Rare and irreplaceable: Rich Mnisi is a game-changer in SA fashion

Inspired by the unique story of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Glenury Royal, the third release of a special whisky blend made using limited editions of rare whiskies, we ask four bright local stars to share the rare, unique moments that have shaped their careers. 

“Let me tell you about Rich Mnisi. When you book him as a creative director or an editorial, R2-million; when you want a trench coat from the Rich Mnisi Collection, R2-million; when you want earrings, R2-million; when you want to say, ‘OMG! I’m going to the Samas, I need a dress,’ R2-million. So you ask yourselves why I don’t wear Rich’s clothes — he is very expensive!”

The playful video posted by Bonang Matheba was meant to gently tease her friend Rich Mnisi about his pricey garments. The joke that is still doing the rounds on social media, with its accompanying #2million hashtag, has now come to define fashion designer Rich Fumani Mnisi’s unique handprint. While his contemporary designs might not actually cost R2m, they are colourful and beautifully crafted, with an attention to detail that makes them look and feel expensive.

Identified as a disruptor since graduating from Lisof fashion school and founding his label in 2014, the awards have been rolling in for Mnisi. He was named Africa Fashion International Young Designer of the Year in 2014, Emerging Designer of the Year at the 2019 Essence Best in Black Fashion Awards, and made it onto this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list (a rare achievement for anyone in the SA fashion industry). His gorgeous threads have been worn by Beyoncé, Ciara, and Naomi Campbell.

The unofficial title of “fashion game-changer” is a fitting one. “I just explore my creativity to the fullest and that can be seen as ‘game-changing’. But I find that constantly challenging myself feeds into my growth and that is an ever-evolving process, especially in an industry that can sometimes thrive off routine. Don’t stop exploring your creativity and the things that interest you because exploration only feeds back to your main passion, making ideas and thoughts around it more refined,” says Mnisi.

Mnisi’s face, fashion and work have appeared in local and international glossies, including Glamour SA, GQ SA, Vogue Italia, and L’Officiel Manila, among others. He has also recently turned his attention to furniture design, debuting a range called Extra Ordinary as part of a group of artists invited by Southern Guild to “go beyond the usual confines of their practice by experimenting with new ideas or materials, shifts in scale or other design disciplines,” according to the Guild’s concept note.

It is exceptionally rare for a fashion designer to include furniture design into their repertoire, but this is perhaps unsurprising for “no-rules Mnisi”. The result of his collaboration with Southern Guild is Nwa-Mulamula, a collection named after his late great-grandmother. It comprises a navy-leather chaise that takes the shape of her body in a physical representation of her long-lasting teachings and presence, and a stool in the shape of an eye with gold puddles meant to denote her tears, which were never in vain, he explains.

“I approach furniture design in the exact same way I approach fashion. The human body is always considered in how it interacts with the garment or furniture. Clothing and furniture both serve the same purpose — to support the human body while being aesthetically pleasing,” says Mnisi.

The collection also inspired him to create a platform called Thoughts, which hosts discussions around the way common thoughts about our communities and identity shape who we are.

It also explores how those thoughts can be linked to initiatives that empower the growth and resilience of children from economically challenged areas through education.

Mnisi’s personal Instagram account sets the benchmark high for a well-curated, drool-worthy lifestyle documenting a life less ordinary: one minute he models in a high-end, black-and-white editorial campaign; the next he showcases his latest successful Woolworths Style by SA collection. And we’re here for it all.

“I’m honestly still waiting for that moment,” says Mnisi on whether he thinks he’s made it. “But being able to do what I love every single day is the most satisfying and exhilarating feeling ever.” 

• This article was paid for by Johnnie Walker.