Noblivity Spotlights Victoria Rangayah
Company/Designer Name: z-mode / Victoria Rangayah
Designer Background Summary:
How did you get started? After a 3 year fashion design qualification I worked as a denim wear designer for a mass market supplier who supplied most of the main chains in South Africa. The experience I gained there about staying true to your fashion vision in the face of commercial pressure is invaluable! After moving to the UK I thought I could give it a shot and I’ve not looked back since.
What inspires your designs? My main inspiration is contrast, contradiction, opposites and finding harmony and balance between them, making them work together.
How would you describe your design style, design signatures and who is your targeted customer? My signature design is men’s suiting fabrics mixed with flowing silks. I also love graphic, sharp lines and minimalism. My customer is the confident, sophisticated over 23 year old woman, who knows exactly what she wants and has the poise and presence to go after it. 
What designers inspire you? I love Zac Posen, Alice Palmer, Mary Katrantzou and David Longshaw
What obstacles did you have to overcome? How did you overcome them?
The biggest obstacle – and I’m still in the process of finding a solution – is juggling between work and being a wife and a mother of two. It’s very hard to find balance and dedicate time fairly.
What has been your greatest moment on your journey so far?It is always very rewarding to see your work being published in national and international fashion magazines such as ELLE and Collezioni Italy. Being one of the finalists in South Africa’s biggest bridal competition ‘Bridex Africa’ was another happy moment of my design career.
What has been the biggest change in your designs so far? Having worked at both ends of the spectrum – designing practical and casual denim wear as well as bespoke, romantic bridal wear – and having gained all this experience, I am trying to combine a lot of different aspects into my new collection.
If money were no object what would you do right now? The first thing I would do is get premises and a baby sitter! Then I would concentrate more on brand awareness, marketing and development.
What are the best and worst things about being a designer? The best thing is that this job could be very rewarding. The negative aspect is that the journey to the top is very, very tough and sadly being the designer you actually spend very little time designing.
Describe your typical day? School run in the morning, baby walk and toddler groups lunch time, email answering while baby has his nap, school pick up, after school activities, phone calls while waiting, tea time, bath time and finally by 8pm my official working day starts. Then I do my patterns, sample sewing, emails, research designs etc. I finish work around 1 AM and get ready for 6AM start to do my mother duties again.
What’s your philosophy of life? There is nothing impossible! Keep knocking on those doors, one of them will eventually open for you.
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? It’s hard to say what I would do differently. I think knowing my situation I am doing the best I can, and actually feel that I’m on the right track.
When will you know you have made it? The artist’s job is never complete, so I don’t think you ever reach that line that you say, “Right, that’s it, I made it.” I think you grow and develop over time and keep setting higher and higher goals. I guess when I can stop working at all and see my label running itself then I will know that I made it.
