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ENTITY shares Johannesburg street style.

There are few places around the world that know how to show off true self-expression like Johannesburg, South Africa. In recent years, many young fashion aficionados have taken to the streets (and social media) to show off their vibrant taste in fashion. We’ve complied the most noteworthy up-and-comers  who are shaking up the South African fashion industry these days—in more ways than one.

The Talents

Tumi and Itumeleng Nko

Bloggers. @tuminko. www.blipsterquette.tumblr.com 

Twins Tumi and Itumeleng Nko chart their grungy blipster style via their popular tumblr blog, Blipsterquette. Their steadfast motto, which can be found on the site is: “art is the most intense mode of individualism, and fashion is the charisma of art.” Posting pictures of their newest outfits daily, the sisters have gained significant popularity. They were recently asked to be in a Levi’s campaign and were responsible for an editorial shoot for Yahoo fashion.

Tone Society 

Style Collective. @tonesociety

Though not an individual and not based in Johannesburg, the fashion collective Tone Society is important to talk about due to its powerful mission: “Based in the Mother City, this style collective aims to celebrate the black man on the street and subvert colonial ideologies where men of colour are feared and perceived as potential criminals. Rooted in indigenous African cultures, they’re about fostering ideologies where black men are empowered and free to express themselves in style,” says 5and10.com. To see examples of their stunning work, and to learn more about their social impact, Follow them on Instagram at @tonesociety.

Lebogang Tlhako 

Blogger, Photographer. Borrowedfromtheboyz.wordpress.com

Another blogger making her mark is photographer Lebogang Tlhako. Interestingly, in the age of digital tech, Tlhako chooses to use film for her work— “her images are undeniably contemporary,” however, says 10and5.com. Her main focus is capturing native residents dressed in bold, bright outfits. On her blog, BORROWEDFROMTHEBOYZ, she notes that: “Film photography is to me what the LBD is to fashion.”

Tlhako is most inspired by street style that is “electric, authentic and rich.” According to 10and5.com, “her photography initially focused and gravitated towards fashion reportage. However, her photography has recently broadened as she has started to shoot everything from landscapes to everyday portraits.”

Tlhako’s photography advice? Always be open minded and vigilant. “She believes that a photo is influenced by the right moment, texture, light and people. However, an element of personality within an image will always be priceless. As an analogue enthusiast, she enjoys the constant thrill and anticipation she experiences when developing photos and having never owned a digital camera, her Canon A1 is her constant companion.”

Cedric Nzaka

Creative Designer, Photographer. @everydaypeoplestories

Cedric Nzaka founded the Instagram account Everyday People Stories as a way to document general street style. A photographer and creative designer, Nzaka is, according to 10and5.com, “driven by the desire to examine the nature of our existence through our outward presentation.” His ultimate goal is to share “images of people in ever-changing Jozi where art, music and fashion are flourishing.”

In an interview with fashionindustrybroadcast.com, Nzaka explained how his placement in the world affects his craft: “My current geographical location has been the foundation of my recent work. South Africa is the creative hub of Africa as a whole in my opinion. Working around street and portrait photography here has allowed me to broaden my ideas and vision into what exactly street, fashion and portrait photography is all about.”

When asked by the publication how he would describe the photographic industry in his country, as well as the chances of success for a young artist, he replied: “Johannesburg and South Africa in general is shedding its painful, crime-ridden past to emerge as Africa’s hippest hub for art, music and fashion. The photography industry in Jo’burg is constantly growing – especially the design front of it all. The trends I’ve seen emerging are centered on the question of identity, where most people communicate and express themselves through their visuals and are allowed to share their own stories through short editorials. With the emerging creative hubs in South Africa and the amount of potential they all have to offer, it’s easy for one to actually build a career in photography locally.”

The Locals 

Taking to the streets of Johannesburg, it is clear that the vibrancy in fashion taste extends beyond just social media savvy stylists. A few natives took the time to speak about what drives their personal style of dress, and what makes their city so unique.

Spleef Mezaul 

Vintage Store Owner

Dressed in a pinstripe button down and a pair of brown overalls, Spleef Mezaul explained the impact that a changing social landscape has had on style in Johannesburg:“This area influences style in a lot of ways because there is a lot of interracial people come here,” he told the New York Times. “So it’s not just your certain style/identity—there’s a lot of mixture and fusion, so, it’s what South Africa needs at the moment. It’s a whole diversity this place brings—it freshens.” When asked to explain his personal style, he replied: “My style, I would say…it’s not really based on anything other than what I feel about, so it’s more about how I feel than what I want to wear.”

Zikhona Diko 

Beauty Therapist. 

Zikhona Diko, who is a beauty therapist by trade, wore a canary yellow sleeveless crop top, a fitted burgundy skirt accented with a thin bright yellow belt, and a pair of oversized sunnies when she spoke to the Times. “My style is a vintage look mixed with bright colors!” She says. “Today, my favorite item of clothing is my skirt, because it’s tight fitting.”

Baba Buntu

Political Activist/ D.J.

Dressed in all white—white flowing shirt, white linen pants, shoes, and a fitted hat—Baba Buntu had a very specific reasoning behind his choice of clothing:“As an African man, I’m inspired by African design and African patterns and symbols. I follow a religion called Yoruba, so Sunday is in a way my power day,” he told the Times. “So, I dress in white to remind myself of the deity that I follow, which is Obatala, which is the prince of peace within Yoruba culture. Well right now the color white is the predominant meaning of what I’m wearing, which is purity, which is wisdom, which is seeking truth. And then I wear a necklace with an Ankh symbol, which is the key of life. So I wear this knowing very well that this world has many levels of confusion, but within that I want to be protected and know where I’m going.”

Buntu’s overall opinion on fashion? “I think clothes are a message, they tell you something,” he says. “And when I dress this way, there are certain people that are attracted to me and want to come up and have a conversation with me. And I act the same way—I see someone dressing interestingly, and I want to have a conversation with them. So I think it’s about being real, being authentic, and being proud of who we are.

For a further look into the lives of street style savvy people around the world, check out The New York Times’ Intersection: Street Style video series.

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