Style is more than an aesthetic. It’s a tool every woman should embrace on their rise to the top. Your style is a representation of your identity, personality, abilities, and ambition. Every TRES Girl knows that it’s the core of her self-expression, and as she and her style evolve, she wants to redefine her story. Own her story. Style her story.
TRESemmé has partnered with some of South Africa’s boldest, most ambitious women to honour their status as trail blazers and industry game changers.
In Part 4 of our four-part series with TRESemmé called Style Your Story, GLAMOUR profiles three more trailblazing women and learn how style has played a role in their journeys.
THE TRAILBLAZERS
Sarah Langa
Sarah Langa was an influencer before ‘influencing’ was even a thing. She’s been building her brand for more than a decade, becoming one of the country’s foremost luxury fashion influencers and showcasing her own personal growth journey.
“I always believed the way you dress changes how people treat you. But it’s not just about your clothes. It’s your hair, your demeanour, your accessories – everything that forms a full identity. When I haven’t taken my style seriously, it’s dictated how people have treated me. ‘Style your story’ is not about finding one unique identity to marry for the rest of your life. Rather, it’s about embracing the versatility of your style, being able to take charge of how you want to be treated every single day. Show off your authentic self – and have that organically change the behaviour of those around you,” she says.
For more than half of her career, Sarah’s been working with TRESemmé – and she says that as much as she has evolved, so has the haircare brand.
“My first campaign with TRESemmé, that was a completely different girl. They have not only supported my transformation, but the journey of so many South African women. They have facilitated education on the science of hair – and haircare – and the importance of representation of all hair types. Together, we just want people to love themselves, and love their hair, just the way it is.”
Gugulethu Nyatsumba
She’s become one of South Africa’s biggest podcasters over the past two years, all thanks to being an authentic storyteller who doesn’t hide behind the mirage of high production values. But Gugulethu Nyatsumba isn’t planning on resting on her laurels, especially as she gets set to unpack what ‘personal style’ and ‘influence’ really means. Since 2020, Gugulethu has been using her podcast, After School is After School, to spread what she’s learnt while facing the battles of her 20s. Now she, along with almost a dozen other TRES Girls, are using TRESemmé’s Style Your Story campaign to connect style, authenticity, and self-reflection.
“I’m going to be having conversations with other content creators like myself – some of whom I’ve admired and watched for the longest time – and we’re going to talk about what it means to be stylish, to be vulnerable, and to be influential.”
For Gugulethu, personal style is one of the purest forms of self-expression.
“I want to use my platform to encourage people to be themselves, and to enjoy their own sense of style and understand that their style is enough. The way you rock an outfit is so specific and special to you, and you don’t have to do it like anyone else,” she says.
Heather Bongie
Minimalist. Bold. Well-researched and ready to educate. The multi-faceted Heather Bongie is a natural hair advocate defying the stereotypes around black hair. “Natural hair isn’t a chore. You owe it to yourself to make your haircare a part of your routine – and the more you work with it, the less time it takes,” she says. Heather’s own childhood struggles inspired her to delve deeply into haircare methods from across the world to share with her audience. But the one book she recommends? The Science of Black Hair with Audrey Davis-Sivasothy. Combining research, scientific method, and her own personal knowledge, Heather is using her platforms to help people develop personalised haircare regimes, and to “believe in themselves like they’re a religion”.
“Be yourself – because there are so many personalities across so many industries. People can tell when you’re telling someone else’s story and not your own,” she says.
And your personal story – or style – doesn’t have to be over-the-top, she explains.
“You can style yourself so simply – and yet so gorgeously. We always feel a pressure to do our hair in a certain way – according to the media or society – which is why beauty campaigns must showcase these different styles: to remove that pressure! I hope that someone sees me, with a simple, minimalist look, and can relate to that, see themselves, and realise they are just as deserving of a platform as I am.”
