Woolworths is on a mission to celebrate and be a catalyst for confidence – providing a denim range that delivers both functionality and fashionability. And they called on some fierce women to help them out.
From collaborating with Alicia Keys to starting the world’s first curve modelling school and racing a superbike, three remarkable South African women are smashing boundaries, rewriting the narrative and showing them. They are the Woolworths RE: Denim ambassadors, showcasing confidence as their best fit yet.
“This goes beyond the RE: denim label; the SHOW THEM campaign features three pioneers who are challenging norms in unexpected ways and ‘showing them’. Through our campaign, we will tell their stories of confidence and show people they, too, can reinvent themselves in a meaningful way.” says Sonia Battista, General Manager for Fashion at Woolworths.
Launching the new RE: Denim Curvy Collection exclusive to Woolworths, these powerhouse women – Morongoa Mahope, Charnelle Paulse and Ofentse Pitse share how confidence became the gamechanger for them.
Morongoa Mahope, ‘The Limpopo Express’, is South Africa’s first black female superbike racer. She’s also a mother of three teenage girls, married, and works as an accountant at an advertising agency. Despite facing major obstacles – navigating a male-dominated industry, starting racing at a late age, and the costs involved with biking – she’s come out as a force to be reckoned with. Her secret? Self-confidence every step of the way. “Confidence is the reason I progressed to a point where I now share the grid with some of the fastest men racing in South Africa,” she says. “Confidence is doing things that may seem impossible, feeling sure of yourself and your abilities. It makes you feel that you are more than what society says you are.”
Charnelle Paulse is a wife, mother, model, business owner and social entrepreneur. As the woman behind the world’s first curve modelling agency, Curve School, she’s made it her mission to encourage people from all walks of life to be the best version of themselves. To do that, she believes it’s all about confidence. “Confidence means being at peace with who I am. It’s what I sell and what I encourage other women to practice until they own confidence in themselves.” She believes in living her mantra to keep that spirit alive: “God has given me the power to accomplish my goals. I am more than enough! I am beautiful inside and out. I am worthy!.”
Creativity runs in Ofentse Pitse’s veins. Not only is she the first black South African woman who founded and conducts an all-black orchestra, but she’s also an architect. But getting to wear these different hats wasn’t always easy. From day one, it required her to show up with confidence and courage. “I decided to pursue conducting because I hadn’t seen anyone who looked like me. Even today, there are a lot of people who still doubt my abilities, which resulted in me having to show up more,” she says. “But confidence has allowed me to enter rooms that precede my appearance. It allows me to live and dream things that have not been seen in my generation.”
The new collection is made for confident living, using only sustainably-sourced cotton. The denim collection features a range of timeless silhouettes in classic shades to fit all body types. Explore the collection, available exclusively in Woolworths stores nationwide, online, and on the Woolies app. RE: denim ensures that the next time you put on your jeans, your confidence rises.
