The new kings of style

Vernon, Simeone and Aubrey on the art of fashion and style

Photography of Vernon: Pekelatate Haindongo

If Namibia had a list of most fashionable men in recent years, these three men would no doubt make the list each and every single time. Always dressed for any occasion, groomed to perfection and carrying an aura only well-styled men are known for, Aubrey Tjerivanga, Simeone Johannes and Vernon van Wyk are three of Namibia’s current kings of style. I caught up with these trendsetters to talk fashion, styling and their love for design.

Vernon van Wyk

Known not only for his unique style and styling work on numerous Namibian creative projects, Vernon has always loved experimenting with fashion and has always found pleasure in making clothes look good. “When I was younger, my mother made sure to buy clothes with coordinating colours and that’s where my colour coordinating started,” he recalls fondly.

He describes his personal style as “a mixture of retro and modern street style”, taking inspiration from popular 90s sitcoms like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and, closer to home, the iconic South African pantsula style.

Vernon’s knack for styling has earned him respect amongst Namibia’s biggest stars and he boasts styling Gazza and DJ Shoza for their 2022 Burna Boy concert performance in Windhoek. “(Designer) Linricho Humphries and I created the outfits from scratch within three days from the concert. I was a bit anxious but it came out exactly how I wanted it to,” he says. More recently, he has also done styling work on the Ompata online series.

On his current style obsession: Louis Vuitton’s varsity jackets and trucker jackets. “Virgil Abloh definitely made sure with those. I think at the moment I really just have a thing for jackets. I can’t wait for winter,” he exclaims.

His dream wardrobe: “I would make sure there’s a pair of Dr. Martens loafers and an unlimited supply of Nike Air Force 1s and Converse Chuck Taylors. Louis Vuitton or Carhartt trucker jackets. Maybe Chrome Hearts denim jeans as well. My wardrobe would definitely be filled with lots of shoes, jackets, custom pants and plain T-shirts.”

Simeone Johannes

A fashion designer and style star in his own right, Simeone Johannes is no stranger to the fashion world. Just like his fashion creations, his immaculate wardrobe turns heads wherever he goes.

“I’ve always had an obsession with fashion. My maternal grandfather used to make clothes, so growing up, my siblings and I were surrounded by sewing machines. In primary school, I got into sketching, but in high school, I dropped that hobby to focus on my studies. I picked up the hobby again in varsity where I studied towards fashion and media studies,” says Simeone.

He uses one word to describe his personal style: versatile. Simeone does not shy away from playing with shapes, colours and silhouettes and loves mixing masculine and feminine styles.

Over the years, Simeone has honed in on his own style, and he is known for androgynous looks that are a mix between preppy and modern. He also spends copious amounts of time on the internet where he consumes lots of fashion content that influences how he puts his clothes together.

On his current style obsession: “I have a huge obsession with oversized clothing, I’m a very petite guy, so oversized clothing makes me look a little more buff than I am. I’m also currently obsessed with bags! I can’t wait to own my first designer bag!”

His dream wardrobe: “My dream wardrobe is one that oozes opulence and quiet luxury – simple yet effective. I would love to own the Gucci Dionysus Super Mini bag, a Hermès Mini Kelly, a Van Cleef Alhambra bracelet together with a Cartier LOVE bracelet and Prada sunglasses.”

Aubrey Tjerivanga

Aubrey Tjerivanga or “Aubrey Styling”, as he is popularly known on social media, is one of the go-to stylists in the land of the brand. A creative who is constantly evolving, Aubrey recently added “fashion reseller” to his portfolio after launching his very own pre-loved clothing online store.

“From a very young age I knew that I didn’t belong in the normal working world of 8-5. My grandmother and mother were both seamstresses and I grew up knowing fabrics and different designs from a young age. I knew I definitely didn’t want to be a fashion designer until I discovered styling in my early 20s,” says Aubrey.

He describes his style as “experimental”, as he is always willing to try out something new and unique. Aubrey is passionate about styling, and seeing how clothes transform people and how the right wardrobe adds to a narrative in films and ads brings him immense joy.

On his current style obsession: “DENIM! I’m loving how versatile it is and how I can mix, match and play around with it.”

His dream wardrobe: “Everything would be thrifted: a Patek Philippe 5711 Black Venom watch, a gorgeous collection of dark sunglasses, a crossbody sling bag made by a leather artisan, a wide selection of Air Force 1s and a diamond-encrusted Alexander McQueen suit.”

Follow these style kings on Instagram:

Vernon - @vernxn_vw

Aubrey - @aubreystyling_

Simeone - @synedgy

Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based communications specialist, blogger and freelance fashion writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni and Instagram @rukeekaakunga.