Taking a look at content creator and designer Zolfreckles.

Some people are born knowing what they want to do with their lives and who they ought to be. For everyone else there’s a lot of trial and error. Zoliswa Mbadu, better known as Zolfreckles, is one of the lucky few who were pulled from the womb with that predestined purpose. ‘I’ve been creative for as long as I can recall,’ Zoliswa says. ‘I remember in pre-primary school, my teacher wrote my mom a letter asking if she could buy me a bigger bag, because I would fill my bag up with scrap pieces of material from the craft room. My fascination with material and clothing started at a very young age.’ Unlike most kids, Zoliswa wouldn’t rush home to catch up with the latest cartoons: her race to the television was fuelled by a need to take in all that she could from Fashion TV. It was mainly this exposure to the channel’s content that contributed to turning her passion into a dream to work towards. However, even those born knowing what they’re meant to do can deviate from their path a little. 

For Zoliswa, this detour came in the form of a BCom, a decision made as a result of the unintentional motivations of her family. ‘They felt that it was the ideal career path to take,’ Zoliswa says, ‘but the moment I stepped into my first accounting lecture, I knew that I was not made for that course.’ After seeing how unhappy Zoliswa was in her BCom studies, the family supported her decision to switch courses. Sometimes it pays to follow your passions, as Zoliswa’s own experience reveals. ‘The moment I focused on fashion and fashion-related things, I started getting some great opportunities and my life started to feel more fulfilling.’ As a content creator, Zoliswa believes that her role is that of a ‘marketing pioneer’. ‘We have the power to influence our followers to buy into a certain product or service through creating content that highlights that particular product. So we are the middlemen between brands and their consumers.’ As a result of her position as an influencer, Zoliswa finds social media essential to her work. ‘Most of the campaigns I’ve worked on have been from being scouted on social media. So without social media,’ Zoliswa says, ‘I don’t think I’d be doing as well as I am.’ But don’t let her success fool you: The road to being a successful influencer is not as easy as it seems. 

‘Some of my biggest challenges have been the constant changes on Instagram that affect the algorithm and, essentially, the reach of my posts,’ Zoliswa says. These challenges don’t mean that there aren’t also many rewarding experiences. ‘It always humbles me to realise how all the brands I’ve worked with saw the potential in me and trusted me enough to give me a chance to work with them.’ As an influencer, you have to work as hard as you would in any other profession, and Zoliswa credits her success to her work principles. ‘I believe that my work ethic is one of my superpowers,’ Zoliswa shares. ‘ I can’t stress how important it is for one to take their work seriously and adhere to deadlines. Another thing that has helped me incredibly is my time-management skills. Procrastination is not even a word in my vocabulary.’ It is this superpower, and a no-nonsense attitude that makes her visions of building an agency to help other content creators manage their brands a possibility, rather than an unattainable dream. In 2017, Zoliswa launched her fashion range Evolving Revolver, and in the process bore witness to some of her craziest ideas coming to life. ‘I remember sometimes I’d wake up during the night just to sketch an idea that had come to me in my sleep. Seeing all those ideas come alive was probably the most heart-warming experience of my life.’ Her line is inspired by cubism, asymmetry, and what she saw on the streets. The title of her collection was inspired by a love of Erykah Badu and her music, notably the album Mama’s Gun.

‘She constantly spoke about the importance of evolving as a human being in order to progress and be better,’ Zoliswa reminisces. ‘So there it was: Evolving Revolver. Zoliswa has lived through the highs and lows of content creation and encourages aspiring creators to just be themselves. ‘It sounds clichéd,’ starts Zoliswa, ‘but stay true to what you believe in and don’t lose yourself in social media.’ As for her own aspirations, Zoliswa finished her BTech and is now working towards her future goals. ‘I’m very interested in the merchandising- and buying aspects of fashion, so that is what I intend on exploring in the near future.’  On the personal side of things, Zoliswa reveals her secret to finding the balance between work and play: ‘The secret is planning your time efficiently and not wasting any of it. I enjoy going out with my friends and being with my boyfriend as well, whether it is to have some drinks, eat out or even go on small getaways. It’s all about time management.’ We will definitely be taking a few notes from the pages of Zoliswa’s book – and also keeping an eye out for what she does next.

Words by: Melissa Jane Hershaw
Photography: @zolfreckles via Instagram