Somewhere between a passport stamp, a perfectly considered outfit and the click of a camera shutter, Lwandile Makhaza has found a language of her own.
Through The Fruity Chapters, she documents more than beautiful destinations and carefully curated moments. She captures a feeling: the anticipation of arriving somewhere new, the joy of getting dressed for an adventure, the beauty of discovering something unfamiliar. Her work is polished and intentional, yet deeply personal. An invitation to experience the world alongside her.
The name itself is a reflection of that philosophy. After a difficult period in her life, Lwandile decided to consciously rename what came next. Like fruit that must first be planted, nurtured and given time before it can grow, The Fruity Chapters became a declaration that her new chapters would be fruitful, vibrant and full of life.
More than a decade into her social media journey, that declaration has become a career. From photography and videography to fashion, beauty, travel and brand partnerships, Lwandile has continually expanded her creative toolkit while staying rooted in what makes her work recognisably hers: a clean, crisp visual identity, an eye for detail and an instinct for storytelling.
In an industry where virality can often feel like the ultimate measure of success, she has chosen something more enduring, building a brand people remember. For Women’s Month, Lwandile opens up about finding her voice, creating with intention, navigating an ever-changing digital landscape and learning that the most rewarding chapters are often the ones you patiently grow yourself.
GLAMOUR: Take us back to the beginning. What is the story behind The Fruity Chapters, and where did the name come from?
Lwandile: The story of the fruity chapters is such a poetic manifestation over my life. After going through what felt like a long period of hardship in my life, I was finally ready to rename my new chapters and rewrite my life’s journey. So just how fruits are first planted before they grow into delicious fruit, the fruit chapters was to declare that the next chapters of my life will be fruitful, full of life and colour.
GLAMOUR: Your content sits beautifully at the intersection of travel, beauty, lifestyle and visual storytelling. What drew you to these spaces, and why travel and beauty in particular?
Lwandile: I am absolutely obsessed with new experiences, wanderlust as some would call it.
I am always looking for experiences and inspiration that will deepen my appreciation for life, so travel content feels perfectly aligned with my journey. And because I like to look good while on vacation, beauty and fashion are a natural next step! I’ve always been drawn to beauty and playing dress up!
GLAMOUR: Your travel content feels very personal and story driven rather than simply destination focused. How do you approach storytelling when creating content around a place or experience?
Lwandile: My focus is always to try capture the feeling. Whatever the destination, I want consumers of the content to feel like they’re on the journey with me, experiencing the joy and excitement. Ultimately my goal is to create the feeling of “I wanna be there” without a hard sell of the destination.
GLAMOUR: What goes through your mind when you arrive at a new destination? How do you decide what story you want to tell and what moments are worth capturing?
Lwandile: I record everyyything! Everything I feel will capture the feeling of the destination. I usually decide beforehand what vibe I’m trying to curate by ensuring I have the right outfits, hair and accessories. So that capturing the moments is seamless.
GLAMOUR: Photography is such a central part of your work. How would you describe your visual identity, and how has it evolved since you started?
Lwandile: My visual identity is very clean, crisp and curated. I focus on everything from location to outfits because they help curate the perfect picture. I’ve always been a little bit of a minimalist in the way I capture images but I’ve evolved to include more colour and to better capture emotion and feeling. Photography is such a great creative expression for me and I really enjoy exploring and finding my style.
GLAMOUR: As a woman in photography and the broader content creation space, what have been some of the unique challenges you have encountered, and how have you navigated them?
Lwandile: My experiences as a woman in photography and a woman in content have actually been completely different! In the photography space, there aren’t a lot of woman who are as booked and busy as our male counterparts. People often don’t trust that you’ll be able to do a good job! Whereas with content creation, my unique challenge has been in staying relevant and top of mind in such a content saturated world! I also struggled with not making the type of content that goes “viral”. But I’ve found my voice in a way that doesn’t change my visuals but also adapts to the era of content we are in!
GLAMOUR: You have worked with and attracted the attention of some major brands. What do you think makes a creator stand out to brands in an increasingly crowded digital space?
Lwandile: Having a strong visual identity or strong personality is the easiest ways to attract brands. Popularity isn’t the only selling factor. Ideally you want your brand to be memorable and unmistakably you. Ask yourself what comes to mind when people think of you and your content? That’s the factor that sets you apart and invites brands to your page.
GLAMOUR: How important is brand alignment to you when deciding which collaborations to take on? What makes you say yes to a brand partnership?
Lwandile: At this stage of my career, brand alignment is extremely important. It’s hard to choosy however once you’ve built a certain brand identity it’s important to work with brands that lend themselves to your brand, because that’s also how you build trust with your community. So for me, if it makes sense for my aesthetic and if the required content doesn’t need me to do something I don’t normally do. I also look at the brand ethos and if they align with my online presence.
GLAMOUR: Have there been moments when a brand you admired noticed your work or reached out to you, and what did that experience mean to you?
Lwandile: My most recent experience of this was being chosen as one of the creators for the Deseire Iyama 10 year anniversary brand trip! It was an experience of a lifetime and recognised by a brand I love meant so much to me. It feels like a really great pat on the back, and also validates that I’m moving in the right direction!
GLAMOUR: What do you think brands often misunderstand about working with content creators, particularly when it comes to preserving the creator’s authentic voice?
Lwandile: Right now there is a gap between content creator and brand, it feels we’re speaking a different language sometimes. Brands misunderstand that we ourselves are also brands, with a certain language and visual identity. So what works for one creator won’t work for the next creator. If you as brand have chosen to work with me because you like my work, why do you want me to change my work and fit one mould? That way of working doesn’t allow creators to be authentic with their content and it always translates to the audience.
GLAMOUR: Travel can look effortless on social media, but there is often a lot of planning, research and work behind the scenes. What does it really take to create the kind of travel content your audience sees?
Lwandile: It really is a whole production! I’m often carrying 3 cameras wherever I go, one to vlog, my phone to make stories and my big camera to take pictures. The editing is also another lengthy process, usually with lots of slow and tedious tasks. So by the time the content is being consumed, it’s gone through a long process. From curating the itinerary, the outfits, the actual activities and then having to edit and post all whilst on the trip! I often joke that I need a holiday from my holiday, but I love it so much.
GLAMOUR: How do you balance creating content that performs well on social media with creating work that genuinely feels like you?
Lwandile: The key here is alignment! It’s so much easier to create content around trends or brand work if you’re able to seamlessly integrate your existing brand identity. Chasing numbers is important for our job of course, but I also try not focus too much on numbers and rather what I enjoy creating.
GLAMOUR: What has creating The Fruity Chapters taught you about yourself, both creatively and personally?
Lwandile: It’s taught me so much about how expansive the world of content is. I’ve learnt so many new skills along the way: videography, graphic design, editing, operations, all of which have stretched my creativity. Personally, it’s taught me how much of a hard worker I am. This industry needs to stay hungry and focused to continue climbing, which has also made me more innovative!
GLAMOUR: Looking back at your journey so far, what is one moment or opportunity that made you realise, “This is actually becoming something”?
Lwandile: I have had so much affirming opportunities throughout my journey, each of them marking a new level of growth in my journey. When I was able to move out of home on my own, that’s when I realised that wow, this really becoming a career that can sustain me the more I grow. My first international brand trip was also a very career defining moment, that opened up so many new doors.
GLAMOUR: As a woman building a creative career and carving out space for herself in travel, photography and content creation, what advice would you give to other women who want to turn their creativity into something bigger?
Lwandile: The industry you are going into is not an easy one, there will be a lot of moments where you are not sure if it’s possible. Push through those growing pains, it will be so worth it. Have patience, I’ve been doing social media work for over 10 years! Building a long lasting career in a creative industry takes time, because going viral is different from building an engaged audience that stays with you. Be innovative, be adaptable and most importantly love your craft. The love for work will always carry you and will show in the final product!
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