Totems, Threads & Timelines — Inside the Creative World of Beth Jotham

Totems, Threads & Timelines — Inside the Creative World of Beth Jotham

There are some people who wear clothes, and then there are people who become the look. Enter Beth Jotham — a Zimbabwean fashion creative, tote bag designer, and all-around visionary whose wardrobe reads like a journal of expression, evolution, and eco-conscious cool.

Beth isn’t just another stylish girl on your feed — she’s a storyteller. Her sense of style isn’t bound by trends or hashtags; it’s shaped by her mood, her memories, her destination, and most of all, her ever-growing love for art and expression. “I would like to believe I'm an expressive person,” she reflects. “Life experiences, comfort, mood — it all contributes and is summed up in what I wear.” Over the years, her fashion sense has shifted, as tastes do. From oversized, baggy fits that drowned her in layers (on purpose!) to more refined silhouettes, she’s now gravitating towards the idea of a signature look — and figuring out what that even means for a creative spirit like hers.

But don’t let the cute OOTDs fool you — Beth’s got more than just style up her sleeve. She's the founder of Totem by Beth, a line of eco-friendly tote bags that fuses fashion with purpose. Her philosophy is clear: we create the space we live in. With a deep concern for sustainability and reducing plastic usage in daily life, she’s turned her creative energy toward designing reusable totes that are both stylish and biodegradable. “Totem” isn’t just a name — it’s a nod to community, African heritage, and the ethnic roots that tie people together in shared identity. It’s fashion with meaning. And that? That’s powerful.

You might be tempted to ask Beth what she’s thinking when she puts an outfit together. But the truth is, she doesn’t overthink her looks — they simply come to her. Her brain knows what’s in the wardrobe like a well-rehearsed mental catalog. She sees a piece in her mind and boom — an outfit is born. Her go-to staple? Anything black. Whether it’s a skirt, a belt, or pants, there’s always a hint of noir elegance grounding her ensemble.

Beyond the clothes and the totes, Beth is a true lover of art — and that passion bleeds beautifully into her fashion choices. Art, to her, is a time machine. It’s a bridge between reality and imagination, a space where eras collide and creativity never expires. “Why make it basic and boring?” she shrugs, and honestly, why indeed? She loves vintage — shirts with drama, bold belts, and kitten heels that whisper of decades gone by. When you see Beth, you’re looking at a canvas in motion. Her outfit? The masterpiece.

In a country like Zimbabwe, where creativity is bursting at the seams but often hidden in plain sight, Beth finds inspiration in the archives of culture. She dives into old magazines, re-watches nostalgic sitcoms, and rummages through her parents’ closets like a treasure hunter. “When you walk in communities, you’ll see the runway,” she says. And she's right. The fashion scene might not be all over your explore page, but it exists. Vibrantly. Authentically. All it needs is more light, more platforms, and more people like Beth, boldly owning their place in it.

So what keeps her going? What fuels this creative fire? A quote that lives rent-free in her head and now, hopefully, in yours too:

“If not me, then who? If not now, then when?”

She’s done waiting in the shadows. She’s done watching from the sidelines. Beth knows that no one sees the world quite the way she does — and she’s finally stepping into the spotlight with all the flair, imagination, and purpose that only she can bring.

Whether it’s through the way she dresses, the bags she designs, or the quiet confidence she exudes — Beth Jotham is showing us that creativity isn’t just about how you look. It’s about what you believe, how you move, and the way you leave your mark on the world. And let’s just say, her mark? Unmissable.