What started off as a rapper’s catchy hook has evolved into a full-on clothing brand that is now making its mark by standing up for mental health. That is the story of All Smiles.
Founded by Simbongeni Ncube in 2023, the Bulawayo brand has grown into a movement dedicated to empowering those who feel unheard and unseen.
It all started in 2020, when Ncube was a rapper named ‘Big Smiles’. He would pop in on songs with the catchy phrase — ‘All Smiles gonna come through, Big Smiles gonna come through.’ That phrase, a talent for drawing, and some personal evolution ended up creating All Smiles the brand.
In this exclusive feature for Mcheno And More, Ncube started off by narrating the genesis of All Smiles; “When I was doing music, All Smiles was being mentioned on probably all my songs. I used to draw at the same time too, doing digital illustrations. I would slap those drawings on t-shirt mock-ups and then write ‘All Smiles’, because my artist name was Big Smiles. It just rhymed, and that’s how All Smiles came about.”
“Over time due to some personal stories and drama it manifested into a channel to tell a different story which was not music, which was to support mental health.”
Ncube later roped in Praise Moyo and Abraham Juba into the All Smiles team.
All Smiles came to life with a clear mission to motivate and uplift through its original apparel designs. The design is mostly minimalistic, showing just the All Smiles logo on all merchandise. But it wasn’t always like that.
Before they captured the hearts of many with their minimalistic designs, Ncube experimented with a variety of colourful and intricate designs. However, these initial attempts did not resonate with the market. The turning point came when the brand adopted a more minimalistic approach focusing on a single solid-coloured logo.
“The market at that time didn’t respond to the logo the way that we intended it to respond. But then once we switched to a simpler one-colour solid logo, everyone was now clicking with the brand. That’s how we became minimalistic and not do too much but then focus more on building the story instead of focusing on the design part of things,” explained Ncube.
He continued; “We focus on pushing the Sunflower Logo but at the same time pushing a very solid message.”
All Smiles has released two collections over the past year, each with an emotional theme. The first was the Sunflower Logo collection, which came in four colourways. Each variation was a representation of different moods — orange for optimism, blue for calm, pink for love and yellow for joy.
In May, the brand dropped the Check on Your Strong Friends Collection, in commemoration of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Every success story isn’t without struggle, and the same can be said for All Smiles. The brand endured a rocky start, barely selling any merchandise, but that did not dissuade them from their vision.
“It all started from selling zero t-shirts, constantly uploading and trying to convince people to buy into the message which was and still is a struggle to convince someone to buy into your story. From selling zero t-shirts to maybe selling 10 t-shirts a week, to me that is growth,” described Ncube.
With almost infinite ideas for brand story, All Smiles chose to stand firmly on the front lines of the mental health battle; using fashion as a medium. By closely monitoring other brands and identifying a unique approach, All Smiles decided to focus on a cause that resonates deeply with today’s youth.
“It’s something that is affecting a lot of the youth. So, one way that we saw that was going to make us stand out was to come up with a very unique approach to the fashion industry; which was mental health.
“And for longevity’s sake, we had to come up with something that is going to sustain us long-term. We didn’t want a situation whereby two years down the line the name is big but then after that it just disappears like nothing happened. So, it’s more of like a sustainability approach. Mental health is an eternal battle. As long as people feel there is a need for someone to speak on mental health, All Smiles will be here,” shared Ncube.
This focus not only differentiates All Smiles from other brands but also ensures its long-term relevance. As long as mental health remains a challenge, which is likely to remain the case, All Smiles will continue it’s mission to support and empower those affected.
All Smiles currently operates as a small team of three partners, but the brand has plans to expand significantly in the future. Ncube envisions All Smiles becoming a global enterprise, with festivals and franchises across the world. The brand’s growth will undoubtedly require more hands on deck and the team is prepared to bring in more talent as needed.
“After five years, I’m pretty sure we’ll be having like an All Smiles Festival. We also want to use the franchise system to expand All Smiles to South Africa, Botswana and even the US,” revealed Ncube.
By focusing more on impact than design, All Smiles has managed to grow in leaps and bounds. Through it’s minimalistic designs, powerful messages and a relentless focus on mental health, the brand is carving out a unique space in the fashion industry. As the brand continues to grow, we hope it remains committed to it’s core mission of empowering and uplifting those who need it most.
You can follow the All Smiles story on Instagram, as well as place your order for some cool merch. You can also order your merch directly on WhatsApp.
