Behind the scenes with Ruby Red’s Busisiwe Ntsele

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Bloem’s Busiswe Ntsele is a female powerhouse, fashionista, mom and influencer. Put her in a pair of Ruby Red heels, and BOOM! Power to the double.

Busi has an inexplicable presence about her. When she enters a room, her aura creates a sense of wonder. She radiates confidence, talks purposefully, moves graciously and works professionally. She’s the creative force behind the luxury designer name Ruby Red Shoes in Bloemfontein. She designs shoes made of genuine Italian leather and recently added coats, suits and dresses to her label. The Ruby Red look is extremely exclusive, hi-end and stylish. It will set you apart in a crowd. It elevates your style and takes your fashion game to a whole new level, because, Busi’s services don’t stop with the design of her Ruby Red items. She gives excellent style advice. “My clients often turn to me for advice on what to
wear for a specifi c occasion. They tell me what options they have at home, and I’ll suggest wearing certain pieces together which they didn’t necessarily think of.”

Busi grew up in Johannesburg and moved to Bloemfontein when she got married. Her first husband passed away, and today she is again happily married. She has three beautiful daughters – the eldest (26), who works as an online specialist, the middle child (16), who wants to be a social media influencer, and a busy 14-year-old teenager.

“I’ve always been intrigued by fashion. I’m especially in love with winter clothing. Suits, coats, heels, hats… it just does something to me when I wear a statement coat with  beautiful shoes.” Busi focuses on the capsule wardrobe approach. She explains that the idea of building your entire wardrobe out of individual statement and staple pieces is brilliant in creating your specific style, without breaking the bank. “Invest in good quality
pieces. Don’t buy hundreds of cheap clothing items which will clutter up your wardrobe and add confusion to your style.”

Ruby Red fills a niche market and her elite clientele trust her with their fashion choices. “My clients want to make a statement with their clothing. They are ready to invest in quality
pieces, and they do so with confidence and trust in my brand. It is my wish for Ruby Red to become a household name in Bloemfontein’s fashion industry.”

It has not been easy for Busi to build an empire in such a segmented industry in Bloemfontein. But through perseverance, research and hard work, she managed to make a name for herself and stand out among her competitors. “I love to enrich myself with knowledge. Knowledge is power. I read a lot of books about prosperity and building your own wealth.”

To relax, Busi loves watching movies and stories – especially those who tell stories of people in Africa. “And of course, I like sleep!” she giggles. “Sleep does wonders. If I ever have a bad day or things just don’t work out, I jump into bed, sleep it off , and start over  the next day.”

Apart from her fashion empire, Busi is also trying her hand at the world of property. She is starting to build her property portfolio in the housing market, and is loving the newness of
this trade. “No magic ever happens inside your comfort zone. You have to motivate yourself to always try new things.”

For Busi, hard work is (and has always been) the start of all big things. This is a lesson she’d like to teach her children. “I want my children to know that they can do anything that they put their minds to. They can create something from nothing. Prosperity and success
do not come from nothing. You have to work for it.” She says her children are accustomed to see their mother working hard, but they should always know that they, too, have to work hard for their own future.

Leading by example

Busi also recently started the Ruby Red Model Development Programme. This programme is aimed at helping girls and young women who worked in the model industry regain their
true purpose in life. It is a professional training academy for young females aspiring to be models or fashionistas from the previously disadvantaged areas of the Mangaung Metro.

The programme will enrol the participants for a period of 12 months where they will be trained in different skills set related to modelling and fashion industry. The participants
enrolled in the programme are trained in skills such as Leadership, Entrepreneurship,
Life Skills, Career Development and other skills to prepare them for a life after the programme with the intention of ensuring that they can stand for themselves and avoid being affected by negative socio-economic challenges. Details of this are on the Facebook
page: RubyRed Model Development Programme.

Busi in a nutshell

Busi starts her day at 5am every day. She leaves for the gym at 5:20 and enjoys a full body exercise until 7am. “I love to eat healthy foods… but don’t get me wrong, I enjoy guilty pleasures every now and again! I’m especially crazy about Oreo McFlurry and potato
chips.”

Busi loves cooking and makes a legendary biryani and curry dish. She stays motivated by praying every morning. “On my way to the gym, I pray for strength, focus and courage.
Every single day. This way, I start my day off right.”

One thing not a lot of people know about Busi, is that she loves to dance. “Oh, to jive… I love it!” She offers motivational speeches at events and sees her time with other women as her way of uplifting and inspiring girls of all ages and backgrounds.

Text: Lani Fouché

Photos: Pierce van Heerden

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