Area Code

Founded by Mercilove Xerinda, Bushang Maphele, Mihlali Xego, Siyabonga Sobopha, Teboho Mdiniswa, and Tumi Msutu

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t amuses me at times when I hear the word “thrift” as I am reminded of Macklemore, the greatest rapper of 2013 (according to the Grammy’s of course). The term itself was popularized in the year 2000. First seen as a lowly form of shopping, thrifting has boomed amongst the youth for various reasons. The most obvious being a search for rare items of clothing no longer in production. As exhibited by Mduduzi earlier, the retro aesthetic is timeless. We asked Mercilove Xerinda, a Co-founder of Area Code, to share with us his experiences with thrifting - from just being a fashion enthusiast to half-starting an online thrift store.

Thrifting, if done wisely, can be a great friend to the wallet. “I’m able to get to so much more stuff at a very low price,” Mercilove shares. Pre-loved items are sold at flea markets and some stores at discounted prices for the fact that they have been used, and perhaps do not cost the seller that much to acquire.

A point to note is that thrifting is no different from shopping - the practice of getting clothes in exchange of money. Whilst parting ways with money can hurt, this very practice has been described as therapeutic by some. “It takes my mind off a lot of things [when] looking through those clothes, trying to piece outfits together... thinking if an item is worth taking.” Surprisingly, Mercilove has found somewhat of an adrenaline rush, thrifting in the city of Johannesburg. “I thrift in Joburg CBD, which can be a very dangerous sport due to the high rate of crime. When walking around Jozi, you always need to be on high alert. You never want to realize too late that you are being followed,” he exclaims! “Being on the lookout feeds my adrenaline and I feel like I’m on a rollercoster.”

Fashion, I would say, has to be one of the oldest forms art. I often wonder how quickly clothes shifted from being a way of preserving modesty, to a form of identification between different tribes, all the way to luxurious displays in the boom of haute coutour. Perhaps voices like that of Macklemore are to be acknowledged for their influence on the perspective of clothes. I cannot say he is soley responsible for making thrifting cool - I mean they already gave him the Grammy! All that said, true pioneers of fashion are driven by a more intrapersonal force. “It’s the love of fashion and looking good,” Mercilove says. “Regardless of how I feel, if I look good then everything feels okay.”

“aesthetikselektor THE HARMONY ISSUE MARCH 2022

“ “ I thrift in Joburg CBD, which can be a very dangerous sport due to the high rate of crime. When walking around Jozi, you always need to be on high alert. You never want to realize too late that you are being followd.

AR 3A

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“The name was going to be the area code of a specific place, but then again only the people from that place would be able to relate to the brand. So we thought, why not just Area Code? Everyone has an area code of their own so it’s really inclusive. I always imagined style as an extension of where you are from.

Area Code was started by the five of us, Bushang Mphahlele, Mihlali Xego, Siyabonga Sobopha, Teboho Mdiniswa, and Tumelo Msutu. We’re all thrifters in our own right, and people kept asking about the clothes we would wear. Each of us has a unique style but we share a keen eye for fashion. In a sense, we became a mobile thrift store for the benefit of the people not from Joburg (where most of our items are sourced).

Of course that is how we started, and we’ve marketed our style whilst working on the design and production of original pieces by Area Code 31.”

Style as an extension of where you are from

This is our position on “Harmony”... each of our styles coming together to carry out a fashionable purpose.

Mercilove Xerinda Tumelo Msutu Photographed by Chamaeleon Q For Area Code 31