ANUELL Ahmar, the editor in chief of online urban street culture and fashion magazine Style Me Strauss, always looks well put together. Whether you spot him posing on a fashion week red carpet or out and about on his coffee hunts, one thing is for sure, he will never have a hair out of place. A big advocate for South African talent in the fashion, photography, art and culture sphere, Ahmar is a trusted voice in an industry that is saturated with wannabes. I spoke to him about menswear trends and his latest fashion editorial, a collaboration with Topman titled Just Boys.
What inspired you to get into the menswear industry? My dad, Anwar Dulvie. I have always been surrounded by garments housed in the retail business units my dad owns. Having worked with a few brands myself, I’ve seen that there is a great versatility when it comes to men’s fashion, a certain androgyny.
We have made great strides in men’s fashion, from a rigid history to the reinvention of masculinity with a certain mobility to garments and their construction.
How would you describe your personal style? Dapper. I have a great love for detail and well-fitted garments. I am the tuxedo, pocket square and cufflinks kind of guy, paired with monochromatic hues.
What is the biggest faux pas or style sin that men commit? Ill-fitting suits. There are lessons to combat this sickness. LOL! Also the idea of confinement - there are no rules to fashion. However, if you want to adopt a certain style or look, please do it well and with a considerable amount of research.
Why do you think dressing well is important? It is a medium of self-expression. It is a way of communicating with the world without having to say a word. It speaks of your character. I am certain we all strive to positively impact the world through the manifestation of our character, so dress well.
What are your plans and goals for Style Me Strauss.com this year? As an online platform and with the assistance of my team, we are striving to bring new ways in which to propel creatives in the South African market. We will be collaborating with amazing local and international brands to bring their products to life, be it fashion, beauty or lifestyle. The idea is to have Style Me Strauss as the style and fashion destination of choice; a beacon of iconography for style-seekers and fashion enthusiasts. We are constantly hard at work building content for our readers, and finding innovative ways in which to build reach and scale within the market.
What fashion trends would you like to see disappear immediately and which ones are you excited about? Cuffed pants, checked shirts and espadrilles are a big no from me. However, I am always excited about the coalition between male and female fashion. The male cropped top is a great addition to 2017 and so are the culottes pants and cropped trouser/pants. Do not cuff but rather crop.
If you could raid anyone’s wardrobe, whose would it be and
why? Maybe not raid someone’s wardrobe but I would definitely go crazy among the rails of Nicholas Coutts’s AW17 collection as seen at SA Menswear Week. The play on colour, texture, styling and the overall aesthetics of the collection has stayed with me since I saw it about four weeks ago.
What is the one item every guy should have? A fitted blazer is essential, either in black or dark navy.
What techniques on social media do you use to promote your website? We use Instagram and Facebook. We are excited about the live-feed option on Instagram and Facebook as this allows us to provide real-time updates to our viewers and in this manner they always feel included. We also use the advert placement/promote feature on our social media handles as this option reaches a wider audience.
Who are your favourite male style bloggers to follow? It has to be Italian blogger, fashion designer and actor Mariano Di Vaio.
Please tell us about the concept behind your TOPMAN x Style Me Strauss collaboration titled Just Boys. Our latest editorial Style Me Strauss_Offset captured by photographer Theodore Afrika was Luke van der Burg’s response to his feelings of frustration towards the modelling industry.
He says: “When you work as a model you see all these amazing, incredible and talented people. You go to the same castings as them, you see their work everywhere, you admire them but they never seem to get the credit or recognition they deserve. So, I decided to bring together some of the faces that inspire me in an effort to collaborate, have fun and give the industry, and our audiences, an opportunity to learn about us and what we do beyond posing for pictures and walking
down runways.”
Topman and its brand aesthetics was exactly what we needed to bring this concept to life, beyond just the face but an editorial that is of the boys, for the boys and by the boys.
How can our readers connect with you? Visit our online magazine/portal www.stylemestrauss.com or follow our social media handles @stylemestrauss on Instagram and Facebook at Style Me Strauss. Subsequently also follow our Street-style category at @offset.online which can also be found at www.stylemestrauss.com/offset.