Yasmin Furmie On Timeless Fashion, Creative Inspiration And SiSi The Collection

Yasmin Furmie / Co-owner of SiSi The Collection / Reluctantly known as a Fashion & Style “Influencer”

You’re a fashion fire in the industry, where did the love story begin?

My story with fashion has always been evident. From an early age there was a desire to dress well. It has also been imprinted on me through my parents, especially my dad who dressed incredibly well. It has since evolved into the style I’m currently known for.

How do you put an outfit together, especially for important events?

There isn’t a lot of thought that goes into putting an outfit together, it all depends on how I feel. Thought does however go into what shoes or sneakers I wear. It may seem as if a particular way of dressing is an automatic thing, but subconsciously the desire to speak through my clothes is always there. Of course certain occasions call for a particular way of dressing and that may result in me thinking a bit more carefully about  how I present myself. Ultimately, my clothes say exactly who I am: Bold, Daring, Outspoken and Unapologetic.

SiSi The Collection, what is it all about?

SiSi The Collection is a collaboration between two people, my best friend Cynthia and I. She loves white shirts and as we’ve always wanted to do something together, the opportunity to start a business came along. We started our business in 2014. We saw a niche we could fill and the rest is history.

Style, how do you translate it into your everyday life?

Style is an ever present part of who I am. I use fashion to tell a unique story. The ability to be comfortable in my choice of clothes, the ease with which I put differing items together is indicative of my quirky style. My layering is what I’m known for and that’s basically an every day occurrence.

Do you have any fashion inspirations?

I find fashion inspirations daily. The beauty of what happens around me in South Africa; the way other people dress, women walking to work at 5am in the morning, looking supremely stylish. Young creatives inspire me daily. I am inspired by what happens globally as well as older women who step outside of the norm.

The South African fashion industry, what are the positives?

The amount of creativity is a positive on its own. In every field there is talent to be found, whether it’s in beauty, art or the design field. The democracy we exist within gives people the freedom to tell their stories in different ways. Sadly, there are not enough opportunities and that can be disheartening but my advice is to focus and pursue, collaborate and find the way to what it is you want to do.

What’s your take on age and dressing up?

Age is never an issue. I believe women should wear what they want, what makes them comfortable and what defines their personality. We are powerful enough not to be prescribed to.

How can females especially make fashion work for them?

I think people make fashion work for them every day. The very act of putting on clothes is an act of stating who you are in this world. We consume fashion in different ways; for some it’s an act of defiance, for others it’s a uniform to fit in. Daily fashion is used to tell stories and my advice to women and people in general, is to find the story you want to tell and see how your clothes can be the vehicle for telling that story.

Follow Yasmin!

Instagram: @yasminfurmie

Twitter: @yasminfurmie

Facebook: @YasminFurmie

 

-Bridgette Makhela

Naledi Sibisi On Content, The Throne And The Mobb

Naledi Sibisi / 26 / Editor-in-Chief at The Throne Agency

Content, what does this mean to you?

Quality, value, tact and reception. Beyond how you carry and pass on information, I think content (creation and marketing) has more to do with how much you captivate and keep your target audience. The people behind the content have to be in the know; research, be on top of trends, understand what is happening in their industries and address or influence their audience through that knowledge. I think that really great content has more to do with the audience than the creator or marketer in the end. Your audience is ultimately who keeps determining what content is and how it translates.

It took you how many years to get to this point?

In theory, eight years. In practice, I would say about three years.

The Throne & The Mobb are dope, give a synopsis…

They feed each other but they also stand alone. Both The Throne and The Mobb explore entertainment, fashion, art and culture in a South African context. The agencies study cultural insights and influencer relations in order to serve as a voice for the contemporary urban and creative landscape. Most importantly, they are 100% Black female owned – aiming to reshape and rethink the creative industry and dynamic for the generation coming on board in the future.

What’s an Influencer to you?

Someone who has the ability to affect how you think and feel about products or services and can ultimately control your purchase power as a result. It goes beyond the surface level and pretty pictures on social media. An influencer is someone who has built up a following based on who they are, what they know and has identified their niche. As a result, brands can use this knowledge and audience loyalty to collaborate with them for marketing purposes to achieve their specific objectives. Influencers are assets.

Writing, it’s either you have it or you don’t. Agree?

Yes and no. I think as with any creative field it’s part ‘gift’, part passion and equal parts practice. You have to constantly study and practice your craft as much as you are passionate about it. You can have a natural flair for writing but if you are not pushing yourself, studying other writers and researching, you don’t have it.

South African social media platforms that praise and promote females, do we have enough?

More than enough. We need to keep promoting and praising them more. Above that, we need to keep putting more women in influential positions and positions of power. The gatekeepers of said platforms are still predominantly male. Life is about balance, it needs to apply in quite simple and complex contexts.

They say the hustle never stops, do you ever stop working and just chill?

I think that when you love what you do, you become a workaholic by default. It’s always important to take time out. I make it a point to not check work related things after a certain point. If it’s urgent, it can find me at 5AM lol.

How would you want to change another person’s life through the work you do?

To keep being a source of inspiration or reference on a large scale. In the near future when I feel I have established myself, I’d definitely like to take a group under my wing; I suppose like a mentorship. I think that knowledge is best when it is shared. I want young people specifically to be able to enjoy the fruits of my labour and pass that on.

Where can everyone find your movement, handles?

Instagram: @thethronesa / @themobb_sa

Twitter: @TheThroneSA / @TheMobbSA

Website: www.thethrone.co.za / https://www.thethrone.co.za/the-mobb/

 

–Bridgette Makhela