In a world of microtrends, the cool of today can be dead in the water by the next week. A few years ago, the tradition of trends being set by powerful figures in the fashion industry had the terrible effect of creating an overall sameness across fashion. There was very clearly an ‘in’ and an ‘out’, each season. But now, what’s deemed as ‘in’ and what’s ‘out’ is really dependent on the very tiny corner of the internet you inhabit. While this could really be a good thing, the outcome could have similar effects to that of the fashion scene pre-social media: everyone losing touch with their own individual sense of fashion, in trying to keep up with the quickly shifting tides.
However, there are those who are too big to be contained by anything micro (except perhaps micro skirts). Those who trailblaze their own distinct look, right here in our backyard. It is always a refreshing and inspiring sight to see these 5 figures, occupying vastly different professional spaces, do their own thing. We take a look below at how exactly they stand out.
While one doesn’t have to be in fashion to truly master their own aesthetics, it certainly doesn’t hurt to boast a masters of fashion to your name. Tinx, who is (mostly) Johannesburg based, brings across her love for fashion in a way which reads as honouring of her metropolitan lifestyle. Often booked and bouncing between venues as a DJ, she has an aux capable plugged directly into the heart of the city and allows that (heart)beat to inspire her fashion. The colour black is a prominent one, which works nicely to compliment the metropolitan edge. Leathers, mesh, platform boots that are made for stomping. There’s a femininity to it that doesn’t shy away from playing with dramatic shoulder pads and dad-core denims. Those very shoulder pads give an 80s rebel feel, without feeling overtly camp. She not only visits different times in her dress, but different cities as well, with an unshakable New York City streetwear feel to her aesthetic. Cruising through these times-and-spaces, her black Diesel shoulder bag is her trusty steed and a hint to an admiration for edgy meets luxury.
Key terms: Metropolitan-core, Edgy, City Girl, Diesel (Rebrand), The Uber Can Wait
It’s a matter of time before Nandipha is left with no choice but to respond to the call for a masterclass in marketing oneself. In all of her posts, Nandipha makes it abundantly clear who she is and what her aesthetic values are. This isn’t swayed by brand collaborations, but in fact highlighted. While working with other brands, Nandipha commands respect from those brands by showing that she will be herself, while assuring her audience that she works with what can be aligned to her. The Tresemmé ad speaks volumes to that fact. In fact, it is that precise volume that makes her fashion so unique. While the conjuring of very chic aesthetics can tend to feel like a uniform of its own, with very strict rules, Nandipha seems to break those. Namely, her ‘chic’ is not subdued. She deviates away from the dated core of the rich aunt aesthetic, while retaining the essence of luxury and youthfulness. At every corner, she meets a statement with luxury. It is the feminine chic that dares to make a name for itself that 90s Chanel is so immortalised for, with none of the cringy Lagerfeld rhetoric.
Key terms: Youthful Chic, Statement, 90s Chanel (without the cringe)
On the note of making a statement, Tjiya could write a(nother) book. One does not become the editor of the lifestyle magazine insert of the Sowetan without refining ones ability to have a take on fashion. That study of contemporary lifestyle content in the spheres of beauty and fashion translates to a very worldly fashion sense on Tjiya’s part. Never shying away from a striking two piece, it’s all about the kind of apparel you could step of a flight with before arriving at your dream holiday destination. The silhouettes are relaxed and the prints are bright. With every outfit being an event, it’s often a patternfest. He rejects the restraints of traditional menswear and has fun with his clothing. That fun is so refreshing and sought after.
Key terms: Patternfest, Hyper-Textured, Holiday Drip, Global Citizen
In what I believe is one of the best and most apt feats of copy in copywriting history, Siyababa’s eponymous atelier describes itself as “GQOM LUXURY APPAREL”. Without thinking too much about it, and looking at the products themselves – it really just checks out. But behind that atelier is an equally fashionable and distinctly different Father of the brand. Siyababa’s personal fashion is grounded in pulling together staple menswear pieces such as a solid pair of chino-style trousers, loafers and a chain. In all of that, he brings in aspects of his identity. A plain tank top is swapped out for a form fitting Zulu leopard print vest. Or the styling of a suit which invalidates the traditional stylings of gendered clothing, in favour of just being sexy. Through a series of coats, bulky chains and Instagram captions like “This isn’t even Christmas weight, it’s called being rich”, Siyababa gives insight into what a queer, Zulu, Joburg kingpin could look like.
Key terms: Kingpin, staple menswear, Zulufication
What do you do once you’ve cleared your own path in South Africa? Clear a new one in the UK, of course. Musician and multi disciplinary artist Koek Sista makes the trajectory seem so clear and so obvious. That’s the very appeal of her brand – describing her own music as “sweet, but twisted” in a Bubblegum Club 21 questions, we see that translate into her fashion. Playing on very feminine and indeed sweet aesthetics, her image still has an irreplicable quality to it. It’s so uniquely her, putting an alt spin on alt black girl aesthetics. She’s unafraid to play with colour, from her nails to her hair. That said, she’s equally unafraid to play with the absence of hair, rocking a strong bald look and faint eyebrows. In each outfit, she seems to bring a new character into the Koek Sista cinematic universe. Unattainable in only the way cartoon characters can be, in theirhighly saturated mystique. And it’s never costumey in the way that is often meant as slander in fashion spaces, but she stares camp right in the eye with no fear of the promises of your local party store. Really, there’s theatre to it.
Key terms: Queen of the Party Store, Alt-Alt Black Girl, Theatrical Drip, sweet but twisted, Betty Boop (Reloaded)
