Hey! I'm Zakiyya

An entrepreneur, Mom, Wife, an unshakable optimist dedicated to bringing my vision into every one of your beautiful wardrobes.

A born and raised Jozi girl with nothing but my passion, drive and dreams, I'm proud to have created an online fashion brand, true and authentic to my lifestyle, outlook and most of all, my personality. 

One of the things I'm often asked is,

"HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?"

For as long as I can remember, I'v dreamt of having my own brand. I'v always been a creative soul, obsessed with design, fashion and art. I was also passionate about a multitude of seemingly unconnected things : psychology, entrepreneurship, culture and even travel.

I studied to become a Physiotherapist. This clearly wasn't what fulfilled me! From there I pursued different avenues of the beauty sector becoming a massage therapist and then a Make Up artist, Yet, somehow, I still didn't quite feel like I was there yet. I was looking to find that something that would make me genuinely happy, successful,but also creatively fulfilled. 

2009 was a lightbulb moment and the beginning of a journey I would never look back on.

Cherrytop was founded on a realisation that my combination of interests, skills & insatiable desire was my strength, not a liability.

From humble beginnings, very little capital, no machinery, a garage space and a whole lot of heart- I took my first step. I started off designing kids and baby apparel, making only on order and within limited ranges. This was a time before the social media uprising, when weekends were spent in markets and festivals to create interest, to get my name out, to expose my brand to the world.

I've made a lot of mistakes on the way, it wasn't always easy - but nothing worth fighting for ever is!

I slowly developed more as a designer, found my strengths and grew in confidence. You must bring your whole self to the table if you want to thrive in the modern world.

I continue to learn, falter and grow daily. Expanding my ideas through design allows me to live a fully creative, meaningful business life.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU

I'm here to serve you,

My team is here to serve you,

ZAYYAAN by CHERRYTOP is built on a foundation of love, a passion for what's possible, and a commitment to be an unstoppable force for the modern modest woman.

I'm here to make a difference.

I'm here to create a unique, seamless and affordable experience- one that has taken months of planning to ensure its perfectly tailored for you, my valued customer.

Yes, this is a business.

Yes, we sell things.

Yes, I'm proud & deeply grateful to earn a living doing so.

But you should know that my dream has always been to make sure my brand is affordable, of the highest quality and spiritually a means through which I am able to please my creator.

If you've read this far,

I Thank you!

May this be just the beginning of your relationship with us at ZAYYAAN by CHERRYTOP.

I appreciate the time you've taken to visit my page.

With all my love

xoxo

Zakiyya