"I could speak forever about coming home."
sais Jana when I ask her to tell me some more about the space. Her home, an atmospheric cottage on the same property in Harare where she grew up with her family, is now decorated with hand-picked tiles, fabric and bright warm colours on the walls.
"It was a major decision, and what a blessed decision it was. Such a great great decision."
Jana, who has family in both Zimbabwe and Germany, moved back to Zimbabwe after having finished a degree in Fashion Design in Berlin.
"I had been living in Berlin, living my busy little life. But I felt like in Berlin my growth was somehow stunted at that stage. That time had come to an end, and for further growth I felt like it was time to go home. But it was super important to me that if I was to come home and live with my parents /.../ to have my independence and that sense of my own space and energy. "
"I am always nesting. /.../ Whatever space I am presented with I try to make it my own." she says with a light laughter.
"I started by building my bathroom, because the bathroom is always an important space for me. After that I built some things in the garden.
From there we built the kitchen, and that whole space was so vital in bringing in the independence and the energy that I really needed. /.../ From there it's just been up to me to curate the space. And now I have kind of found and put in the final piece to the puzzle which was my couch."
As you look around Jana's cottage, there is a plethora of well placed objects that all have a sweet, fun, heartfelt or personal story to them. It's a read-to-the-point-of-falling-apart copy of the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle that she picks up for the shoot.
"This book was given to me in a time when reading that book was exactly what I needed in my life. It was incredible. That alignment was so so special to me.
It's still a book that I almost read daily.
I don't really read it chronologically, /.../ I read it according to what I am feeling on the day and open up whichever topic - whether that's on inner healing or dealing with certain things.
I use the book as my little Bible, I underline things and I add notes, and I don't think I've ever had a relationship with a book like that. /.../
It's always something I go to when I am feeling unstable or unsure."
"The fact that it was a gift that accidentally fell into my lap that way, makes it even more special."
"I feel grounded in my beautiful studio / living room / kitchen. This space is just me and my journey. "
I am shooting her surrounded by her sewing machines and own creations. Her blue robe is not one of them, but it almost perfectly matches the cover of her favourite book and looks light on her skin in the afternoon sun.
"It belonged to my grandmother. We were actually the same size and it's one of many things I inherited from her. She was my German grandmother and so I refer to her as Oma.
Oma would always wear this robe, every single morning. /.../
If I thought of an image of her - in her happiest and most relaxed state - she was in her robe. Reading or having breakfast in bed. She was never really rushing in the morning. /.../ And that wasn't really her state ever otherwise, she was always quite a stressed out, running around and getting things done type of person."
"My grandmother got the robe from my grandfather when he had gone on a trip to Japan. It's a kimono style morning gown. He got it when he was travelling in Japan and brought it back for her. /.../ I never realised it was a Japanese robe until I wore it myself and I saw the cuts and then got to hear the story. /../ That was after I had done my solo travel in Japan, and fallen in love with the culture - and especially as a fashion designer - falling in love with the cuts and shapes of the traditional as well as contemporary fashion in Japan.
It all feels a little bit full circle because here I was thinking I was just wearing my grandma's night gown and then it had a whole story that kind of linked back to my love for Japan, and she'd been wearing it all along. It was kind of lovely to find out. "
"It (the robe) represented some of her dreams as well. She was an artist. Well, she was an artist but not professionally... I think she would have liked that but she gave up on her artist dreams.
And I feel like part of the reason why I was able to pursue what I needed to pursue in chasing my artist dreams, was to fullfil that lack of realisation of her part. I am moving around with my ancestors around me at all times. She is definitely with me always."
"Wearing it I feel drawn closer to Oma, and the memories I have with her. And I remember all of the ways in which I have similarities with her.
A lot of the things I am doing in life are just so interlinked with the path that she may not have been able to continue or pursue because of the times that she grew up in."
" The robe (also) symbolises the relationship that I have with this space, as in it being a safe and comfortable place where I can heal, relax and really truly be myself. /.../ A robe is something I wear when I am winding down in the evening or slowly starting the day in the morning - those are my favourite times of the day because that's when I am really present and enjoying the space that I have created for myself. "
Jana Mhlaba is a Zimbabwean/German fashion designer with a strong photographic eye, who always thinks outside and beyond boundaries. With her brand and platform J-Sabelo she puts ideas of identity, belonging and shape into question and forces her audience to reimagine what beauty looks like. Working with recycled materials and with sustainability at core of her creation, she merges traditional symbolism and spiritual practice with contemporary streetwear. Having shown and sold pieces in Zimbabwe, Germany and Eswatini, her work is already striking awe and wonder.