Frank has always been drawn to fashion and design. For him, it is about being creative and having the freedom to take an idea and turn it into something real.
He studied Fashion Design at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), where he earned his diploma. Since then, he has had the opportunity to work on some interesting projects, including working with Mr Price through the Men’s Wear Got Talent initiative at SA Fashion Week.
The experience gave him a chance to get his work in front of a wider audience and, more importantly, to experience what the fashion industry is really like.
“It was like an exposure where they expose young designers to the world of fashion,” Frank recalls.
His work has also been recognised through the Limpopo Sports, Arts and Culture Award, where he took home the award for Best Fashion and Textile Designer.
Now Frank is exploring another side of his creativity at the AM.CO.ZA head office in Johannesburg.
With access to AM.CO.ZA’s range of printing and finishing equipment, he can experiment with his own designs and see how they work on fabric.
One of the machines he has been using is a sublimation printer. Once his design has been printed, he uses an oil roller heat press to transfer it onto the fabric.
It sounds fairly technical, but for Frank, the important part is what it allows him to do.
He can create something himself, print it and then watch the design become part of the fabric. That gives him a lot more freedom when working on his fashion pieces, particularly when he wants to create something that is different from what you would normally find.
“I’m really excited about the quality that I achieve on those machines,” he says.
Frank is currently using the equipment to work on a special creation for one of his clients. It is a good example of how he is combining his fashion background with the technology available to him.
There is still plenty of creativity involved. The machine may do the printing and pressing, but the design starts with Frank.
That is probably what makes the process so exciting for him. He can take an idea that starts on paper — or simply in his head — and turn it into an actual piece of fabric that can be used in a finished garment.
Now there is only one question left.
Frank likes the finished creation, but will his client like it too?
“I like it, and I hope she likes it too,” he says.
For anyone interested in seeing what the equipment can do, Frank has a straightforward suggestion: visit AM.CO.ZA and see the machines in action.
“Come on over to AM.CO.ZA and take a look at these machines for yourself. They’re really amazing.”
AM.CO.ZA’s role also goes beyond supplying the equipment. The company offers repairs and training, helping customers get to grips with their machines and make the most of what they can do.
As Frank sums it up: “At AM.CO.ZA, we sell machines for you, we fix machines for you, and we teach machines for you.”
For Frank, the machines are simply another tool in his creative toolbox. His fashion training and experience provide the ideas, while the technology gives him another way to bring those ideas to life.