– Daymond John
Monde Mtsi is the go-to person when it comes to everything about the metrosexual man and the art of grooming. Mtsi is the Founder & Editor-In-Chief of RENASCENCE Magazine\ Renaissance Men SA which is an online publication that covers men’s fashion, style, events and offers male grooming tips.
Born in Cape Town, raised in Langa Township, this young trailblazer has been blogging since 2013, using his platform to guide the African male experience. Mtsi currently spends his time developing his blog and digital magazine.
He also presents, manages personal wardrobes and shopping, consults as a Brand Specialist in Marketing, Public Relations, and Social Media Community Management and manages events coordinating.
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TYI chats to style guru, Monde Mtsi about the art of male grooming…
There’s a stigma in the black community that when a man spends too much time in the bathroom he is considered a ‘sisi’. Sisi is a Zulu word that means ‘sister’. This term used in the above context implies that only women are meant to be fixated on their appearance and should a man adopt similar quirks, he would then join the ranks of ‘sisi’.
A man fixated on his appearance suggests that he has less time to focus on ‘manly’ responsibilities, like fixing a car and making money. However, society has changed and the aforementioned stigma is slowly beginning to dissolve. Not only are men allowed to spend hours in the mirror, but it is also acceptable for men to wear makeup which was considered bizarre decades ago.
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As modern men, identity is everything. Men are no longer afraid to embrace the duality of their being and to contest against the archaic and damaging stereotypes of what a man is expected to be. Today men are moving towards self-actualization without shame and embarrassment.
Our style choices in no way emasculates us. The rise of the metrosexual man is powerful and wearing pink is a position of strength, not weakness.
“Things have really changed. Being a man is more than just your physical being or cultural standards. The worth of being a man consists of many things like the way you are groomed physically, emotionally and spiritually,” says Mtsi. “These days groomed men are referred to as metrosexual. They are the suave, sleek looking guys. The ones you would find on the covers of Vogue or GQ magazine. Your Man Crush Mondays.”
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[All pictures supplied. Photographer: Larry English]
