By: Jemimah Chungu
The fashion game and the world’s description of beauty is evolving changing with fashion and beauty remaining subjective. How and what someone decides to look is entirely based on their preference and creativity despite the fact that nmfashion orientation requires keeping up with trends. More so, what people identify as beautiful is a personal choice. The preference of skin tone, body size, height, hair length and others are subjective. This is the footing for the fashion industry and business, hence, there are men who have changed the fashion business game by becoming cross-dressers and slay while increasing their income.
With no curiosity in their sexuality, cross-dressers are men or women who dress like both men and women for various reasons. Cross-dressers fashion different hairstyles, apparels, accessories and footwear like the opposite sex or somewhat in between.
At times, what is really behind the reason to be a cross-dresser is business orientation including selling clothes, beauty products, make-up and other fashion oriented ventures. Generally, cross-dressers get a lot of attention and negative feedback from the public because of cultural and religious reasons. However, this feedback serves the purpose of boosting their unique entrepreneurship as the attention increases their popularity and brand awareness. Moreover, it attracts sharp eye-fashion lovers across regions. In actuality, they also earn money through social media business.
Bobrisky
Bobrisky is a Nigerian cross dresser, fashion icon, social media personality and entrepreneur. Born Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju, Bobrisky declared that addressing her should change to her/she in 2019 due to misgendered comments on her social media. Her most prolific businesses is selling skin-lightening products of which she uses her transformed skin to advertise this merchandise. Before venturing in skin-lightening products, Bobrisky’s dealt in watches and make-up. She even made money as a dance choreographer during her university days.
Earlier this year, Bobrisky revealed that she would undergo surgery to make her body more feminine possibly to look more fashionable and chic for her fan base and fashion business. She is referred to as the male Barbie due to her tasty, glamorous fashion and lifestyle. She definitely pulls out looks and dresses more fashionable than a lot of women.
Rich Mnisi
Rich Mnisi is a very successful fashion brand, designer and cross-dresser based in South Africa. This fashion brand was founded in 2014 by LISOF graduate and Africa Fashion International Designer, Rich Mnisi. Mnisi’s brand has ventured primarily in designs that are inspired by the African heritage and pop culture. His brand regularly features on different fashion media platforms like Marie Claire, ELLE, Fashion Glossary UK, Sunday Times, Vogue (Russia and China), Mail and Guardian and to list a few.
Over the years, Mnisi has been attracting the attention of the biggest and best performing global brands such as CocaCola. He has partnered with them to create the best designs anyone can imagine. Thus, he won the Emerging Designer of the Year award in 2019 at the Essence Best in Black Fashion Awards.
Rich Mnisi is known for their exorbitantly priced clothing that celebrities and influencers such as Somizi and Sarah Langa are known to show off. The designer behind the fashion brand seeks to push fashion boundaries. He seems to be moving into the gender-neutral side of fashion after recently posting a few pictures of himself rocking miniskirts.
Rich Mnisi got Twitter in a twist after posting pictures of himself in some miniskirts. The fashion designer remained lowkey on social media for a while but returned with a bang. He does not limit his imaginations based on people’s controversial remarks but keeps attracting the target market with cross-dressing and limitless but iconic fashion (richmnisi.com).
Ben Lombe
Ben Lombe popularly known as Queen B is a talented Zambian cross-dresser whose signature business is trendy and élan hair styling and wigs. He takes pride in advertising his wigs and hair styles by wearing them. He also sells chic fashion clothes which he advertises himself through wearing them irrespective of the cloth-gender divide. He openly admits his love for fashion and he also appears stylish with different kinds of hairstyles and clean makeup.
Queen B openly reveals his love fashion and his aim to promote his fashion business and hairstyling. His other merchandise include makeup, beauty products, hair products and others. He also grows his fashion business through his friendly and warm personality aside his amazing talent and passion.
Somizi
Somizi is one of the most unapologetic fashion icons and cross-dressers. With full name Somizi Buyani Mhlongo-Motaung, he is a South African actor, media personality and choreographer (artist). His popularity started way back when he appeared on the hit musical and political film, Sarafina.
He has since grown his presence on media and off media. Somizi may not exactly be involved in the fashion business but his love for fashion and trendy fashion statements have earned him a big audience and boosted his career as an artist.
Somizi has kept his fashion game up. He is interested in print on print trends, tuxedos, signature blond hair, tux/ cocktail-tutu dresses, labels and eyewear game, accessories and loud statements such as big floral accessories, and big pants that only fashion acquainted eyes would appreciate.
Kinuthia
Kinuthia is a Kenyan up-coming cross-dresser who considers himself an influencer. With a growing sphere of influence, Kinuthia is renowned for his great sense of fashion and passion for clothes, beauty, wigs and makeup. His best garbs are culture-sensitive while maintaining the sense of masculinity. He also sets a positive influence to plus size bodies. Kinuthia uses Tik-tok to popularize himself and his cause.
