Wang Waxes Poetic on Mental Health, Rest and Activism

Hilary Wang may be known for his sharp eye and effortless style, but beneath the polished exterior is a real person who is healing, building, crafting and dreaming out loud.

The Walvis Bay-born creative director, who has become a familiar face in Namibia’s fashion and entertainment spaces, is finding his footing in a simple truth: Slowing down is also progress.

“Personally, I’ve been doing a lot of inner work,” he says. “Professionally, it’s been an exciting season. I’m curating more meaningful work that aligns with the person I’m becoming.”

Wang’s days don’t follow a script.

One minute he’s directing a fashion shoot, the next he’s organising a community event or journalling over coffee.

In a scene that often demands constant motion, Wang says he is learning to pause, recalibrate and stay emotionally honest – a thread that runs through both his advocacy work and creative output.

Although he juggles many titles, like stylist, content creator and public relations expert, it’s his activism that feels most urgent to him right now.

“I’m finding ways to use my voice to open conversations we were taught to avoid,” he explains.
These are topics particularly around mental health and self-awareness.

He has also worked on creative directing and styling for names like Prisca Anyolo, Lioness and Nangula Nanyemba, and was nominated for stylist of the year at last year’s Simply You Magazine Lifestyle and Fashion Awards.

Then there’s his work with Adulting102 curating events, among them the Erongo Volley Games.
The aim for Wang is always to create a meaningful platform for connection.

After nearly a decade in the game, Wang says some major shifts in the local industry make his job a lot easier.
“We’ve become louder, bolder, more intentional,” he reflects. “There’s a growing confidence in telling our own stories.”
But this new brashness also comes with its drawback.

Wang says people often mistake his job for being a lot more glamorous than it actually is, when there’s actually a price to be paid for living a life of endless work days, zero work-life balance, having a million things on your to-do list, and hanging backstage.

“What people see on social media is just the surface … It takes strategy, resilience and deep emotional intelligence to navigate this space,” he says, citing financial risk and emotional labour as big threats.
Still, he’s hopeful.

He sees the Namibian fashion and entertainment scene leaning into a more unapologetically African identity, led by fearless younger voices who want global relevance without compromising their roots.

He cites artisans like Abisai Iileka, Rich Mnisi, Bottega Veneta, Canada Goose and Schiaparelli as aspirational names and adds that he is inspired by Namibian photographers and stylists who are pushing boundaries on limited resources.

For his own future, Wang says he isn’t just dreaming any more.

“In a year, I see myself travelling more, taking my work to new audiences while staying rooted in my purpose. In five, I’ll be living out my wildest dreams.”

His eyes are on cross-border collaborations that amplify African identity and advocate healing, especially within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and others (LGBTQI+) community.

“Healing isn’t always pretty, but it’s powerful. You don’t have to have it all figured out to be worthy of love, respect or rest,” he says.

“Keep creating, keep feeling – and don’t be afraid to start over. Softer. Wiser. More you.”

– Anne Hambuda is a writer, social commentator and poet. Follow her online or email her at annehambuda@gmail.com for more.

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