If you have ever wondered if your outfit is enough without makeup and accessories or have had to try 10 outfits before finding something to wear then you are conscious about beauty. “Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it”, a quote from Confucius which holds much truth. Recognizing beauty is not always easy especially if you don’t believe in your own I would say.
U Motle, is a brand that not only recognizes beauty in everything African but also encourages its affirmation. Understanding your own beauty beyond flows and scars will help one to appreciate the next person’s beauty. The brand introduces uniquely expressive pieces that provides strong affirmations of beauty residing in feminine beauty.
U Motle launches with six different earrings carefully crafted from the light weight wood with shapes and designs meant to allow women to feel comfortable with African beauty.
The brand name is “U Motle”, a Sotho statement which means “You are beautiful”, reiterating the motivation of the brand- an affirmation of the beauty of a people and continent. Mantate Mlotshwa who founded the brand revealed that it will have three different services comprising accessories, clothing and image consultancy for those that love to incorporate Africa into their look. Nombeko Ncube A.K.A Nkatha works with the brand as one of its concept creators. However, it debuts with six (6) earring designs that come in two sets.
“The first design is our U Motle logo inspired design. The other five (5) designs are inspired by women in our space whose everyday passion and work inspires strength and sisterhood, and an appreciation of one’s beauty. The first set has all designs in circular off-white wood printed either on one or both sides. The second set has each design in its unique shape printed on one or both sides.” Said the Mantate during an interview with earGROUND.
The inspiration behind all this creativity is the affirmation of the beauty of a people and continent. One of the designs was inspired by the #Doek4Tuku challenge that women participated in on January 25, 2019 in celebration of the life and legacy of Oliver Mutukudzi who passed away on January 23, 2019. U Motle was moved by how women joined together and used a feminine accessory (headwrap) to show solidarity. This comes to prove that together, a voice can be a movement and can make waves.
Accessories enhance beauty, but worn together and for a purpose can give a commendable experience. We can never underestimate the value of accessories when rings are a symbol of a matrimonial union, and crowns affirm royalty.
Jewelry has always been a good gift idea and U Motle launches theirs just in time for the Valentine’s Day euphoria. The good thing about the brand is that it doesn’t just offer accessories but an experience to express and appreciate beauty of self and others. It is not just for people like Mantate who have been always inclined to all things African, it stands to attract those who resonate with the concept of affirmation it offers.
Everyone has a story and U Motle captures it and affirms the beauty in all of them. Whether it is something physical like battling a skin condition and the judgment that comes from people who do not understand it, or something intangible like booming in business – thanks to the support of a sisterhood!
The brand comes to cater for women who are ready to make that affirmation, “Our target customer or user is someone that sees themself through eyes that affirm that which makes them beautiful. If it’s the earrings, necklaces, bracelets, or anklets, it’s for the ones that are choosing to own not just the fact that they are amazing, but those choosing to incorporate the symbols and designs in our products into their looks.” Mantate.
U Motle is here to help you be the best you and bring self-satisfaction. It is clear that the founders are not just about the talk but the walk too as they pushed themselves to make it happen even when the world is still adjusting to live in a global health pandemic. They obviously faced some challenges along the way but that didn’t stop the show. “The Covid-19 environment is very limiting. Transporting the earrings from the production location in lockdown and actually shooting the earrings were the major set-backs. But nonetheless, we are here now and excited to be doing it.” Mantate said. What brings more self-satisfaction than seeing your dream come to life?
Being an affirmation, the brand allows women to go deeper than the physical and unleash the beauty from within. When beauty is from within, you have the freedom to express it in any way. The brand creators took some time to create a range of playful outfits inspired by the African beauty. This combines different clothes into interesting outfits for different occasions. This line will however be launched at a later date to be advised, hence the need to stay tuned to their social media.
The pieces which are set to be launched this Friday the 12th of February will be available for orders through the U Motle website www.umotle.com, the brand’s WhatsApp line +27 (71) 058-7083 and of course the social media platforms @U Motle. The best part is the product can be delivered to any place in Southern Africa. So if you have friends and family you wish to spoil, get in touch and U Motle will deliver. Let them experience an Afrocentric expression of beauty.
earground 