A worth trio celebrating
Style guru and artists mix old and new for ultra-modern twist
The festive edition of SMag celebrates two of my greatest obsessions – newness, and fashion-industry icon Felipe Mazibuko. No two artists capture that spirit of modernity and oddity better than the faces of our Celebration issue, Hope Mbhele and Musa Keys.
When the year began they were relatively unknown, but they are closing 2022 on a high, with their names on everyone’s lips.
To bridge the gap between the old and new and so produce something ultramodern, we called on the creative direction of Mazibuko for their shoots.
Neither of our cover stars was even born when the style guru – who has more than 32 years in the industry – was already setting his path in the ever-changing world of fashion.
He has become a creative force to be reckoned with, thanks to his unique styling for brands such as Amanda Laird Cherry, Marianne Fassler, and Loxion Kulca, as well as his sharp fashion commentary that makes the subject supremely relatable.
Mazibuko, always embracing his freckles, was born in Pimville, with the cosmopolitan and multi-cultural mix of Soweto informing his creative gaze.
His personal style (the number of times I’ve tried to layer like him!) is just as glorious.
Below are some highlights from the issue:
Mazibuko on the state of fashion in 2022: “Fashion has been treated like a brothel… A lot of wannabes are killing the industry with mediocrity and fashion illiteracy.”
Mbhele on Uzalo’s lesbian love story between her character Amahle Sishi and resident cop Lilly Madongwe (Noxolo Mathula): “It was a beautiful story about being lesbian in an African community like KwaMashu. I enjoyed playing that character and it was out of my comfort zone.
Noxolo and I had coaching lessons and counselling. It helped a lot having to understand that these are people’s lives and they sometimes get killed based on whom they choose to love. Portraying those characters was serious for us.” Keys on how he views his success: “I feel like I’m on a bigger mission.
So, the way I approach things is kinda different. I’m always thinking ahead.
Whenever I achieve something, I don’t see it as the biggest thing. In that moment, yeah, I am happy, obviously, because I’ve managed to get to that point.
But, realistically speaking, I’m like, it’s actually possible to get where I’m going.” Mbhele on auditioning for 10 unsuccessful years to be a VJ
on MTV Base: “I auditioned so much that when casting directors saw me, they went, ‘Hope, you are back again this year’.
When you have been auditioning for 10 years and nothing happens you begin to question if you were meant to do this.”