2015 Emerging Creative Rich Mnisi is the Johannesburg-born fashion designer behind local brand OATH Studio, which garnered accolades and attention last year at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Having graduated from fashion school in 2014, Mnisi is still new on the fashion scene, which he admits has been a big learning experience for him.
In this exclusive video interview Mnisi talks about starting out in the fashion industry and the challenges he has faced as a young designer establishing a respectable fashion label. The hurdles he has encountered are far outweighed by invaluable experiences and the lessons he is still learning from experts and peers in the industry.
“I’m always learning, every single day I’m just learning about new things,” says Mnisi.
Together with entrepreneur Shane Childs and communications guru Vusi Mahlangu, Mnisi has recently turned his label into a business with the launch of his online store and blog. His success so far is a testament to his determination. The young designer believes in keeping his head down and staying focussed on the creative development of his designs and the aesthetic of OATH Studio. Using contemporary pop culture as his muse, Mnisi has already formulated a signature style for the brand, which he says “takes on pop culture as its soul and inspiration hub, to achieve a versatile and fashion forward DNA”.
