“I wish I could give little Ilsé a glimpse into this moment. I wish she could see her name on a clothing tag in beautiful rose gold foil.”

These were the words of budding fashion designer and florist Ilsé Vincent at the launch of her first clothing label called The Language of Flowers, at the Dorp Hotel last Thursday, September 5.

Ms Vincent, who lives in Wellington, decided to expand her flower-arranging career, and joined Pick n Pay Clothing’s mentorship programme, Futurewear.

Ms Vincent grew up in a small town in Onseepkans in the Northern Cape, next to the Orange River. She said since she was a little girl, she had been obsessed with flowers, and loved spending time in her parents’ garden. “Even now, when I smell fuchsia or daffodils, it takes me back to that exact spot. I can feel the sun burning on my skin.”

She said there was something about flowers that spoke to her. “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I knew I needed to do something with flowers.”

She studied teaching after school, but never used the degree, and went to New York to obtain her diploma in floral design. When she returned, she opened up her florist business, Blomstories, meaning flower stories, in Wellington, offering floral arrangements for weddings and events.

Along with her love for flowers, she also enjoyed design and fashion, often dressing up her dolls and her little cousins. “I thought that I wasn’t cool enough for fashion. I couldn’t even sew a button - it wasn’t in my books.”

She said about a year ago, her creativity began to bloom when she attempted to make wallpaper for her kitchen, and digitally created floral designs.

“I thought someone could use it to make clothing - not me though, but I knew it would look cool. I thought ‘I can use another way of speaking and sharing the language of flowers by clothing people in it’.”

She saw the Futurewear mentorship programme on social media, and decided to enter. “When I saw the Futurewear call for entries, I instantly thought I could learn from the best, but doubt flooded my thoughts. I didn't study design, fashion, or business; my background is in teaching and floral design.”

To her surprise, she was chosen as one of the mentees.

Pick n Pay Clothing executive Hazel Pillay

The Pick n Pay Clothing Futurewear programme, now in its fifth year, was established by Pick n Pay Clothing executive Hazel Pillay in partnership with renowned fashion designer Gavin Rajah to support local designers through a mentorship and resources programme.

Ms Pillay said Ms Vincent was “a perfect example” of someone who put herself out there with no experience in fashion.

She said Futurewear was a process of mentorship, personal growth and support from experienced people in the industry, and any candidate in the programme can finish with confidence in their abilities in fashion.

Mr Rajah said the programme was committed to nurturing female talent in the fashion industry. “The support offered is instrumental in empowering the next generation of female creatives, driving the industry forward with innovation and inclusivity.”

He said the designers were constantly under pressure and that the programme was hard on the mentees, however, “what I want to do is bring out something in you. My role is to help you find that something”.

Futurewear mentor, Julia Buchanan wearing Illse Vincent’s clothing brand.

Local designer and Futurewear mentor, Julia Buchanan, was the first designer to join the programme five years ago, and was Ms Vincent’s mentor.

She said the programme gives young designers the opportunity to channel their creativity into designing a collection that gets showcased nationwide.

“This experience allowed Ilsé to channel her passion for flowers into a new medium, leading to the creation of her own fashion brand within months.”

She said Ms Vincent’s journey from florist to fashion designer shows creativity doesn't need boundaries. “It can manifest across the board and that's inspiring for lots of creatives.”

Ms Vincent’s range includes various pieces, such as matching sets, skirts, and printed dresses, all paying homage to South Africa's indigenous flora. “These were designed to be versatile, flattering, and bold – offering something unique for curvier women who often struggle to find stylish, comfortable clothing.”

Yamkela Mahlelehlele from Maitland, Isabella Erasmus from Woodstock and Nthatuwa Tshabalala from Wynberg

She said when people wear her clothing, she wanted them to adorn themselves in the symbolism of the flowers - white poppy to symbolise peace, bagicha for new beginnings and the pin cushion and the kangaroo paw for courage.

“It’s an everlasting bouquet that you will always carry with you.”

Chezelle Brand from Paarl and Mareli Steenkamp from Strand

Ms Vincent is now preparing a new collection under her own label, set to debut on the local runway at the Cape Town Resorts Collection at the Norval Foundation in Tokai in December.

She is also exploring options for a potential pop-up boutique or online store, and will continue running Blomstories.

To all the budding creatives, she said: “Every opportunity you get that seems ridiculous - take it! You literally have nothing to lose.”

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Florist blooms into fashion designer