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
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