Daring, Androgynous & Unique

Photo : Martin Ntshimane Letsholo
Wake up in the morning to start your day and your shoe collection seems to be chaotic, in a very disproportionate manner which indicates that your shoes does not agree with your belt or your worn out denim jacket clashes with your polished double monk strap shoes since the desired shirt for that outfit is stuck in the laundry basket or a moccasin that you bought on your last shopping spree lacks that important detail in it like that tassel or fringe finish to compliment your poor boy hat. It is all problems right? I know; trust me.

When Martin Ntshimane Letsholo, a Styling Visual Merchandiser for a Well-known international clothing retailer was asked “what style advise can he give to Men, when it comes to putting an outfit together in terms of everyday wear?, he confidently and repeatedly replied “Shoes,shoes,shoes!.Because shoes can make or break your outfit”. In this article, we will talk to him about his work and aspirations and his love for fashion as it is the best express that is nonverbal and unmistakably send a clear message for him.

Rankuwa is where he was born and now lives in Johannesburg. Martin is a free-spirited, liberated young and ambitious being that is trying to find his way to essential self-discovery in the world jam-packed with opportunities. The Visual Merchandiser ; outlines that his work with the international retailer has been amazing and interesting at best with challenges that brought about immerse exposure to the world of fashion. The challenges includes : Picking samples, ironing different garments made out of a host of fabrics and silhouettes and finally dressing and styling which always bring forth results that are fulfilling . “The costumer always buys what they see, if what they see is well presented and grabs their attention and pursue them then surely that is worth the sale. Visual merchandising plays a vital role in retail and communicate more sufficiently with the desired targeted audience” _Martin

All the experience that he has acquired and is still acquiring, is pretty much leading him to a career of being a fashion trend forecaster, which is in co-existence with his five year plan of moving to Europe after finishing his degree. He admits to struggling with perfection as his weakness. “I always expect myself to be perfect at what I do and expect other people to do the same. Nothing is perfect”! The ability to give himself a chance to try over and over again, to forgive oneself and the ability to learn and adapt to change; qualifies as his greatest strength. Inspired by mainly his surrounding like the place he loves to visit the most in his current city (Maboneng), which he feels has a lot of emerging cultures. He largely points to his mother who he says is “fashionably opinionated and out of the ordinary” as his main source of fashion inspiration for her ability to “wear in accordance to how she felt”, with international fashion brands like Lanvin, Kenzo, Gucci, Mui Mui feeding and contributing to his love for fashion. Daring, Androgynous and Unique are three words to describe his style.

Here are the best quotes from Martin’s Interview:                                                                                

·        “I would like to collaborate with Rich Mnisi; I love his work, he is amazing”.

·        “Fashion is what you see on the shop floors and wall. Style is what you make out of that. Style is an extension of oneself that sets you apart from everyone”.

·        “We are all the same, so let go and live”.