Mariam Mohamed
Burn the beanies, discard the wayfarers, forget the hipsters. There’s a new group of cool kids on the block and they’ve got our attention.
They’re young, they’re male, they’re impeccably dressed and they’re proudly African. They are the street style heroes, bloggers, photographers and other members of the most influential fash-pack. Often seen gracing street style platforms in their uber stylish ensembles these men like designer Laduma Ngxokolo along with bloggers and media personalities such as Trevor Stuurman, Jerri Mokgofe, Siyabonga Beyile, Anthony Bila Kabelo, Kungwane and Wanda Lephoto amongst others are talk of the town.
These guys, all established in their own right, have encouraged a whole new cult of young Africans in the streets of our most popular cities , dressed to the T, reaching for the spotlight (or camera lens?). The result is a new found sense of pride in dress amongst young South Africans along with a need for establishment and creative expression. These young men have released the importance of nurturing their talents and carving their identities in the fields that they choose to find themselves in. Along with their aspirations for the future , the guys are always acknowledging the past , their lost icons and heritage, with great respect.
Just a scroll through Instagram ,or stroll down the street, is enough to show you the power and growth of this new group with the number of members increasing daily. We can’t help but wonder if this is a start of a new , dominating subculture?
Images: http://web.stagram.com/n/trevor_stuurman
http://web.stagram.com/n/laduma
http://web.stagram.com/n/wandalephoto
