Africa, seeing our role models and celebrities wearing proudly South African brands.”

He said if international brands such as Happy Socks could open a store in SA, nothing was stopping him from opening a store in Times Square, New York, in years to come.

“I'm a proud Xhosa man. I like my culture. I like our South African cultural patterns and the stories behind them.

“People received the brand really well, though some still confuse colourful as 'Happy Socks'. I would like to do a lot of different designs from Zulu, Xhosa, Tshivenda patterns to represent different South African cultures, then we will see from there,” Stephans said.

His advice to up-and-coming brands: “Stop complaining about funding, start with what you have, you can do it all by yourself.”

TimesLIVE