Luminance Boutique, In My Stylist Opinion
I have always expressed my undeniable love for Khanyi Dhlomo, much to the point where I know for sure that she is the one woman I aspire to be like. Khanyi has defied every stereotype there is out there; she is beautiful, educated, is a successful business woman and is married with a beautiful family. Very often as women we are led to believe that we can not "have it all". Well, if you think I can not be a beautiful, educated, successful and happily married woman, I have two words for you: Khanyi Dhlomo! For this article, let us not get into the now ugly political debacle over the R34.1 Million loan from the South African National Empowerment Fund that was received by Khanyi Dhlomo's Luminance Boutique. Let us rather just focus on the boutique and the positive message that it sends out to dreamers like myself and you out there.
Luminance is a high-end fashion and lifestyle boutique department store situated in Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg, for consumers who love world-class quality and beauty. The Luminance brand inspires its customers to Live Life Beautifully. The store is owned by Ndalo Luxury Ventures, a fashion and lifestyle retail company founded by award-winning South African entrepreneur, Khanyi Dhlomo. The name " Luminance" is taken from her own name Khanyisile which means "light".
When describing Luminance, Khanyi Dhlomo says "Luminance is based on the kind of retail expereience I've seen in some of the world's best department and concept stores, where everything is aimed at delighting and surprising customers. It provides a carefully curated luxury and contemporary retail experience. It's designed in a way that's proudly African, yet global in its feel, with plenty of attention to detail, great customer service and beautiful packaging that makes you feel as if every purchase you make is a special gift for yourself. Its a unique retail experience even for international shoppers but also a world -class platform for some of our best African artists and designers." Reading that description already makes me imagine The Lourve Museum in Paris with giant Picassas hanging from the walls; it sounds exactly how opulence would sound if it had a sound.
On the evening of Wednesday the 24th of July, the rich and famous honoured their invites and attended the official Launch of the Luminance boutique store in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. The store boasts high fashion brand labels such as Alexander McQueen, Baby Dior, Balenciaga, Carolina Herrera, Giusseppe Zanotti, Stella McCartney, Tom Ford as well as South African Stoned Cherrie and Luminance Private Label to name but a few. Basically if you have seen it on the runway in a fashion week in one of the international fashion capitals, Luminance has it.
To see her fashion dream into fruition, Khanyi Dhlomo has partnered with other equally powerful women to bring the Luminance Boutique to life. These women are her mother Mrs Venetia Dhlomo, who together with Khanyi is a major shareholder, there is also South African business woman Dr Judy Dlamini, The South African National Empowered Fund and Nonduna Investments as shareholders.
In an interview with 702 FM, Khanyi said Luminance caters to various clients as there are items from R80.00 to-and-over R80,000.00 per item and has empowered over 56 people through employment. For me, I love the fact that it sounds like those boutiques where one has to wear her best dress and heels just to window shop, imagine a boutique that sells a single item higher than the net-worth of your car LOL!
On a very serious note though, in my very humble opinion I would love to show my appreciation and applaud Khanyi Dhlomo for following her dreams, empowering other women through fashion as well as making us all believe that it is possible to dream big and achieve those dreams. She is one black, young woman that most of us women look up to. I see Luminance growing in leaps and bounds even to the point of being listed in the JSE, as they do plan to have several of these boutiques all around Africa.
In a weakly Destiny mailer Khanyi Dhlomo stated that the previous week had been a special one for her; the culmination of a dream she has held for a long time, that is, the opening of a luxury department store in South Africa and she further encouraged us all to dream big, I quote: "This week, I leave you with this simple challenge: Dream big and believe in your dreams."
Pictures Credit: Pictures and information used in this article are from www.luminanceonline.co.za and www.justcurious.co.za.
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Written By: Koko Shabangu
