Somizi Mhlongo, known for his vibrant presence in South Africa’s entertainment scene, is now making a bold statement in the fashion industry with his brand, Sompire Kids. But his ambitions go far beyond his current success. In 2024, Somizi enrolled at the prestigious Villioti Fashion Institute to pursue a formal education in fashion design, taking his passion to new heights.
“I am proud of myself for enrolling and studying fashion design and I look at myself now. I cannot believe I attended full-time since January until now. The improvement I am experiencing is exciting,” Somizi shared with the Sunday Times. His decision to study at Villioti marks a new chapter in his journey—one where he aims to refine his skills and become a qualified designer.
Throughout his career, Somizi has been a self-taught powerhouse. From cooking and singing to acting and presenting, he has always followed his intuition and learned on his own. However, when it came to fashion, he knew it was time for a change.
“In everything I have done I’ve been self-taught. Cooking, presenting, singing, dancing, acting, producing, directing. Everything has been self-taught. I was fortunate to have the wisdom to know when to learn something for a change and not assume everything is going to be self-taught. Fashion was that thing,” he explained.
When he launched Sompire Kids in 2023, the line featured stylish, trendy clothing for both children and adults, including pants, shirts, and tracksuits. But the road to success wasn’t smooth. Somizi admitted he almost gave up on the business after facing numerous challenges in the first few months.
“I was overstuffed and underprofiting. I was not making any profit at all. I only started making a profit in October, but I guess that’s the name of the business. In the beginning you are tested on how much you want it. I had to scale down and be hands-on physically so I’m in a much better space now,” he said.
