DIESEL SPRING SUMMER 2024 RUNWAY SHOW COLLECTION WITH INNOVATIVE CREATORS SAMURAI FARAI AND NKULEY

Johannesburg is a melting pot of culture, teeming with new and inspiring talent, where creatives cut against the grain at every turn. Diversity and innovation are crucial now more than ever, and two individuals leading this charge are redefining the essence of the city's pulse with their bold and ingenious expressions.

To showcase Diesel’s Spring Summer 2024 Runway Show collection, we linked up with Nkuley and Samurai Farai, who both embody the unflinching, boundary-pushing spirit of the brand in their daily lives and diverse creative projects and pursuits.

SAMURAI FARAI

Farai Engelbrecht, better known as Samurai Farai, is an independent artist, curator, and art dealer committed to revolutionizing South Africa’s art scene and beyond. His work invites you to lose yourself in a vivid color palette, dark expressions, street art-infused cubism, and distorted physical forms. Additionally, Farai has collaborated with Mercedes-Benz and inDrive for the cover art of "Layita Khayelitsha," a song part of inDrive’s street-light campaign in Khayelitsha. Rejecting and challenging tradition, Farai pushes boundaries to create something profound, impactful, and unique.

As a true polymath, conversations with the artist are always enlightening, leaving you with newfound knowledge. He founded Spilt Paint Studios, an apparel and visual art studio, and is actively involved in Vault Strength Club, a running group fostering community and inclusivity. With Farai, every brushstroke and stride is a testament to his relentless pursuit of innovation and connection.

NKULEY

With an enigmatic presence that demands attention, Nkuley Masemola embodies the essence of the quintessential it-girl—compelling, charismatic, and utterly unforgettable. As a multi-faceted creative, Nkuley strikes the match on Johannesburg's vibrant nightlife with DJ sets that traverse Gqom, hip-hop, and all realms of pop music, coaxing even the most reluctant wallflowers onto the dance floor. This young creative's fun, unwaveringly hot, and infectious spirit ensures that the night always feels endless.

Beyond the DJ booth, Nkuley’s command of the creative sphere as a model and creative director reflects an innate fascination with visuals. A mainstay in South Africa’s fashion scene, Nkuley has been featured in campaigns for brands like adidas Originals, Nao Serati, Thebe Magugu, and Wanda Lephoto. Their dynamic presence and talent make Nkuley Masemola a name impossible to ignore.

BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR CREATIVE WORK
Samurai Farai: I’m a visual artist, cultural entrepreneur, designer, and curator.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO WHAT YOU DO?
Samurai Farai:I first studied visual arts, fine arts, and art history at the University of Cape Town. Through that experience, I saw that the art world needed a more hybridized individual to bring together all the creative themes—ddesign, commercial work, music, and fashion. I decided to take it upon myself as someone who loves to do as many creative things as possible, and now I'm here.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO ART AND HOW DID LEAD TO YOUR WORK?
Samurai Farai: I was always extremely creative as a young child. I think it helped to have an uncle who was a painter. As a result, art was always in my life. Our home was filled with it, and galleries and showcases were always things we would attend. Today, that's what I do — I showcase in galleries and exhibitions. But more importantly, I try to ask questions about how to take what's in the gallery to the world, that’s what my brand represents to me.

YOUR CURRENT FASHION INSTINCTS AND TASTE?
Samurai Farai: I'm very active and athletic, so I'm very intrigued by how running culture is almost taking over streetwear, and this focus on fully functional swag, with an attention to detail in that. And just silhouettes, I'm quite a big guy, so I like silhouettes that accentuate that — baggy clothes and over everything, comfortability. But silhouettes, shapes, lines, textures — that's where I'm right now.

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT FASHION AND CULTURE TODAY?
Samurai Farai: Seeing all my people in South Africa shining. Culturally, South Africa is on the map right now, and we have this incredible opportunity to showcase our talents to the world. Every one of us in a position of creativity owe it to ourselves to put our best work out there. In fashion, what excites me is seeing so many designers, whether globally or locally, being their authentic selves, from Balenciaga to Thebe Magugu and Richie Mnisi. The diversity in fashion is also exciting — it’s not just about clothes anymore. Look at people like Samuel Ross, the CEO and co-founder of A-COLD-WALL*, he's designing these amazing functional sculptures. I think we’re bridging into more disciplines as creatives and as makers.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU CREATIVELY, WHEN IT COMES TO NEW WORK?
Samurai Farai: A lot of the time it’s composition. How something is put together in the broader scheme of things. If you look at it in the art world, composition is foreground, middle ground, and background. In design, it's how a garment’s been put together — the texture, the stitchwork, how it sits on different body types, and how it's worn in different contexts. All these affect the composition of the design and it's inspiring, good composition is aspirational.

ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS THAT YOU’RE WORKING ON?
Samurai Farai: I have a solo exhibition in Cape Town and another in Johannesburg at Keys Art Mile in October. I’m also involved in the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival happening in September.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?
Samurai Farai: It’s eclectic and contextual. Most of the time I dress for comfort but I also enjoy dressing for specific occasions, like going out to a fancy showroom or a showcase. I like to dress well, put on fancy clothes, maybe a suit. That's why I consider my fashion sense contextual. If I'm running errands the whole day, I want to be comfortable yet stylish. I prefer solid or complementary colours, and I tend to dress very toned down or amped up. There’s no middle ground.

YOUR FAVOURITE DIESEL PIECE FROM THE SS24, AND HOW DO YOU SEE IT SEAMLESSLY INCORPORATED INTO YOUR LIFESTYLE?
Samurai Farai: The S-Prototype P1 sneakers. They have the kind of silhouette and composition I like in my shoes. The chunkiness flows into the silhouette of the clothes I like to wear, everything comes together with a nice, big, OG chunky shoe.

HOW DOES YOUR CREATIVE VISION ALIGN WITH DIESEL’S ETHOS AND PRODUCTS?
Samurai Farai: Everything that I do is intentionally unique, swimming upstream when everybody else isn’t. A lot of what I do means challenging the traditions of how we see fine art, how the audience interacts with art, and where we showcase it. You can say Diesel and I intersect with the same intention of challenging traditional norms surrounding creativity, design, community and style. I want to interact with brands with an awareness of functionality and perception when it's worn. Diesel has always had a profound place within the industry so it's exciting to see them creating garments that challenge their own traditional norms and functions.

DO YOU HAVE ANY STYLE ROLE MODELS OR FASHION INFLUENCES?
Samurai Farai: Lil Yachty is up there, he’s as eclectic as it gets with fashion. George Heaton as well, who runs 247represent, an athleisure brand. I love the obsessive attention to detail and silhouettes and as an athlete who is designing on a high level, it's very admirable what he's doing.

WHAT DOES THE REST OF YOUR 2024 LOOK LIKE?
Samurai Farai: A lot of peace, solitude, creativity and collaboration from that peace and solitude. It looks like more

WHICH ARTISTS ARE ON YOUR PLAYLIST, AND WHICH BOOKS ARE ON YOUR SHELF NOW?
Samurai Farai: The book on my bedside table right now is Ryan Holiday’s Discipline Is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control and the next book is going to be Indaba, My Children: African Tribal History, Legends, Customs And Religious Beliefs by Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa. The artists on my playlist right now are Anderson .Paak, Don Toliver, Kamasi Washington, and Amyl and the Sniffers coming out of Australia, they’re my favourite rock band. They're hot as f*#k.

BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR CREATIVE WORK
Nkuley: I'm mostly known for being a DJ. I started as a model, mistakenly then I just got really popular, so I became an influencer. But if anybody had to ask me what I do, I'd say DJ, because it sounds more official. I'm also a creative director and a visual artist. I do it all. I do everything that has to do with visuals and music.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO WHAT YOU DO?
Nkuley: I went to a casting with my friend, Mordecai, and the casting agent said I should come in and walk, so I did that, and it just spiralled out of control after that. Apparently, I was really good at it. With DJing, around 2018 or 2017, I was dating this boy, and we were being mentored by FAKA, this amazing musical duo. They took us under their wing and taught us how to DJ, and then we became a duo. But then we broke up, and I was like, ‘Damn, what am I doing now?’ But I realised, ‘I'm actually a really good DJ’ so I continued DJing on my own. Creative directing started with people really being into my eye for visuals and how I direct things. I've always liked directing, whether in film or just visuals in general. That’s also wormed its way into styling, but mostly creative direction. It all started because people fucked with my aesthetic.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO WHAT YOU DO AND HOW DID LEAD TO YOUR WORK?
Nkuley: My uncle used to make me listen to heaps and heaps of music. It was crazy—I was like eight years old bumping Tracy Chapman, and my first album was Shania Twain. I used to live next to a tavern and hear music every single day of my life. Even when we moved, my mom kept the radio on; the only time the radio was off was if we had no power. I heard music constantly growing up, and I think that's why DJing came easy to me. With modelling and visual art, honestly, it all began with a selfie. My first artwork was definitely a selfie. Then I started playing around with selfies, shooting more conceptually, and it led to more. Everything just sort of aligned itself, and I like thinking that everything aligned itself for me.

YOUR CURRENT FASHION INSTINCTS AND TASTE?
Nkuley: My core value is that everything's got to be goth, and if I just lost my grunge, it's over. 2012 Rihanna and 2013-2015 Tumblr is the vibe right now. Big bags and a ton of jewellery. I'm a maximalist, I don't like minimalism; it's boring, uncreative and uninspiring. I like looking like I just picked my clothes up from a dumpster — someone said that to me. I’m big on accessorising more than anything. I’m a huge fan of bomber jackets and love chunky jewellery. The more, the better — that's my fashion vibe right now.

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT FASHION AND CULTURE TODAY?
Nkuley: I'm 25 now, and it's exciting to see younger people take over in the creative space. Everyone is so young—it's super cool to just walk into a space where the photographer is 20 and the stylist is 21, for example. The gatekeepers have finally opened the gate; it’s only a little bit, but we're grateful nonetheless. I also love how much the people around me insist on personal style. Everyone is putting on absolutely everything, and it's so cool to watch. I'm bored by everybody's copy-and-paste from Pinterest, I feel like everyone just looks the same. I love some personal style.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU CREATIVELY, WHEN IT COMES TO NEW WORK?
Nkuley: Honestly, anything and everything. I even don't shower until I see a pretty woman on my screen. Beautiful black women inspire me a lot. What inspires my creativity and new ideas is, honestly, my effort. My social media page is very curated to me and my needs, so it's very easy to be inspired. The most random thing could be a reference for me. I'm South African, so I think a lot of where I'm from is a reference. I'm from Zithobeni, Bronkhorstspruit, but I don’t want to glamourize the hood, more like ‘yassifying’ it. Those people from there inspire me. Being broke is also a great inspiration for work.

ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS THAT YOU’RE WORKING ON?
Nkuley: I'm on the cover of the Sunday Times. I'm also playing my first out-of-the-country gig in Botswana and performing at the Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival at the end of the month.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?
Nkuley: I think I'm very fluid with my style, I'm like a chameleon. I make everything look good — you could put me in a plastic bag and I'll figure out a way. I will eat that shit up, as long as you cinch it, I will do it. The base of my style is quite dark and gothic, with leather and corsets. I don't necessarily think there's a way to describe it. It's like if you took Rihanna and Solange and made them into one person.

YOUR FAVOURITE DIESEL PIECE FROM THE SS24, AND HOW DO YOU SEE IT SEAMLESSLY INCORPORATED INTO YOUR LIFESTYLE?
Nkuley: The poster-print Play-shoulder bag, that's my favourite piece. I'm a sucker for a handbag, I love a good handbag and I think Diesel’s are amazing.

HOW DOES YOUR CREATIVE VISION ALIGN WITH DIESEL’S ETHOS AND PRODUCTS?
Nkuley: I think I'm very much a Diesel girl, both me and Diesel are very fresh. Diesel has been known for their alternative aesthetic and it's everything that I am. It's brave — you have to know your shit if you're going to wear Diesel, and I know mine.

DO YOU HAVE ANY STYLE ROLE MODELS OR FASHION INFLUENCES?
Nkuley: My OG style icon has always been Rihanna, I just love how she puts pieces together. You can tell that she’s been styled, but you can also tell that she had a say. Very big fan of Kylie Jenner as well. Locally, I’ve always liked Desire Marea’s style, and also my friends, like Claire and Tinx. I love how all my friends dress, even though most of it's from my closet.

WHAT DOES THE REST OF YOUR 2024 LOOK LIKE?
Nkuley: Exciting, less depressing, and more money.

WHICH ARTISTS ARE ON YOUR PLAYLIST, AND WHICH BOOKS ARE ON YOUR SHELF NOW?
Nkuley: I listen to a bunch of SZA. I'm very obsessed with Charli XCX’s new album BRAT; I think 'Sympathy is a Knife' sounds like what I look like. I'm super into Tyla—I have to be, I'm South African. Ayra Starr is also really good. Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft has hit me hard, and Ariana Grande as well. That's what's on my rotation—I only listen to women. Books on my shelf? I read fashion magazines. The last book I read was The Quiet Violence of Dreams by K. Sello Duiker, and it was so traumatising that I’ll never read it again. I read Vogue, i-D and Gay Times.

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DIESEL SS24 Runway Show collection with innovative creators Samurai Farai and Nkuley

DIESEL SPRING SUMMER 2024 RUNWAY SHOW COLLECTION WITH INNOVATIVE CREATORS SAMURAI FARAI AND NKULEY

SAMURAI FARAI

NKULEY