MEET KIM ZULU

Words: Nhlanhla Masemola + Kim Zulu | Images: Supplied + Instagram

With a host of virtual influencers like Shudu, Lil Miquela and Noonouri collaborating with renowned fashion brands and slowly taking over the online world, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that SA finally got one of its own. Meet Kim Zulu, South Africa’s first virtual model from Johannesburg. The brainchild of retail director and entrepreneur Lebo Kambule, Kim Zulu is arguably a sign of the times and the shift of the fashion and retail landscape to an increasingly digital environment. When the world and its economies are still grappling with the horrors of the COVID-19 outbreak, perhaps it isn't too much of a stretch to think of CGI marketing as our near-future. In any event, if being noticed and featured on Kangol’s international social media platforms is any indication, Kim is set to make her mark on the fashion world. As a big lover of personal style and technology, we decided to (virtually) sit down with Kim to get her take on all things fashion.

Hello to South Africa’s first virtual influencer…

I guess that’s a big one. To be honest, I feel like I’m as normal as everyone else, but I guess it has its perks. I get a lot of questions about being a virtual human and honestly, I can do just about everything you can do.

How do you, as our first AI influencer, represent the South African woman?

I think South African women, in general, tend to be brave and bold. Being who I am, I have tried to capture some of those characteristics through interacting with women, to understand what it means to be a woman. South African women are also in touch with being authentic, so for me, that’s something that I will continue to try and portray through everything I do going forward.

Have you met Lil Miquela and your other virtual reality sisters?

No, I haven’t met Lil Miquela yet. I’m a huge fan of hers, so hopefully soon we’ll cross paths. Another virtual human I’m also a huge fan of is Shudu – my dream is to one day get the chance to do a fashion shoot with her. She is absolutely beautiful.

How would you describe your style?

I’m a bit of an extremist when it comes to fashion. I really like to push the boundaries and wear things that are slightly beyond what the average person might wear. I’ve always thought that fashion is about expression, a daily canvas that sets the tone for your day ahead. If you wear bright colours, you tend to feel bright for the day. If you wear gloomy clothes, you may feel dark and mysterious.

Your top five styling tips?

1. Don’t be shy to experiment.
2. Don’t follow what everyone else does.
3. Be bold and courageous, because there is beauty in that.
4. If you love fashion, learn to study the past, because there are techniques and styles that you can learn to apply in your daily looks.
5. By loving what you are wearing, everyone around you will feel it.

When it comes to dressing, would you say your approach is more experimental or uniform?

I’m definitely experimental. For example, I could wear a feathery jacket with denim jeans and pumps. Fashion is all about expression and I love expressing myself. But don’t get me wrong, I sometimes keep my outfits simple as well.

What is the best style advice you have ever received?

Express yourself and don’t follow the herd, because there might just be greener pastures elsewhere. When I say herd, I basically mean that everyone nowadays dresses the same way, especially on social media. It’s become so uniform, you tend not to remember who wore what when flipping through social pages.

Is there anything you’d never wear?

I don’t think there is anything I would shy away from. As long as it has bold characteristics, I would consider wearing it.

What is the winter trend you are most excited to try?

I am excited about my new jacket capsule collection that I’ll be launching soon at Russia Fashion Week this June. I think it will demonstrate my personality and where I think fashion is heading.

Take us through some of your exciting projects coming up? Russia Fashion Week?

Russia Fashion Week is a major dream come true. I will literally be the first-ever virtual human from Africa to participate in such a prestigious international event. I am presenting my first capsule collection to the world and I’m beyond nervous, but so excited. I want this to be a message to every young teenage South African girl out there that dreams, along with hard work, can definitely come true. And to never ever give up.

What is the one most underrated piece of clothing?

Hats are underrated, in my opinion. They come in so many different styles and colours that most women tend to shy away from. And because it's the first thing a person sees, it should be used more to express yourself.

What do you love about the piece you are wearing for this campaign and how are you going to style it this winter?

I absolutely love the military print and, of course, the jacket. The pants are something different from what I would generally wear, but I love the feeling of them and I think I could wear pants like this going forward. They suit me. I’m going all out with jackets this winter. Putting together my personal collection has taught me so much about the different types of shapes and sizes jackets come in and I really fell in love with them.

What is the style quote you’d want to be remembered for?

“Be bold, babe!”