Zulu Boy Puts His Best Foot Forward

Fashion and street culture enthusiasts attentive to those pushing the boundaries of their expressive natures know who Zulu Boy is.

For those who don’;t, perhaps you have seen his latest fashion collection, Gweri Socks from his Gweri Vintage Collection, being embraced by trendy Namibian youth.

Zulu Boy, real name Pinehas Megameno Shikulo, can easily be considered an ambassador of vintage Namibian street fashion. Not only have his presence and creativity commanded attention, but his collections have been catering to stylish individuals who pride themselves on incorporating Namibian flair into their outfits.

Gweri Vintage Collection came to life this year but the idea was coined four years ago. “Through Gweri Vintage, we came up with Gweri socks which were inspired by happy socks.”

Gweri comes from the term guerrilla which means warrior. “I wanted to come up with a brand that shows being a warrior, which is why I came up with the brand called Gweri Vintage Collection, which consists of a variety of garments,” he shared.

Being a big fan of happy socks, Zulu Boy says he has always bought branded socks although he didn’;t understand what some of the shapes meant or represented.

“I came up with the Gweri socks brand because they are inspired by our Namibian landscapes and people. I wanted to create stories on how we live and have a representation in the world. The colours and shapes are a representation of who we are,” says Zulu Boy.

Carlos Gurirab, who wears Gweri socks, commends Zulu Boy. “What makes Gweri socks stand out from the rest of other colourful socks is the fact that they are Namibia’;s first official sock brand created to showcase Namibian culture in different shapes and forms,” he says.

Zulu Boy, who also busies himself as a stylist, director, photographer and conceptualist, says the different projects hone his creativity. “My work complements each other so I do not feel pressure at all. Being busy helps you focus and keeps all distractions away.”

He’;s often asked how he comes up with his concepts and shares that the interactions he has with different people notify him of how much he is doing. The support he receives from the public for his work is not something he takes lightly and he says he is grateful for their support as it encourages him to work harder.

On being a trendsetter, Zulu Boy says he is aware that he is influential but does not think about it often, adding that he still feels like he needs to do more. “This is not where my dream stops.”

Although he is content with the buzz his brand has garnered, two years from now he wants Gweri Vintage Collection to be a fully fledged brand that is celebrated and embraced by many more people. “I want to be remembered for what I do and I want to be an inspiration to others. I want the fashion industry to boom and become better and this can only be accomplished if we work together,” says Zulu Boy.

Client Markus Mathews told The Weekender that he was impressed by the socks. “The design of the Gweri socks is very unique to Namibia and I believe that is what makes them stand out,” he says.

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