Soweto streets. QwaQwa cattle. Boarding‑school dorms that almost burned. Fashion runways from Johannesburg to Istanbul. In this episode of Listen To Your Footsteps, Ephraim Molingoana traces how South African history, township life and village memory shaped his journey from breakdancer and “silent actor” model to founder of menswear label Ephymol.

He shares vivid stories of growing up between hostels, trains and a grandmother’s homestead, dancing for Brenda Fassie, navigating 80s and 90s modelling cliques, and eventually stepping behind the scenes as a stylist and creative director before designing his own collections. You’ll hear how miners’ patched trousers, string‑cars, Pantsula culture and kasi classic cars became design references, and how he uses colour, lace and tailoring to expand ideas of Black masculinity on and off the runway.

Ephraim also reflects on the loss of community, the rise of individualism and the impact of AI and technology on fashion work – asking what it means to protect craft, jobs and humanity while still evolving with the times. This is a masterclass in South African cultural history, fashion storytelling and the courage it takes to keep reinventing yourself without losing your roots.

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