A page out of the Fruity Chapters

The baton of fashion influence that was once held by fashion makers and super models has now been passed down to its consumers. Thus, proving that while the devil may wear Prada so can everyday people too. I interviewed Lwandile Makhaza also known as ‘TheFruityChapters’ to discuss the ever-changing face of fashion influence.

"IF THERES ONE THING THAT I’D LIKE OTHERS TO TAKE AWAY FROM MY WORK, ITS INSPIRATION"

Over the years we have seen the evolution of fashion unfold before us and with it so too have the faces and curators of it. The rise of fashion blogging back in 2007 gave way to a world of creation outside the confides of magazines and runways and offered fashion lovers an outlet to create and express themselves on their own terms. Fast forward to the creation of Instagram in 2010 where even more people were able to create and express themselves on a platform for all to see. Years later these everyday people have now been offered a seat at the table, with the taste makers of fashion, as the middlemen between major brands and consumers or more commonly known today as influencers.

One Particular person whose love for fashion and creation has garnered her the title of influencer as well as various campaign deals from the likes of Mr. Price, Cotton On, Burger King and even Bombay Sapphire to name a very few, is 24-year-Old Lwandile Makhaza better known to her followers as ‘TheFruityChapters’.

Under her Instagram bio you may see several titles from “Content Creator" to “Creative entrepreneur & Graphic Designer”. All of which have aided in her ability to create as fervently as she does. I had the pleasure of interviewing her about her love for fashion and creation and how combined, have helped her build a career she never thought possible.

Kally: When did you know that you wanted to go into fashion? What was the “ah. ha” moment for you if you had one, or did you ease into it?

Lwandile: I think I definitely eased into it. I’ve always loved dressing up and the drama or attention of really looking good and I think I also got it from my mom, because whenever we go anywhere, she always instils in us that we should always look our best because we never know who we might meet or bump into. So, I think that it’s definitely where I get my love for dressing up from. I used to wear all her clothes when she wasn’t around just like a typical girl would.

Kally: When you first started creating content, did you envision yourself being where you are today? Was this always the end goal or was it just something that you were doing as a hobby?

Lwandile: Honestly, as untrue as this may sound, it really was just me doing me. During my gap year in 2017, I really started to enjoy bloggers and I would stalk a lot of them and seeing how nice their Instagram feeds were made me want to be a lot more intentional with mine. I really enjoy curating content and dressing up and making things look pretty and I really just did it because I wanted to. So, it all merged and worked out well, but I never thought that I’d get to a point where I could do it as a job, it’s always just been something I enjoy. I love curating content and even if I weren’t doing it for myself, I would probably be doing it for someone else.

Kally: Typically, one would ask “if you could go back in time what would you tell your younger self” However, I would like to know what you would ask your older self if you could travel to the future.

Lwandile: I would ask her “Am I going to be happy? Am I going to be successful?

With the term influencer being as loosely thrown around as that of Journalist, it is hard for those outside of the industry to truly grasp its meaning and what it entails. “I think the term influencer has dramatically evolved.” Said Lwandile, “Before, an influencer would commonly be a celebrity who would express her love for a particular item like shoes for example, which would then sell out whereas now – not to say that anyone can be an influencer but yes, anyone can influence a group of people. Because at the end of the day what I understand an influencer to be is just someone who connects the brand to the consumer.”

And while many have jumped onto the bandwagon of sprinkling the word Influencer on their bio’s for Instagram, Twitter and other various social media platforms, there is a lot more to influencing than taking pretty pictures for Instagram. “Staying relevant isn’t easy. Because the more consistent you are the more you grow however, it is very difficult to be consistent on so many different platforms. Many people see the end result but don’t realize how much planning and analysis goes into creating content that your community wants and that will aid in your growth.”

For many lovers of fashion, influencers act not only as a bridge to connect them to brands but also as an inspiration. With Lwandile’s forty thousand plus Instagram , one can imagine how many people she inspires, which is all she hopes for. “If there’s one thing that I’d like others to take away from my work it’s Inspiration. I hope that when people see my work that it inspires a part of themselves, I hope that you see that its possible for you to let your mind run free and let things come to life and let your creativity carry you.” Said Lwandile, “I want people to know that they don’t have to be boxed in by whatever they feel restrains them because anyone can enjoy this process.” She shared.