Kids of the 90s will remember Mpho Sebeng as Slay from “Soul Buddyz” while the 2Ks know him as Neo in a local telenovela, “Ring Of Lies”.
I spoke with the Soweto-born star, who moved to Witpoortjie at an early age after his uncle was killed.
But our conversation wasn't about his acting career. Instead, I asked him about his deviation into fashion.
The 26-year-old added another notch on his belt when he launched a fashion label, Love Luse.
Love Luse is a street-style contemporary fashion brand that focuses on athleisurewear for both men and women. It is aimed at curating a positive energy into the world.
“The idea around Love Luse is to remember to speak fondly to ourselves, to think thoughts of progression as opposed to fixating on the negative aspects that we may face. These garments are a projection of the movement to remember to give ourselves the love that freely give to the world kwa mele siz’nakekele, take care of ourselves and essentially write love letters to our self and address every situation with Love first,” said Sebeng.
On the inspiration for the brand, he said: “There’s a certain style of pants that I like, but couldn’t find in certain stores. I started making pants for myself and my friends, and as time went, I realised that there was so much more I could do than just making pants. I didn’t want to box the clothes to be just about pants but wanted to juggle all around.”
For him, the brand is an extension of his art as clothing is something close to his heart.
“I do believe art has many aspects to it, and what I’m doing is evolving into another part within my art. I’m practically trying to ground my feet within this other form of art which is fashion. I’ve always loved fashion, I’ve always seen clothes as my ideal way of expressing certain emotions,” he said.
After working on the brand for two years, Sebeng is grateful that it finally came to life. Not only has Love Luse made him explore his other talents, but it has also made him get closer to his aspirations of being a filmmaker one day.
He said that through the brand, he managed to create his first fashion film, which is a step closer to realising his other dream.
The first collection of Love Luse is now out.