The pandemic definitely warped time for me because it feels like years ago that I wrote a piece on Broke’s foray into streetwear, and yet it was only the end of 2020.
Since then, the brand / family / empire has amassed a connectivity throughout South Africa that is reminiscent of the kind of old-school stories we know about Shaun Stüssy selling t-shirts out the back of his car; the murmurings of a dream, made real – the kind of legends and lore that drive young people to believe in what they are doing. If you speak to anyone in who has had the pleasure of connecting with Broke’s founding father, Andile Dlamini, you’ll know that clothing (whether thrifted or designed) has been his love language in building his family; the crew allegedly is home to between 20 – 30 core members, and that’s not including the many people across South Africa that make up the whole collective, as one can check here @wear_broke.
Although Andile handles the origin story of Broke, and is very much the creative director of the label aspect of Broke, Andile consistently ensures its understood that unlike most of societies’ systems; Broke is a family, everyone plays their part and the idea is for whoever, to bring whatever, as long as its laden with vibes that align. I think once your brand and vision is turning customers into homies, and not superficially or for social status, it’s safe to say you’ve created a movement; and that is precisely what Andile has done. This is a new kind of sub-cultural wave; it’s defiant through authenticity, it’s peaceful through true connectivity, and it transcends gender, sexuality, race and cultural differences. While corporate entities and big brands scramble to convince you of their “values” – the Broke family embody their values, and that can’t be bought or studied. It just is.
To know Broke is to know the critical element that thrifting has been in the formation of this vision. Thrifting for Andile was a practice that evolved naturally, an earlier manifestation of his ability to enhance any opportunity he has in front of him, and on this he says, “Grand Parade’s Saturday market is the beginning for Broke, I think. I had been thrifting at Lower Main in Obs, but it was so expensive – like R350.00 or R400.00 for something I realized I could get straight from the source. My first big purchase was 20 jackets, and I sold them to my friends – and thankfully they were all into it. It was 2015, and we were rocking those colourful 80s windbreakers, and we stood out. The scene was quite reserved and minimal at that time, and were there in these fits that cost us like R50.00 to put together.” This divergence from coveting high price tags – as most people in fashion still buy into – also informed the name, Broke; “I was staying in Kuils River, and the homies and I would travel by train constantly to town. That’s where everything was – we were all living like 45 minutes or an hour away from the central point of where we wanted to be – and we realised we can’t just move around like no-one, we needed a name for our gang; to cement our purpose for showing up. What better describes us than Broke Boys? Our whole lifestyle was about spending the least amount of money – from the cheapest train tickets, to R1.00 shots at Bob’s in Long Street, to our fits.’
Andile has no formal design training, but his eye for silhouettes started simply – a great testament to anyone who is looking to build a brand; to start with the foundation, refine it and above all; make it personal. “I bought some plains from Mr Price, and took inspiration from the show The Amazing World of Gumball – and put “The Amazing World of Broke Boys.” We were proud to declare that we are making the most of what we have – the least money, maybe we come from hard places – but we are about to turn what we have been dealt into something bigger than us.”
Broke exemplifies the best of the digital influence of social media with the tangible experiences in which the energy of this movement can be truly felt. Their multiple IG handles – each covering a different aspect of how the family functions – keep everyone connected to the next move, and as Broke is always in motion, never breaking character or ethos. Their brick & mortar store at 199 Loop St is probably the nexus of this all – but you will also find them at Lemkus on First Thursday, or hosting their own Clubhouse residency at Tiger’s Milk (brokeklubhouse) – and of course, the iconic pop-ups in Joburg. The record label under the Broke family is Space Sounds, and Andile tells us that there are even family members who cook and feed the homies. Broke needs a crazy mansion or piece of land somewhere near town; it’s the kind of communal living the hippies thought of, but led by Broke it would feel way sharper and in-tune with amplifying the kind of energy this world needs.
The latest instalment of Broke is global domination – in the best sense. Earlier this month, the brand dropped a collaboration with Amsterdam-based label The New Originals – a space concerned with creating performance wear for creatives. TNO was born from the same passion & pursuit that Broke was, as though spaces on either end of the hemispheres are speaking from the same collective consciousness, only a slightly different lens of experience. On how this came to be, Andile says; “Around five years I started this relationship with a photographer from Amsterdam, Nick van Tiem, and we just hit it off. This has become a series every year – Nick photographs me and it has formed this archive of my growth, which is pretty special. It’s through Nick that we were introduced to The New Originals, and we loved the pieces – it really spoke to our aesthetic. I wanted to collaborate from then on. Nick then facilitated a zoom call between the CD of TNO and me, and we started to envision bringing the two worlds together. TNO is led by guys from Ethiopia and Ghana, so it felt beautiful to work on this with them. The production was done in Amsterdam, and then they came down in Jan, and we dropped in Feb and launched at our store – we are almost sold out now. I feel like we had to do it, and it’s a great reflection of the level we are at; everything is real for us now, the opportunities and futures of where Broke can take us.”
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Broke boys photographed:
Andile Dlamini
Sindiso Tshuma
Mzwandile Sithole
Akhona Beja
Shout out to the rest of the Broke gang: Simbongile Bino, Siyabonga Cole Lukhele, Sibulele Ganca, Onke Mphokeli, Mphendulo Sibiya, Mangaliso Mdingi, Sinethemba Magama, Sibusiso Tyibilika, Athenkosi Rato Vundisa and anyone and everyone that has contributed to their journey thus far.
