Tanaka’s dreams of owning his own business brought him to Babbasa in 2016. Since then, he has made the leap from Youth Ambassador to entrepreneur and Trailblazer. At a time where so many projects came to a sudden stop, 26-year-old Tanaka Chigwada started his own clothing line in March 2020, The Onez.
Motivated by his entrepreneurial spirit, Tanaka took his ambitions to Babbasa in hopes of gaining more business knowledge. He had heard about Babbasa’s mentoring programme and was eager to find a mentor to help give him the tools to turn his dream into a reality. “There are many times I feel like Babbasa has gone above and beyond for me,” Tanaka explained. “They found me a mentor who had similar experience in what I wanted to do and was willing to share that with me.”
Tanaka also took part in our Challenge Programme, helping to plan and execute the 2016 Ask About Me event. He believes this provided him with the skills and confidence to pursue his passions.
Tanaka utilised these developed skills to create a clothing brand with a purpose. Inspired by Bristol’s cohort of ambitious creatives, The Onez combines his love for fashion and creative collaboration to represent ambitious young creatives leaving their mark on the world. “The Onez is a collection of creatives that are all passionate about storytelling,” he explains. “Fashion is just one of the ways we want to achieve that.” The Onez currently produce hoodies, tracksuits and other essential wear. But for Tanaka this is only the beginning of what he hopes will grow into a full range collection of clothing.
Tanaka has big dreams for the brand in 2021, stating “this year I aim to create a short film that showcases different artists’ creative journeys.” At the heart of this brand is Tanaka’s desire to uplift other creatives. “I want to incorporate music, art, filmmakers and dancers. Fashion is all about expression and should be explored without limits.”
Now, with his new venture underway, Tanaka continues to work with Babbasa. As a Trailblazer he will not only be a representative of Babbasa’s values, but will work with us to seek inclusion and tangible change for Bristol’s less privileged young people.
Head to The Onez official website to find out more about the brand!
Or follow @theonezclothing on Instagram to keep up to date with their next moves.