Mzansi Life & Style showcases the best that South Africa has to offer in terms of entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, culture, cuisine, travel, beauty and celebrity news. Subscribe to my website by adding your email address in the "follow" button below.
The homes of 2021 and 2022 have shifted to reflect our new practices of holding the home at the centre of our lives. Through incorporating our memories, technology and nature we have created spaces that are sanctuaries for our souls to rest and recharge and spaces where we can express important aspects of ourselves that make us so unique.
Creative behavioural strategist focused on designing interior spaces, Kim Williams, shares her top insights into the trends that will influence our world in 2022 and the behavioural motivators behind them.
Kim Williams Design – Framed By Claire Photography
Rise of virtual reality
Biophilia Sustainable Living Room make over by Koala Furniture – The Design Files
The last year has seen a massive increase in our need to make virtual connections as we try to substitute our social nature in a time where connecting in person is not necessarily safe. Our need to connect our online behaviour with our physical space is evident in the new technologies that help integrate these two worlds, such as the increase in AI in our domestic spaces.
Existing in these new virtual realities for more of our time every day has also given us new insights into our own behaviour thanks to the tracking algorithms they are built on. This is leading to a higher degree of self-reflection – especially among businesses – than ever before.
A new face has joined the CATRICE family. Beloved South African model and television presenter Minki van der Westhuizen, who most recently premiered her very own Afrikaans talk show simply titled “MINKI” has been named the newest local brand ambassador for the German makeup brand. As part of her partnership with the brand, Minki will star in the MinkiXCATRICE campaign.
Willemien ‘Minki’ van der Westhuizen – the former presenter of “Pasella” on SABC 2 and the Afrikaans dating reality series “Boer Soek ‘n Vrou” – is admired not only for her drop-dead beauty, but also for her amazing character. The mother and wife who has won many hearts with her outstanding presenting skills is a role model for many people. This is an aspect that has made her acquire more than 192 000 followers on Instagram and 199 000 on Facebook. In an Influencer capacity, Minki was voted the most approachable, sincere and trustworthy by women in South Africa in a recent Garnier influencer survey.
Inspired by the trends in the fashion capitals of the world, CATRICE is an innovative and luxury-inspired makeup line with an affordable price tag and clean products you can feel good about. Professional makeup artists and influencers alike have been raving about the brand’s game-changing complexion products that rival the formulations of high-end brands, namely the HD Foundation, Liquid Camouflage Concealer as well as the Prime and Fine Primers and Sprays. Beyond that, CATRICE does not carry out or commission any testing on animals. Currently, more than 80% of the range is vegan, however, the brand is moving towards being 100% vegan.
Speaking on the partnership, CEO of Cosmetix Cindy Nell-Roberts says that Minki is the quintessential CATRICE woman – she is authentic, glamorous and has long used and loved CATRICE makeup.
“Minki – who is relatable as a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend – values the high quality of CATRICE at affordable prices with no smoke and mirrors, giving all the savings back to our customers. What’s more, we are excited that she is passionate about helping her fans and followers learn how to do their makeup.” Cindy concludes, “Working with Minki is always a pleasure – her unique personality and enthusiasm for life embody the CATRICE brand values.”
Minki made her debut brand appearance for the MinkiXCATRICE campaign in December 2021. She will showcase the same talent that makes her one of the media and entertainment industry’s most wanted names alongside fellow brand ambassador Anele Zondo. CATRICE’s range of cult-favourite face, lip, eye and skincare products are available at selected Clicks, Dis-Chem, Superbalist, Takealot.com and House of Cosmetics.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the ocean not-for-profit responsible for the world’s leading sustainable seafood ecolabel, has launched its Ocean Cookbook 2022. The free digital cookbook with the message ‘fish for tonight, and for tomorrow’ is a global collaboration between 18 award-winning chefs and 18 sustainable fishers from around the world, united in the belief that sustainable fishing is a must if we are to protect our oceans.
Using seafood from 18 MSC certified fisheries, the cookbook highlights how easy it is to rustle up healthy, sustainable seafood dishes at home. The cookbook is the centerpiece of the MSC’s communications and marketing campaign for the new year, traditionally a time for healthy and more environmentally conscious eating.
Included in the choice of recipes are a simple and delicious Cape hake recipe by Cape Town based cookbook author and food stylist, Georgia East; Scottish haddock recipe by Cornish restauranter and UK MSC Ambassador Mitch Tonks; and roasted flaked Pacific halibut in a salad topped with crunchy seeds from Canadian MSC Ambassador, Chef Charlotte Langley. On the other side of the world, MSC Chef Ambassador, Kaoru Ariga chose whole Icelandic capelin to top her Japanese Somen noodle soup and encouraged us all to minimise food waste by eating the whole fish.
Apple Music has announced French-Senegalese dance music singer-songwriter and producer, AWEN (real name Lucille Kante) as its latest Isgubhu cover star. Her debut album Redemption (2021), moves between soulful Afro House and deep spiritual trip hop and features Umlazi-born, self-taught Afro House producer and DJ, Enoo Napa on the title-track “Redemption”. As a frequent collaborator with various Afro House artists from all over Africa, AWEN’s incorporation of multiple genres and sonic elements into her music is testament to her constant growth and ongoing journey.
AWEN has also created an exclusive Isgubhu playlist that features tracks that fuel her musical fire and that showcase Africa’s rich dance music talent through the years.
“I had great fun curating the Isgubhu playlist for Apple Music. I included some timeless classics, such as Tony Allen’s ‘African Man’ just because those tunes paved the way for African dance music as we know it today. I also included some new gems from artists I love and admire such as Black Coffee, Sun El-Musician, Msaki and Black Motion; you will also find a few tunes from my album Redemption. What do all these tracks have in common? They all take from various influences to create a unique form of soulfulness that makes us feel more alive,” she tells Apple Music.
Taking over Isgubhu By… for this month is eSwatini-hailing electronic producer and deep house DJ, !Sooks (real name Sukoluhle Dlamini). Having been enthralled by African music and synth sound creation, !Sooks’ first milestone came when he released his debut EP, 7 Years of Colour (2016) under Antidote Music, quickly following this up with his second release, A Different Place (2016) under international label Deepstitched Records. Since then he’s blazed a unique trail while honing his ambient, moody groove.
“Growing up, my dad exposed me to a lot of amazing music, especially jazz, which inspired my love for music as a whole. This particular selection showcases my love for a variety of sounds within African dance music and it is this plethora of sounds that inspires my music production today. My selection for Apple Music features music from South Africa, Namibia and Eswatini, which to me shows the growth of African dance and electronic music. We have come of age and the sound has moved from the underground scene and has stepped into the mainstream through the advancement of Amapiano, Afro House and other emerging African dance music subgenres,” he explains.
Launched in early 2021, Isgubhu is the definitive home of African Dance and Electronic music on Apple Music and spotlights and elevates the work of African Electronic DJs, producers and creatives. Isgubhu, a Zulu word meaning beat and used to refer to a banging song, pays homage to an evergreen set of genres and the African artists who have played a pivotal role in shaping the Dance and Electronic scene across the world.
Isgubhu also houses a collection of playlists including Spotlight On – a focus on boutique labels like Soul Candi, House Afrika, Stay True Sounds, Uganda’s Hakuna Kulala & Nyege Nyege Tapes, Kenya’s Gondwana KE, and eSwatini’s Antidote Music, as well as Isgubhu Voices – a focus on the best Dance and Electronic tracks that feature vocals.
Rookie USA is known for it’s love for helping children as much as they can. Their annual donations brighten even the dimmest of smiles.
Rookie USA partnered with well-known influencers and friends of the brand to contribute to the amazing donation of R50 000 to the Reach For A Dream Foundation.
“Reach For A Dream seeks to alleviate the strain that life-threatening illnesses place on sick children and their families by providing these dreamers with the opportunity to believe in their greatest wish. The Foundation has been providing dreams to children all around the country for 33 years and counting. These young children are under extreme pressure to deal with these medical issues and are in desperate need of encouragement. In addition, Reach For A Dream offers the child a magical moment to regain their childhood that is being lost to an illness.”
“The foundation is grateful to have partnered with Rookie USA in the journey to inspire, give hope, strength, and courage in the lives of our dream children” says Natalie Lazaris, Business Head for Reach for a Dream Foundation.
Rookie USA is a kids-only, multi-branded premium retail destination, now in South Africa. It is a retail experience focused on kids from the ages of 0-20 years old ranging from apparel to accessories and footwear. Rookie USA offers consumers a collection of iconic brands including Converse, Nike, Jordan, Hurley and Levi’s to provide a complete head-to-toe kid’s experience.
Mzansi Life & Style by Mishkah Roman-Cassiem 