Meet Lady Tshawe of the Ndebele Crush Brand

Ndebele Crush T-Shirts

You’re a creative multipotentialite who wears many hats, what’s your favourite one?

It has got to be acting. Telling stories through different characters always gets me excited

You have a new project coming up, what can you tell us about that?

It’s going to be theatre production that speaks to culture and spirituality. That’s as much as I can share😊

How are you surviving the pandemic as thespians?

It definitely hasn’t been easy, but learning how to utilize the digital space has kept thespians surviving

How can thespians pivot to make a living during this 3rd wave?

Learning, learning, learning! Having to learn new skills, perfecting the skills one has can help pivot one to make a living during this 3rd wave

How does an aspiring thespian join the industry?

There are a number of platforms like CiTT, WiTT, CTD to mention but a few that afford aspiring thespians with necessary tools to join and navigate the industry

You were in the Masiyephambili song with other Byo artists, what was that creative process like?

That was an awesome experience, having to work with some of Bulawayo’s talented artists. It really was so humbling to get together and create a song that celebrates the city we so love.

We watched your touching performance in Day 44, how did you prepare for that role?

I had to find the despair, anxiety that my character was dealing with. I had just given birth so emotionally I was feeling a lot, physically exhausted and I tapped into that and gave it to my character.

Should we be looking forward to another book from you?

Yes you should.

What’s been your favourite story to tell on stage?

I have enjoyed all the stories but if I should choose one, I would say being umaNotsha in Blood Tongue: The Musical.

Has motherhood sparked any new story ideas?

Oooo yes. Especially new poetry.

What inspired you to start the #NdebeleCrush brand?

Someone used to call me their Ndebele crush and it stuck. I started using that tag a lot and thought it would look cool on a t-shirt. When thinking on the design I began to get interested in making it more than just a tag but something that would spark conversation on who one is, where they come from and what it means to be Ndebele, what the chevron means to them.

https://twitter.com/nonduduzo_ncube/status/1329441660309278726

What’s the first item you sold in the #NdebeleCrush collection and to whom?

It was the t-shirt and I gave them as Christmas presents to some of my fave personalities in the industry such as Asaph, Gilmore Qhawe Khumalo, Patience Phiri, Possenti Skhosana, Babongile Sikhonjwa.

https://twitter.com/NdebeleCrush/status/1318140154150834176

How did you achieve the mass buy-in by Bulawayo influencers to be seen in your brand?

I think gifting my friends with the t-shirts enabled me to get more influencers wanting to be seen in the brand

How many items are currently in the collection?

We have 6 items in our collection namely the t-shirts, caps, bucket hats, hoodies, t-shirt dresses and watches.

https://twitter.com/patphiri/status/1328714819822874624

What’s the big, hairy audacious goal for Ndebele Crush?

Is to spearhead people to know their tribe history, going beyond just being about amaNdebele but every Zimbabwean tribe be able to tell their story and history through our brand.