This feature brings together nine emerging creatives, each sharing their personal journey, perspective, and evolving relationship with creativity. Through their voices, we explore identity, expression, growth, and the different ways young creatives are shaping their paths in today’s world. From modelling to multidisciplinary practice, this feature reflects the early stages of becoming, where creativity is both uncertain and intentional, but always evolving.
Thato Mbonani
Thato Mbonani, originally from Daveyton in Gauteng, is a model and content creator focused on building a distinct image within the creative industry. His work sits at the intersection of self-expression, fashion, and digital storytelling — shaped by a desire to grow visibility and confidence through presence and style.
Describing himself as expressive and authentic, Thato’s creative identity is rooted in how he shows up in the world. For him, creativity is not performance but presence — a blend of confidence, style, and realness that defines everything he does.
His journey began through an interest in fashion and content creation, slowly evolving into something more intentional. While the path has not been without difficulty, it has been marked by growth, learning, and persistence. “I realised I wanted to pursue this when I started getting interested in fashion and content creation,” he shares. “The journey hasn’t been easy, but I’ve been learning, growing, and pushing through.”
Inspired by fashion, fellow creatives, and everyday life, Thato draws motivation from seeing others succeed within the industry. Yet, his own path has required him to confront challenges around consistency and self-doubt — experiences that have ultimately strengthened his focus and discipline.
At present, he is focused on refining his content, building his personal brand, and expanding his visibility within modelling. His vision is rooted in impact — to inspire confidence in others and to reflect the idea that success is not limited by where you come from.
Looking ahead, Thato envisions himself working with major brands and establishing a strong presence in both modelling and content creation spaces. For him, growth is ongoing. “I’m still growing and learning,” he says, “but I’m passionate about what I do and I’m committed to getting better every day.”
A defining moment in his journey came when he began taking his work seriously and noticing tangible progress — a turning point that affirmed his direction and purpose.
Beyond his craft, Thato describes himself as driven, creative, and constantly evolving — someone committed to becoming better with each step forward.
Skhumbazo Phiri (Skhumba)
Skhumbazo Phiri, known as Skhumba, is a content creator, fashion photographer, and stylist from Daveyton whose work captures the spirit of Mzansi style through bold, unfiltered visual storytelling. His creative practice exists at the intersection of street culture and editorial fashion — where mood, energy, and identity become central to every frame.
As a visual storyteller, Skhumba’s work is defined by his ability to merge authenticity with stylised expression. He doesn’t simply photograph clothing; he constructs atmosphere. His images reflect lived experience, shaped by kasi culture and the raw energy of his environment.
His journey into creativity was affirmed through recognition from those around him — friends who saw his potential before he fully stepped into it himself. The turning point came in moments of creation, where he realised he felt most like himself behind the lens. Starting with local shoots in Daveyton, he built his foundation through natural light, real subjects, and instinct-driven composition.
A major influence on his journey has been the work and path of Shooter, whose presence in the industry demonstrated what is possible for creatives from township spaces. “That grootman helped me a lot,” he reflects. “He showed me that even a kid from kasi can make it by being yourself and staying true to your people.”
His growth has been shaped by collaboration — working with other creatives, exchanging stories, and stepping into shared creative spaces that challenged and refined his artistic voice. Through these experiences, he discovered that evolution happens through community as much as individual practice.
Currently, Skhumba is focused on showcasing Mzansi fashion through photographic storytelling while actively pushing himself beyond comfort zones. His intention is to expand not just his skill, but his perspective — experimenting with work that challenges his usual creative boundaries.
His vision is rooted in cultural impact. He hopes his work shifts how Mzansi style is perceived globally while also transforming how young creatives from kasi spaces see themselves. He speaks with ambition and clarity about growth: building his name, his work, and creating opportunities for others along the way.
In the coming years, he envisions himself working on national campaigns, directing fashion editorials, and presenting photographic exhibitions centred on East Rand fashion culture. He also hopes to mentor emerging creatives from Daveyton, contributing to the ecosystem that shaped him.
For Skhumba, fashion is more than clothing — it is language, identity, and storytelling. His work exists to ensure those stories are seen, styled, and documented with intention and respect.
Temo Segatle
Temo Segatle is a Johannesburg-based creative director, photographer, and designer building his practice from the ground up. Working across shoots, posters, and full conceptual directions, his approach is rooted in independence — not operating within an established system, but actively constructing his own.
His creative identity resists comfort. Temo does not create for aesthetic approval alone, but for emotional impact. His work exists in a space that is intentional yet imperfect, sometimes chaotic, but always honest. For him, resonance matters more than refinement — he would rather a piece “hit” than simply look good.
His journey into creativity was not planned. It emerged organically through consistent creation, gradually evolving from experimentation into responsibility. What began as expression has become leadership — directing shoots, managing people, and navigating setbacks while continuing to push forward. The process, as he describes it, remains “messy, but mine.”
Temo draws inspiration from energy itself — real people, real tension, and unfiltered moments. He is less interested in polished outcomes and more invested in what feels alive and unpredictable. Authenticity, for him, is found in rawness rather than perfection.
His growth has been shaped by the realities of collaboration. Working with others has introduced challenges such as inconsistency, missed expectations, and instability in execution. Yet these experiences have strengthened his discipline and forced him to approach his work with greater structure and intention, rather than ideal conditions.
Currently, his focus is on refining his personal brand beyond isolated shoots. He is building a connected visual language — where concept, execution, and feeling exist in alignment. This phase of his journey is defined by tightening direction and operating with greater seriousness and clarity.
Temo’s vision extends beyond personal success. He aims to create work that lingers — not content that disappears in consumption, but images and ideas that remain with the viewer. Alongside this, he hopes to build a platform that allows other creatives to exist freely without constraint.
In the coming years, he sees his practice evolving into a recognisable and authoritative brand, defined by strong conceptual work and larger-scale productions. For him, growth is not about visibility alone, but about permanence and weight.
“I’m not trying to be perfect, I’m trying to be real and consistent,” he reflects. “This is all still in progress.”
A defining moment came when people began showing up for what he created — a shift that transformed experimentation into responsibility, and personal expression into something others now believe in.
Outside of his work, Temo describes himself as someone constantly thinking, observing, and evolving — a creative still in motion, but moving with intention.