UmaZuluLoves x Big Bad Batch
We at Big Bad Batch want to bring together the best of style, authenticity and bold expression allowing you to Borrow & Be your most fabulous self. So, with that in mind let us introduce you to our new collaboration with Duduzile Zulu AKA uMaZuluLoves. We have been following Dudu for years now & have always admired her chic and effortless style. A natural fashionista that is as gorgeous as she is brilliant. We are thrilled to be holding some of her magnificent, bespoke pieces.
As we were eager to learn more about the woman behind the wardrobe, we decided to throw a few questions her way!
Tell us a bit about Dudu & uMaZululoves?
My name is Duduzile Zulu. uMaZulu is an ode to my identity. It is an affirmation of my lineage and heritage as a proud African woman. Reference to people using their surnames in Zulu culture is associated with respect, politeness, and feeling of endearment. ‘uMa’, that precedes my surname or clan name, in my language IsiZulu, is a reference to gender and often used to show both respect and endearment to women. uMaZulu therefore embodies and appreciates both my identities of being African and a woman simultaneously. In carving a path for myself and embracing my identity as uMaZulu, I also acknowledge my ancestors, who came before me. I then added love to my social media handle as the premise is to showcase all things in which I love and appreciate, essentially that which brings me joy.
Sum up your personal style.
My personal style has been influenced heavily by my mothers, I was raised in a family with a love for fashion and have always taken how one presents themselves very seriously. Over the years with weight gain I have had to actively learn how to dress my body for my level of comfort without limiting myself. I have often been told my style is vintage, others refer to it as cottage core, however I never like to be boxed. I wear what I like and what feels most comfortable to me.
What items do you repeatedly wear?
I am obsessed with a DRESS, simply because they are an easy to go and perfectly compliment my curves in all the right places, once a girl figures out her perfect shaped and cut dress there’s no turning back, add to that some pockets and she can conquer the world. It’s easy to dress it up or down, using the right accessories.
What steps do you take to incorporate sustainability into your fashion choices?
I am a firm believer that fashion recycles itself, a great percentage of my wardrobe is made up of timeless pieces that have been passed down from my mother. I try to keep as many of these core pieces as possible.
Who is your ultimate fashion icon?
I am going to be biased here and shout my mama out once again, in her heyday she really knew how to put an outfit together so effortlessly, I pride myself in replicating her looks and adding my own twist to it.
Favourite local brand?
My favourite local brand is a difficult task. I love a lot of the local brands but often find that they don’t always cater much to the fuller figured South African woman. As a result I often find myself having to have my own pieces tailor made. However I will give a shout out to the following: *ALATU (@alatu_creators) Anna J (anna_j_luxe), Neimil (_neimil), Mmuso Maxwell (@mmusomaxwell), Thebe Magugu (@thebemagugu), Lukhanyo Mdingi (@lukhanyomdingi) and UniformZA (@uniformza)
What trend are you embracing in 2025?
I am really embracing the ballet flats trend, even though I cannot say I was ever a fan of pumps, call it age or perhaps I have evolved. I find myself gravitating towards the cuties more and more and am ashamed to say I have purchased six pairs in the last three months alone :). I am also finding that the older I get the more I want to invest in accessories, good quality bags and jewellery, and these really pull a look together.
For more Style inspo be sure to follow Dudu @uMaZululoves
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