She wears her boldness and identity proudly. In a world where we are constantly made to fit into certain boxes, Itumeleng Mokwatlo won’t let herself be confined. Crowned socialite of the year at this year’s Feather Awards 2022, those who have been around her can attest that her energy fills the room, and her bold statement pieces make it hard for you to miss her.

“I’m still finding myself,” she tells us about living boldly and embracing her identity. She is a strategist, a make-up aficionado and a content creator, which brought about the TumiPowerhouse brand. Itumeleng is a transgender woman who is proud to be living her truth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growing up in Limpopo, in a village called Ga-Mashashane, living her truth and embracing who she knew herself to be was not always easy. “There would be bullying here and there, but the love I received from home shielded me. It was amazing. I grew up around love,” she adds. Itumeleng says her mom, whom she adores wholeheartedly, has been an anchor in her life. “My mom has always been respectful of who I am and supportive. I never had to ‘come out’.” In recent years, she has become intentional and loud about who she is. “I had to be honest about my sexual identity. I had to let the process mentally and emotionally take its course,” she explains.

How Itumeleng has shown up has inspired others who might not have had the courage to embrace who they are and live their lives without any fear of judgement from society. She says, “I feel purposefully placed. I want them to see, know and understand that they exist, and they should do so without fear.” The fashion enthusiast recently wore a showstopper dress to the Feather Awards designed by South African design house Antherline Couture. The mini dress had a long trail that spoke a thousand words. It was images of trans women in the country, and for Itumeleng, this was an ode to those who are a part of the community and have made great strides in their walk.

“I come as 1 but stand as 10 000. Today, I wanted you to see the faces of all the trans girls who constantly show up in a world that never fails to remind them that they do not deserve to exist,” she captioned her Instagram picture in the dress. “People never speak about how tough it is to make it as a black trans body in South Africa across various industries. I have a community of trans and non-binary people who are changing that narrative, and it was important to honour them in the form of what I wore.

Marlena (@TumiPowerhouse) / Twitter

“I wanted to let them know that they are seen and worthy. My bag has the face of Iko Mash [the late socialite from the 90s], who I think got the bitter end of the stick in her bravery to show up as she and I said through the bag, we carry some of the dreams you had, and I hope we are making you proud.” Itumeleng expresses. She says some of the best days of my life have not happened yet. “I always have to remember that somebody’s destiny is reliant on me moving forward,” she adds