Mhalesinuo Tepa: Designer with a Voice

Although her love for designing can be traced back to childhood, Mhalesinuo Tepa really started pursuing it more seriously during her break from B.A final examinations, which also gave her ample time to put her thoughts together and fix her mind on designing beautiful outfits.

It was the year 2011 when she graduated in English Literature from Sazolie College under Nagaland University, that her gift for designing also took a better turn. Because it was then, she truly set her heart to creating outfits that ladies can flaunt about. Mhalesinuo draws inspiration from daily life,  but her biggest influence is unmistakably her mom, even as she recalls how her mother has played an integral role in her life as far as designing is concerned.

She fondly recollects the first design she made of a dress when she was only 10 or 12 years old. “I didn’t know how to stitch but mom sewed it for me”, she expresses, with the memory still fresh in her mind. Interestingly, she never attended any design school but her passion coupled with hard-work and persistence has definitely reaped good results.

A year on after she took up designing more professionally, models wore her creations to walk the ramp at a festival, organized to mark the culmination of the Artefacting’s Global Village 2012 project at Kohima. Artefacting is a New York based, Non Profit organization that consists of artists, photographers, teachers, activists and people who are passionate about social justice with a hope to produce some art works that reflects their personal artistic interests with possibly finding a connection and the influence of their roots, Christianity and western culture.

Simultaneously, she ventured into an online shopping page on facebook under the banner, “Colour Burst” (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Colour-Burst/372610202778276?fref=ts)  during April 2012. With inspiration drawn from daily life, by now, she has designed numerous outfits that are suitable for several occasions. Her latest works include that of garments for flower girls and a ring boy. Her clients would best put it individually, but they all echo a similar sentiment when they say, ‘her designs are simple but very classy’. That, she is often complimented for her good colour combination is also noteworthy.

So, does she have a favourite colour? To this, she is quick to say, “I love everything and anything that is colourful.” Efficient also in her work, it takes only about an hour for her to create a work with simple design while the more complicated ones take about a day.

Born to a family of artists, Mhalesinuo also started sketching as a little girl, but that’s not all as the young girl is moreover gifted with a beautiful voice. She began singing at Sunday School, when it eventually progressed to greater platforms and bigger audiences. Only this year in January, she was part of the group singing in the famed, “We Will Rock You” Musicial, directed by Ate Kevichusa, even as they gear up to stage the much complimented musical at Jotsoma from 1-3, December, 2013 coinciding with the Hornbill Festival.

Singing, Designing or Sketching? She professes she would settle for the former two if she were given a choice. But that doesn’t necessarily mean she would forego sketching.

The young lady who did her schooling from Minister’s Higher Secondary School and finished her 12^th from Mezhür Higher Secondary, prior to graduating from Sazolie College, is currently pursuing M.A English from IGNOU. Apart from singing, designing and sketching, Mhalesinuo loves to cook and is often carried away by shoes and accessories.

FILAFI FITHU, Putting her best foot forward

It takes courage to leave one’s comfort zone in pursuit of a dream, especially if it means quitting a so called ‘prestigious job’ by the society’s standard. But Filafi Fithu mindlessly gave away her position of Junior Divisional Accountant in the department of Treasuries and Accounts, which she acquired through the Nagaland Public Service Commission, for a far more fulfilling career.

She has always been a brilliant student but her extraordinary love for footwear absolutely showed when he earned a Gold Medal for doing exceptionally well in her post graduate course in Footwear Designing and Technology, Agra. Soon enough, she was working with a reputed footwear company in Noida, but that was naturally not enough for somebody whose heart has already been set for higher goals.

Notwithstanding the fact that she had a very humble beginning with her early high school education rooted in a small town in Meluri under Phek district, and later on, Patkai Christian College for graduation, she truly exhibited what she was capable of, by taking the road very less travelled.

That, she went on to launch her own designer shoe line under her own name- FILAFI FITHU, manufactured from Italy in a company called ‘Calzaturificio Taboo Line di Romeo Giuseppina,’ Vigevano (near Milan) renowned for its finest leather quality, in one of the posh areas of Delhi in Greater Kailash Main Block Market is an extraordinary feat. With this, she became a household name although it took several months of hard-work, passion, commitment and efforts to get where she stands today.

Currently working hard on their winter collection, while also hoping they can open a few more outlets in the coming year, Filafi Fithu shares her experiences with our readers in a candid conversation with YouthNet Opportunity Express.

YNOX: Your love for shoes, when and how did it happen?

FILAFI FITHU: I always loved shoes as far as I can remember but I guess it developed into some kind of obsession as I grew up because I always had a hard time finding my pair as my feet are extremely small (I am a size 34).

YNOX: How difficult was it to follow your dream, considering that you also quit a prestigious government job (as many people would say) and instead followed your heart?

FILAFI FITHU: If I were to tell you the truth it was not as hard as many would imagine because I have extremely kind parents. When I first told them about my decision they were obviously confused and did not say yes or no. But in the next few days they were already praying for me and my whatever decision. So this is the kind of parents I have for which I am able to do what I am doing right now and I feel so blessed for them. The faith they had in me made me feel so responsible.

YNOX: From growing up in a small town in Meluri to associating yourself with Italy- How does it feel? Did you think you would be here someday?

FILAFI FITHU: When I was a kid growing up in Meluri I thought I would be a doctor just because I used to stand first in the class. Life was such that you could never think of becoming anything apart from the conventional. But I was always a dreamer even then, so I still feel I am still the same old girl and I don’t think Italy or anything else is going to change the person that I essentially am.

YNOX: What was the most challenging thing you did while you were getting there?

FILAFI FITHU: First of all I am not anywhere there yet where I want to reach. I just started and I still have to learn just so much about everything - from the technical to the business part. The most challenging thing I did would be the decision to go ahead with my venture so early on in this career.

YNOX: You must now have an idea how people feel about your venture. What has the response been so far?

FILAFI FITHU: The response have been overwhelming! I think a lot of people, even strangers are so excited and curious about this thing. And it gives me a lot of excitement and pressure both at the same time. I want to thank every of my well wisher.

YNOX: So, what does it take to be there where you are?

FILAFI FITHU: Like I said before I am not anywhere there yet. But yes like any other challenging job it takes a lot of passion, hard-work, focus, self conviction, determination, craziness and ignorance all combined together.

YNOX: You are by any means a role model now, what would you say or advise our young people on pursuing the career of their dreams?

FILAFI FITHU: I am extremely humbled if I am of any inspiration to anyone out there for doing what I love to do. The best advise I can give to the young minds would be to figure out what they really really want to do in life and go for it. Trust me the universe really does conspire to make it happen when you really want it.

YNOX: Enlighten us a bit more on your take on shoes, how you design them, what inspires you to do so, the Italian connection, the leather, the material, anything and everything you feel needs to be told.

FILAFI FITHU: I consider the shoe as the most important accessory which can make or break any look. It depicts an individual’s personality. I take my inspiration from life and my many moods which I find so interesting. Designing and developing a shoe is an arduous and time consuming process. Normally, first of all you put it in a sketch what you have in your mind in accordance to the materials you want to use. Then you have to look for the components that defines the profile of you shoe- the sole, the heel and the platform (if you are using), after which you need to develop your last (foot-shaped forms) accordingly. Then you make a proto of your design on that last and have to make amendments several times before you can get the profile you are looking for. Next step is sampling which again involves several trials. After the final approval production follows. The whole process is like a puzzle and takes a lot of time for all the elements to finally come together.

The Italian connection- “I love their food, their products for which I decided to produce my shoes from there. Also my mentor, Sergio Peviani, is Italian who is again a very good friend of mine, so Italy and me really works!”