Penehafo Vaeta, Timelessly Stylish

Taking a look at Penehafo Vaeta’s Instagram feed is like peering into a world of soft, neutral tones, asymmetric silhouettes and neat lines.

She says she gravitates towards very clean, very light, very minimal looks of yesteryear to create her everyday attire.

“I like to incorporate the early 90s women’s work wear, like the mom jeans et cetera and more recently the early 2000s, such as the pantsula aesthetic and the modern chic minimalist,” she says.

Whether she is at home, out and about or working on a set bringing concepts to life, Vaeta’s creative eye and attention to detail are unmistakably sharp.

“I tend to wear very comfortable clothing, while leaning towards loose-fitted and light items when I am in my personal space,” she boasts.

She keeps herself busy as the head stylist for New Luxury Studios, has styled multiple shoots for telecommunications giant MTC and other product photo sessions, and documents it in spectacular fashion on her social media, while also being a law degree holder.

Describing her work life, the 23-year-old explains that the process of styling a shoot means planning ahead, working with a theme or feel based on client briefs, sizing and fitting models, and then of course being on set for the full shoot.

“My responsibility as a stylist on set is to ensure the clothing looks good on camera, there are no wrinkles or folds and I’ve fully realised the client’s idea. You are always hands-on-deck and always ready to pin, to dry, to sew on something, and so on,” she explains.

Vaeta says she does this all out of her love for creating characters through different ways of dressing.

For her, what makes someone stylish is how bold they are with their fashion sense. “Such people interpret fashion in their own way and they use it to express themselves,” she says.

Vaeta adds that her current fashion obsessions are the Giuseppe Zanotti ‘Kanda’ heels and the Bottega Venetta pouch bag released by Daniel Lee in 2018.

“I particularly love the oversized pouch bag that you carry under your arm and I love it’s silhouette,” she gushes, adding that her favourite trend is pairing any outfit with pearl jewellery.

“Pearls are timeless and have not actually ever gone out of style, but I love how they are styled now, with the street style approach,” she says.

Vaeta adds that she has high hopes for the local fashion industry to grow and to be more inclusive and accommodating, naming SynEdgy, Nandii Martin, Abisai Iileka and Sirenga as “very talented people” whose work she loves.

“I also hope that we learn and practise sustainable fashion and create a space where everyone can express themselves without apology,” she adds.

Cool pair of shades/sunglasses that you feel very badass wearing.

A white shirt/T-shirt.

A pair of sneakers. (These for me have been my black and white Converse Chuck Taylors.)

Black cigarette pants.

Jewelry to accessorise.

A pair of heels that make you feel very confident, sexy etc.

For more insight into this Namibian style icon on the rise, follow Penehafo Vaeta on Instagram at @ndapandulaxpv.

– Anne Hambuda is a poet, writer and social commentator from Windhoek. Follow her online at @anne_hambuda.

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