Sibusiso Myeni, the Durban-based fashion designer behind Betway Premiership side Amazulu’s in-demand Franko golfer, delivered his latest batch of the popular T-shirt on Thursday afternoon, and it was sold out the following day.
The trendy clothing item has repeatedly been sold out on the club’s online shop, and on Thursday, it was no different despite Myeni’s delivery.
Myeni is in his second season producing the Franko golfer after being approached by Amazulu in 2023/24, when officials saw some of its players wearing designs from his label, El Dambie, which is associated with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) geography, environmental management, and public policy Honours graduate.
“My clothing line is very popular among soccer players. I just received a call, and I suspect they were referred by one of their players, like Hendrick Ekstein. The players were very influential in getting me to work with the club,” he explained.
Myeni said the batch he delivered on Thursday around 4pm was sold out by late Friday, and this was over-the-counter sales at the Moses Mabhida Stadium-based Amazulu shop and online.
“Working with Amazulu has helped me greatly in terms of growth because I used to do material for the brand based on orders, but now I am able to produce in bulk,” he said.
In the battle of cotton golf T-shirts, Amazulu is up against Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs, and Orlando Pirates, which have also teamed up with Old School to produce long-sleeve golfers.
And Myeni is unfazed by the competition from the country’s two most supported clubs and is ambitious.
“Everyone wants to work with well-known brands that have an international reach,” he added.
Myeni said he is also open to working with other brands in and outside football and sports.
“I’m not limited to sport and El Dambie is very aligned with sports people,” the Richards Bay-born designer said.
Myeni started in 2018 while studying at UKZN, where he was the best-dressed male for three consecutive years.
That is when he realised he could do something about his often complemented fashion sense, as he observed that his peers could see something in the way he dressed.
Myeni said he looked up to football stars such as ex-Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns star Teko Modise.
He plans to complete his Master’s degree in business studies after dropping out at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. El Dambie operates from Doone House in the Durban central business district.
While Amazulu’s short-sleeve Franko golfer fetches R1 000, Chiefs and Pirates’ range is priced between R950 and R2 500.
Earlier this month, Old School co-founders and owners, Daneel and Stephan Steinmann, expressed their joy with the response from Chiefs fans at the Soweto Derby league encounter at the FNB Stadium.
“For us, it’s been such an incredible honour with the largest football club in Africa,” Daneel said.
