Follow the HEART

Fuata Moyo, owned by four stylish siblings, is fusing fashion and art to produce one-of-a-kind, personality-filled creations

- CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE

Every family has at least one artsy member who's been blessed with creative promise. Now imagine the extraordinary phenomenon of a family blessed with four artists - that's a miracle.

From the Lubumbashi province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Mbiola family moved to Cape Town in the early 1990s. Having all lost their jobs during the chaos of the Covid lockdown, and with no funds or investors, they embraced the opportunity to become self-sustainable, turning their dreams into reality as a collective.

Wearable art is what the siblings put their heart and soul into - using the complementary skills of Kabambi (known as KB), a fashion designer and artist; Martine, a graphic designer and photographer; and Lusee and Tshimaro, fashion designers, creative directors and stylists.

Fuata Moyo' is a Swahili phrase meaning 'follow the heart, which inspired their slogan 'Follow the heART: The siblings came up with the name and kick-started their business at the end of 2020.

NEW BEGINNINGS

Whoever said to 'never do business with family' can zip it because the Mbiolas make it look easy.

"The positive aspect of working with siblings is collaborating as a team towards a common goal and having individuals who are willing to go to great lengths to ensure your success," says Lusee. "It has been a blessing that all of us share a deep passion for art and fashion. Family members as business partners are a divine arrangement and we have made the most of this opportunity."

Fuata Moyo's foundation and values are strongly underpinned by a tale of grief and love.

"Three things every single individual on Earth has in common: we are born, we will die, and we all have a story that unfolds in between. We have all seen or heard 'the sad story of Africa, and honestly, ours isn't very different," Tshimaro says.