The Boys of Soweto
Text: Lisa Witepski
Images © Supplied
International style icons are a dime a dozen. Blogs like "The Sartorialist" have made wardrobe-peeking a pastime we never tire of, and people like Tavi Gevinson have seen their love of clothes push them right into the fashion front row. But what’s happening here in South Africa? Quite a bit, actually.
What might surprise you is that the cradle of South African couture isn’t the glittering emporia of, say Sandton. Rather, style is being birthed on the streets of Soweto, and because of that, it has an urban grittiness that makes it as irresistible as it is eye catching, like a brash girl with an attitude and a killer smile to match.
As the founder of the Boys of Soweto movement, Bob Ndima – better known as Bob The Stylist – is one of the pioneers of this trend. Bob epitomises the new-age stylista. His love of fashion isn’t simply about well-made seams and the aesthetic joy of a beautiful outfit. Rather, it’s about using clothing as a form of self-expression and a vehicle for raising consciousness.
This makes sense, given how this love story unfolded. “Growing up in Soweto, brands were a big thing,” Ndima explains. He and his crew – Kronic Nhleko, Mbali Bangwayo, Manti Moholo and Steja Kgobane, the eponymous “Boys” – were fascinated by the **amapantsula** (young men in their neighbourhood who took care to look sharp and dapper at all times, in spite of being unemployed). This planted the seed and the boys became obsessed with image, trekking through to Sandton malls on the weekend, where they would pore over the international fashion magazines that weren’t available in the township. From there, the next step was purchasing the brands that were in hot demand, and selling them to their neighbours at a profit.
By now, Bob was truly entrenched in the world of fashion, to the extent that he and his group developed their own subculture, **is’bhujwa**. Roughly translated, the name means “bourgeoisie”. Bob says that he’s still unsure if the people who dreamed it up felt that his crew thought they were better than everyone else. Even if that wasn’t the case, Bob himself soon tired of brands and the consumerist culture they encouraged, and he turned to a more authentic style. “At the time, I was heavily influenced by Rastafarianism, which emphasised a more spiritual way of life,” he explains. The accent may have been less on outward appearances, but – ironically – it got Bob thinking about the way Africans perceive themselves and follow international trends, rather than embracing their own identity. “For example, I started wearing an Afro instead of shaving my head like most black guys do, because it’s more natural.”
**Is’bujwa** was the birthing place of Boys of Soweto. Years later, Bob, now 30, is still determined to get South Africans to step up to the fashion plate. “That’s what Boys of Soweto is about,” he says, noting that although the crew’s blog – featuring immaculately styled shots of the guys in their not-to-be-ignored threads – is their primary focus, it’s certainly not the only one. The gang have been involved in a number of brand collaborations, and most recently Bob has been asked to give his input in the development of a line of denim wear. He’s also joined forces with local milliner Chanel, with whom he is designing a range of fedoras. Another exciting project sees him designing his own range of suits to complement his T-shirt collection, which has already gained a following overseas – in fact, Bob estimates that most of the garments purchased are by tourists.
The beauty of these projects, he says, is that they bring one of the most important challenges facing South African design into the spotlight. “There’s no doubt that we have the talent and the creativity. Where we’re lacking is in our craft – the construction of our garments can’t stand up to international designers, and this is where we need to improve.” Bob hopes that by bringing South African design to more people’s attention, he’ll highlight issues of this nature.
In the meantime, Boys of Soweto is slowly expanding beyond shirts and suits. They recently established a book club, and although it currently has a limited membership, he’s keen to see its numbers grow. “The point is to create a platform where we can discuss the issues we face daily,” he says, adding that one of the strengths of the initiative is that, as members of different professions – from law to fashion – they bring together a multitude of reference points. “I was surrounded by so many truly talented people when I was growing up. They were all in different fields – some were soccer players, others were academics – but so few of them flourished. We need to stop that, and that’s what Boys of Soweto is all about, forging the kind of relationships that help us mentor each other through the tough times.”
It may sound idealistic, but then Bob is, on the whole, a dreamer. Or, at the very least, an enthusiastic optimist. “It’s a great time to be a creative in Africa. The world is looking to our continent for inspiration. It’s time for us to shine,” he says.
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