Culture Club was firstly introduced to the talented Thobeka Mbane through her photo series, ‘Ubuhle Bendoda’ that was aimed to “challenge African social norms and taboos about men, especially Black men” and we haven’t blinked ever since.
Born in Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape and moved to Johannesburg for high school and through being a steady high fashion fan became a self-taught stylist.
A fashion stylist is said to play the most important role in the fashion industry, with their main responsibilities including giving fashion advice; choosing and harmonizing outfits for models, selecting props and accessories and preparing them for shoots.
Her most recent work is a fashion story titled, “A DREAM OF YOU” for online and print Contributor magazine that has been, “exploring fashion through art and photography since 2008.”
Photographed by @svenkristianstudio
Fashion: @thobekambane
Assisted by @lifa_nqintiza
Beauty: @jadearmstrongmua
Model: @madam_ntobe
Designers: @imprint_za @bokisi_ @trotse_tert
Being an intern preparing for the SAFW as well as working backstage at the Soweto Fashion Week gave her a taste of a career she was prepared to dive deep into and perfect her strokes.
Since then she has worked with a great number of weighty names in the industry, from; fashion enthusiast, photographer David Blaq , My friend is Ned, New York based model Puma Del Monte and South African fashion designer Floyd Avenue.
“I want my work to speak for itself, I choose who I associate my brand with because one bad job can over shadow the good work you have been doing” Thobeka states.
Being a black women has only meant having to put in extra work and Thobeka sure has built her brand on solid ground. How she transforms clothes into way more than just what the designer has put together is incredible to watch.
We just can’t wait to see what else she has hiding in her bag of tricks!
Culture Club 