By Awande Mabizela & Aphiwe Mgoqi
When he comes from the world, fashion has traditionally been associated with women, but Thabiso Mkhize, popularly known as PrinceThabz Mkhize, has come out of his shell to challenge this belief.
He believes that the misconception about men in fashion has delayed his big break. He is the founder of the clothing brand Prince Bespoke, which specialises in premium custom-made menswear. This distinctive brand includes custom-made suits, shirts, bags and men’s accessories.
His cousin and Prince Bespoke’s manager, Sizwe Mkhize, says he was not aware of his cousin’s passion for fashion. “I didn’t know that Thabiso had a passion for fashion because when we were growing up it was not something he expressed.”
“I decided this was my calling (after) I used to avoid fashion because of stereotypes where I grew up, in the township, (where) the sexuality of men in fashion was questioned,” he said.
After he decided to ignore the stereotype and embraced his passion for fashion, he started to showcase his work on Instagram. It led to him being recognised by local and international brands, thus leading to his social media influencer career.
Mkhize is slowly making a name for himself in the South African fashion landscape with his unique designs.
Before starting his fashion brand, he was a social media influencer. He ventured into influencing before it became the phenomenon that it is today. He began by styling himself and doing photoshoots.
As he gained popularity and established brands started to pay him as an ambassador, he realised that he could make a living from it.
However, Mkhize had concerns about its sustainability. “I loved the influencer lifestyle, but I thought to myself if I have a family one day, I’d never be able to sustain it because the pay was inconsistent,” Mkhize remembers.
The showbiz life has not been without challenges, but he always chooses his passion.
“There was a Hennessy gig, which was international, worth R100 000. I was going to start my company, but I didn’t get the gig.
“I went home with R20 000 in my savings. My car was in bad condition, so I had to choose between fixing it or starting my business and I chose the latter,” he said.
Choosing to start his own business has paid off. He now owns two retail stores, has been awarded the Best Menswear Designer accolade by the KZN Fashion Council and continues to work with brands as an influencer while doing commercial modelling.
Mkhize draws most of his inspiration from his cultural background and compliments it with a touch of Eurocentric style.
