By: Tebogo Mokwena
Cheri Mooney says that thanks to reconnecting with an old friend, she is able to sell her accessories overseas. Not only does she have a market in the United States, she has also raised her profile locally which has resulted in more sales. Mooney told Vutivi News that Che Love Accessories got a significant boost and was introduced to a broader audience when an old university friend approached her with the idea to sell accessories in the US where she is based.
She was informed that there was a growing interest in accessories and craftwork made in South Africa in the US, and she was familiar with Mooney’s work. Mooney said that her business was still in its infancy, but the opportunity to sell in the US had opened more doors. The designer first started making accessories when she was in school as a hobby. When she started studying sociology at university, she used to sell accessories on demand. Mooney said that while she was working as an administrative clerk in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape she was approached by her friend, who pitched the idea to her. And in 2021 she officially launched Che Love Accessories.
The growing popularity of her products has also attracted the attention of people in Oudtshoorn and the rest of the province. Mooney has also registered with the Small Enterprise Development Agency and regularly attends their pop-up markets to promote and sell her accessories, which include earrings, headbands, bangles and scrunchies. She also sells them on social media and wants to develop her own e-commerce platform soon. “Being able to expand and to create employment is something that I am aiming to do,” she told Vutivi News.
“I also want to make more accessories,” Mooney said that selling her accessories in another country had taught her that she had the capacity to make accessories that were of an international standard. “I knew that I was good at making accessories, and to be honest I was not expecting that I would get this opportunity,” she said. “However, when it came I grabbed it with both hands and I believe that my business will go far because of it.”
