Jessica Nkosi Opens Up About Her Fashion Choices

Popular Mzansi actress Jessica Nkosi may have taken a little time away from the big and small screens, but she certainly has been no stranger to the cameras.

The actress and mom of two consistently shows up and shows out in her impeccable style.

Whether it’s a red carpet appearance, a brand campaign, or an exclusive event, fans can always look forward to glowing fashion moments from her.

Jessica has donned outfits that range from sultry and chic to statement pieces, especially when it comes to esteemed events that boast the best fashion like walking the South African Fashion Week’s first L’Oréal Walk Your Worth runway show or showing up at the South African Music Awards red carpet.

She lets the publication in on what inspires her to push the envelope and experiment with an array of looks.

“Me being in this industry, obviously I love fashion. I love [to] go big or go home. If you’re not going to arrive properly, then hamba ulala,” she laughs.

“It’s just like, let’s go. That’s the fun aspect of being in this industry as well. I feel like it’s so much fun. Go big and if you get it wrong, so what, Twitter will drag you and then what? … You looked gorgeous, and you felt gorgeous. It doesn’t matter what the internet says, but literally for me, it’s having fun. Literally, that’s what it is. Let’s go big. Let’s dress up as if I’m going to the Met. Let it have meaning.”

One event that many hold their breath when waiting for an out of this world look from Jessica is at the Durban July, where celebrity guests show up in exclusive designer garments and aim to win big at the horse races.

Diving into how much work it took to pull off her 2024 Durban July intricately crafted garment designed by Ruberto Scholtz representing the theme ‘Ride the Wave’, Jessica explains all the behind-the-scenes.

“I was just looking back at the photo shoot we did yeDurban July, and there was like 20 people there. And I’m like, imagine, it’s not just uRoberto who made the outfits. It’s the four ladies that were with him that had to paint the outfits. It’s the makeup, the hair. It’s the studio that had to be set up. It’s the videos, it’s the pictures,” she says.

Jessica feels privileged to be in a career where she can dress up and “be Cinderella for the day”, especially since she explores a wide range of design emporiums, along with long-time collaborator Ruberto Scholtz, like Retha N, House of Fabrosanz, and more.

“I feel like, you know what, I’ve been dressed by all the designers I love. So, I think what I do now is I just decide how I want to look, because each designer has their strengths,” she explains.

“So, if you want to have a cinched waist and something structured, you know who to go to. So, it’s just depending on what look I’d like to go for and how I want to feel that day, that’s how I pick who I want to work with.

“But I’ve been so blessed to be able to work with everyone that I absolutely adore.”