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As you know we are very passionate about slow AND sustainable fashion, which is why we want to show you all the integrate work that goes into the making of the Spanish Mules. 

The Spanish mule is one of our most time-consuming products as one batch takes up to 45 hours.

According to research done by Development Economics, women-owned businesses in South Africa established between 2018 and 2019 may generate close to 1 million jobs and about R175 billion a year. Impressive, right?

As female entrepreneurs we face challenges that are unique to us. Common barriers include a higher level of domestic responsibility especially during school holidays, lack of female role models in the business sector, fewer business-orientated networks in their communities, lack of capital an assets & culturally-induced lack of assertiveness and confidence in their ability to succeed in business.

 It’s no secret that having the support of other leading ladies can make a major difference to the success of a female-owned business. When your network contains others who can identify with your struggles, they can then help motivate you from a personal perspective. Here are a few ways that women in business can empower each other.

1. Invest In Women-Owned Businesses

We should  not only offer any advice we can but also mentor up-and-coming female entrepreneurs, shop at local businesses and invest in their businesses.

2. Shop Local Businesses

Shopping local slow fashion is the best thing you can do for small businesses. It doesn’t only put the biggest smile on our faces but it also helps the economical state of the country. We all know SA needs a bit more of that at this stage.

3. Celebrate One Another's Successes

Sending some love you other businesses on social media, or through online reviews make the biggest difference for local businesses.

4. Make One Impactful Introduction

Buying products made by women will help in some extent, but one introduction to the right person can be life-changing. I mean can you even imagine meeting Kris Jenner.

5. Share Your Knowledge

Sharing your knowledge is the best way to support women in business. If your past mistakes/successes can help other women avoid similar mistakes or provide them with a great idea, then you have made a positive impact.

6. Ask Them What They Need

Asking female entrepreneurs what they need and then commit to providing it for them can be the most impactful thing. The tricky thing for us as women is however to figure out what the heck it is we actually need/want. Ha-ha!

7. Promote Them On Social Media

People like to hear from real people  this can be done by sharing posts or information about products and engaging with them. We’re often so quick to share one’s flaws. But we should learn how to praise in public and how to give constructive criticism in private.

We spend a generous amount of time in bed, so it just makes sense to invest in quality nightwear. Our beautifully cut, silky soft satin nightwear should be a bedtime essential.

Just like getting dressed for your daytime affairs, it is also important that you dress right when going to bed every night, especially because what you wear makes a difference to sleep quality and your overall health.

So why satin?

• It is durable.
• Satin uses long filament fibers which are woven in a taut fashion.
• It is comfortable.
• Satin is breathable which aids in preventing blocked pores.

We all know that in order for a good night’s sleep, you need to be comfortable. Satin is as soft as silk and what better way to fall asleep in soft comfortable nightwear.

If you are having trouble drifting to dreamland at night, there may be several reasons. However, one of the most likely cause is that you’re not wearing the right sleepwear to bed.

Investing in quality nightwear has many perks, but feeling sexy and comfortable at the same time is a major plus.

It is important to have a good night’s rest to ensure self-care and self love. Self-care does not mean you are choosing yourself over your loved one or other people. It is all about being mindful about your own needs and being happy. When you focus on yourself and making sure you are happy and your needs are being met, then you will be the better version of yourself.

Corporate Gifting can really be a nuisance, especially this time of year. It really is a silly season. 

We offer luxury corporate gifting options with our hand stitched leather collection. 

Why leather? Well, it's timeless and super diverse. It's not gender or age specific. 

Becuase of our hand stitched technique, we're able to gaurantee that these bags will last a lifetime. They are simply made to never unravel. 

Whether you want to impress a premium client or simply just nurture a valuable relationship, we can certainly do this effortlessly. 

This is one of our latest project for the BMW M clients. 

These toiletry bags are made with the best quality ostrich leather, branded especially for the VIP M clients. 

Yes, it is another long weekend and we all know there is nothing quite like the excitement of finishing work, with the promise of a long weekend adventure ahead of you. Though, as most people realise, when it comes to packing for a getaway, there’s generally a bit of a struggle: You want to bring enough clothing to see you through all scenarios, but you don’t want to lug around an extensive wardrobe. The key here is strategic packing.

To see you through a weekend away at the beach, in the country, or in another we share some of our tips. From the best colours and types of clothing to take with you, as well as gadgets designed to make your luggage look more minimalist, these tips are designed to make the chore of packing quick and easy.

Luggage is Everything

The most important part of this process is selecting the right type of luggage. Ditch the hard-shell suitcase and opt for one of our Swish & Swank leather duffle bags. Our duffels are the ultimate companion to any adventure, large enough for a weekend's travel and compact enough to be taken just about anywhere at any given time. They feature an outer zipper pocket, ideal for your cell, passport and other small accessories. What’s great about leather duffels is that you can always squeeze a little bit more in around the edges, and they will fit snugly under your seat on a plane.

Neutral Clothing Works Best

This has to be one of the most useful packing tips you will ever come across. Always rely on the neutrals such as black jeans, which are easily transformed from exploring in the day to dinner and drinks at night.

For ladies and gents, you simply change your shirt or blouse for a daytime to evening look. Also, it works to apply the 2:1 rule, two tops for each pair of trousers or jeans. All you have to do is pack a few key transitional pieces that can seamlessly take you from day-to-night can be integrated into a variety of situations. If you aren’t typically a person who dresses in neutrals, throw in pops of colour by including colourful accessories, or pretty hues that can go with any colour in your suitcase (like blue, red, and green).

Dispense Toiletries, Dispense With Weight

Don’t carry big bottles of toiletries with you, dispense shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser and more into smaller travel bottles to reduce weight, and if you’re flying they’ll fit airport security restrictions for hand luggage. You would be surprised how many people still take full sized bottles with them. The best way to keep accessories, toiletries, and other small items safe and organized is by placing them inside smaller pouches or cases.

Layer Things Up

Cotton clothing is perfect as not only is it light, it folds down easily too.

Weather a bit unknown? Stack up on your cotton garments and you can instantly transform from a cotton vest for warmer climes or add a long-sleeved t-shirt for added warmth, without the need for bulky jumpers.

Instead of packing a raincoat, take an umbrella with you. And if it’s really cold, pack a scarf as well as thermal or normal leggings or tights to wear under jeans for an instant hit of warmth without the weight.

Use Your Phone As A Camera

Cameras have long been a staple on our packing lists, but like the transformation from disposable to digital versions, phones have also been subject to some serious camera updates. Leave the digital camera at home, and use your phone to capture key moments.

Once you have your looks and luggage ready to go, you can start to physically pack your baggage. Start by grouping similar items based on the items size and weight. Place shoes at the bottom of your duffle and place your stacks of clothes on top, that way your most precious items won’t be crushed if someone places their bag on top of yours.

“I have always believed that handmade products are more relatable and you can really feel that there was a person behind the item, this is why we hand stitch all our items at Swish & Swank,” shares Founder, Rouxnette

Since we started Swish & Swank a year ago, many of our customers have been surprised to learn that we don’t use a sewing machine to make our products. We love receiving this response, as it gives us the opportunity to describe this characteristic. At Swish & Swank, we stitch our pieces by hand for the aesthetics and durability that only hand stitching can achieve. As our founder Rouxnette puts it, “I wanted to make a collection that featured the craft at its finest form and interpretation possible, interpreted through contemporary designs.”

We have a team of leather crafters from Lesotho, who are highly skilled in this art form. The manual technique of hand sewing the leather offers a stronger suture than the traditional lock stitch created by sewing machines. Yes, the process is slower, but hand sewing is far superior to machine sewing. It is the best method of stitching two or more pieces of leather together for years of wear and service. Think about it, before machines, everything that required stitching was sewn by hand (the sewing machine did not exist until 1846).

The History

When you dig back into history books and artisan websites, you find that the hand stitch on leather was pioneered by saddle makers and tack makers for equestrians who needed to utilize a very tough stitch through a great thickness of leather. This is where the term “saddle stitch” derives from.

A traditional hand stitch, also known as a saddle stitch, is performed with two blunt needles, a sharp awl, typically waxed linen thread, and a good amount of patience. The process is simple to do but hard to master: Mark your holes, puncture the holes with an awl, and stitch together from both sides of the leather with each needle. The main benefit comes from the last step. By using two needles and coming at the leather from both sides you can create a locking stitch. When one part of the stitch breaks it does not affect the other segments of stitching and the piece will still be held together.

It’s a Long Process

Given that the process takes a long time, it takes one whole day to make a bag at Swish & Swank headquarters. This makes our process very time intensive and therefore more expensive to make. Though, for us, the stitching technique we use is a feature of our designs not just a necessary component of the construction process. In many ways, Swish & Swank’s designs are a function of an artisanal process that starts with the careful selection of materials and ends with the delicately executed saddle stitched construction of each piece we make.