Nico’s business is a true fusion of professional experience, glamour, elegance and striking design.
With his newly relocated studio in Bassonia, Johannesburg South, fashion designer Nico Willoughby-Smith dazzles and speaks of a certain “je ne sais quoi”.
In reality, when searching for designers for an event, we go straight to Google and Nico is the first designer that pops up for designers in the south of Johannesburg.
To him, the proof is in the pudding when it comes to what he can do and how talented he is.
A visit to Nico revealed more about his passion, career and life.
A passion for fashion
Nico’s love for fashion started back in 2002 just before his matric farewell.
“I designed and created my own matric farewell garment. Not only did the garment take me to Polokwane’s annual Prom evening, but it also helped me to sustain a student bursary at The Design School of Southern Africa,” he said.
He graduated as a qualified fashion designer in 2005 at the Pretoria campus of The Design School of Southern Africa (moderated and validated by the London College of Arts) and he has been in the industry for the last 17 years and counting.
His career started out in Polokwane in Limpopo.
“One of the reasons as to why I went back to Polokwane after graduating was owing to the way I had already saturated the market while a student,” he explained.
Nico said that he has never made the same dress twice as each individual is different and he will always be honest when clients approach him for advice.
He needs to stay up to date with all the latest fashion trends.
He said that no matter what qualifications one may have behind your name, you never stop learning. “Just as fashion is evolving, so you learn new methods and techniques when it comes to working with different fabrics.”
The best part about his job is first of all the different kinds of people he gets to meet and then seeing the final product or that photo of a design coming to life.
“The other day I had a young woman come for a final fitting for her matric farewell dress. Her dad’s response after seeing her in the dress was just so overwhelming. He said that he can now see his little girl has turned into a young woman.
“It is moments and feedback like this why I am doing what I am doing,” said Nico.
Some challenges he faced were very demanding and controlling clients.
“As it is with most professions, you always get that very demanding and very controlling client who not only commands your undivided attention but also insists on advising you as to how you should operate. Nevertheless, you just make the best out of that situation.
“I must say that challenges drive me and I thrive when under pressure.”
Nico’s career highlights include winning numerous Designer of the Year Awards within his industry.
“Awards were presented to me by the City of Polokwane during our annual Prom Pageants and I also had the privilege of dressing national artists such as Lianie May and Nianell whenever they performed in my hometown, which was a huge privilege.
“Qualities a designer should have is communication and being able to work with people. After all, your job entails capturing your client’s personality and portraying it in a creation that is best suited according to her specific body shape.”
Excited to dash up the south
Nico received a business opportunity to move to Bassonia and to continue living his fashion dream here.
“I just could not refuse this chance and I grabbed it with both hands. It has been one thrilling ride so far.”
He said that people have been so warm and welcoming to him.
“It is just so different here and all in a good way.”
Nico has made over 130 matric farewell dresses, more than 15 custom-made suit designs and 100 wedding gowns.
“I cannot tell you how the last nine months have been because it was just incredible. I have the knowledge and talent to manipulate a pattern to someone’s measurements and most of the time my clients will look at the final design and you can see their eyes light up.”
His longest project took him over 400 hours from beginning to end.
Nico feels as if he has never worked a day in his life because he is just enjoying every minute of what he does. Nothing gets him down not even load-shedding.
“I will sit there with a flashlight doing beading work on a design. I just don’t have any limits,” he said.
He is looking forward to the future because there is so much he still wants to do and achieve. The plan is to grow his business from strength-to-strength.
More about his business and designs
“I love to use beautiful fabrics and aesthetic trimmings wrapped in passionate splendour.
My business is all about elegance and perfection with a potent mix of creativity.
“Exclusive, innovative, trend-setting and unique,” is how he described his work.
He specialises in haute couture, wedding gowns, matric farewell garments, bespoke tailored suits and special occasion attire.
Nico continues to draw his inspiration from individualism, ensuring that every client’s personality and character are captured and portrayed through their uniquely designed creation.
He believes that true fashion is determined by his client’s ability to feel radiant and confident in his creation.
The Covid-19 pandemic was the coffin that buried most small businesses according to him.
“Although we all experienced the same storm, we were just in different boats at the time.
The pandemic has truly humbled me as a person and taught me that whatever you have spent your lifetime building, could just as easily be taken away from you overnight,” he added.
“I have managed to set some pretty interesting short and long-term goals. I have recently discovered a fashion gap within a particular market that has never been explored before. A commercial range that will sell itself according to all the market-related research, so watch this space!”
His portfolio can be viewed on his Facebook page (Nico Willoughby-Smith Fashion Designer) and Instagram account (Nico Willoughby-Smith).
On a personal note
He was born and bred within the heart of Limpopo in Polokwane. Nico is two years shy of turning 40. Together with his two older brothers and a younger sister, he was raised in a humble but conservative household.
As a gay individual, the world inspired him to find himself and live his life unapologetically.
His mother, Harleen, is his biggest fan and also his biggest inspiration. “She came from nothing, and her children are living her dreams all because she has always put herself last, but she made sure that we had everything. She is always so positive, and nothing in life will get her down.”
When asked about his spare time he replied and said; “One of the biggest challenges I face is living and working within the same environment. The only way I avoid becoming a constant workaholic is by breaking away now and then with close friends.”
Something not many know about Nico is that he is a big Celine Dion fan. “I know all of her songs even the French ones. And yes, most of the time I do not know what I am singing about when singing her French songs,” he laughed.
His motto in life is that he does not believe in competition because he is already in a class of his own.
