Malcolm Henderson

Fashion was a powerful tool for me. It helped meget what I want, and it helped me take on manydifferent characters.

everything from 1992 to today.

My name is Malcolm Henderson. I’m 25 years old and I am an International model. I grew up in Roodepoort with my grandmother. She taught me everything about discipline and hard work and it’s helped me so much in my career so far. Growing up, I was always living in a fantasy world. My mom allowed me to be in that fantasy world and that helped me cope in life. I think it helped me have dreams and aspiration and vision for life.

Did you study after school?

I went straight into modelling after school. I was jet-setting and living like a rock star. Model parties, photo shoots and fashion weeks, mingling with amazing people that opened amazing doors for me to be in the creative field. I’ve always been creative and I’ve always been someone with a vision and to be thrown into art and art pop is such a blessing for me.

Do you remember your first job? What was it and what made you say yes to it?

I actually saw a casting on Facebook for a David Tlale show. It was Mercedez Benz Fashion Week and Jan Malan was producing that show. I went to the casting a day before. David was having his avocado sandwich and coffee, and he did the casting a day early just for me. He put me in a garment and I modelled for him and then he said he’d let me know. At that stage, I didn’t have a modelling agency. So, my first fashion job was that installation. There I met A-list biggest and fashion buyers who

could come up and touch the garment and take pictures. It was such an amazing experience for me. I was just a kid from Roodepoort. I saw Sandton City for the first time when I was 19 I had never been outside the West Band. At time it was a lot of pressure for me, but it taught me a lot.

In terms of runway, photo shoots and installations, which do you prefer?

Both installations and runway are a creative self-expression. For me as long as I’m self-expressing, I’m learning my identity and we’re moving art forward. Runway is like a drug. It is addictive and you want more and more and more of it. Once you’re on

the runway, at that moment, it’s a story that you’re telling. A designer has put so much effort into creating that garment and that moment that you’re on the ramp you’re selling that garment. It is all about you at that moment. Every (fashion editors, buyers and bloggers) are watching you It's a lot of pressure, but if you can handle the pressure you will be star.

I love image, it’s a fantasy world it helps me cope as a human being. So, anything creative, I am fully immersed in What can we create? How can we push the boundaried? How can we push the boundaries and how can we move art pop forward?

Garments by Bayanda Khathini ClothingJewellery by Black Betty Design

Do you have a favourite shoot?

My favourite shoot was my Sandton City Campaign. The Diamond Walk had just begun. I shot with Mervine van der Merwe who is a renowned SA photographer and Louw Coetzee as the main stylist. I was dripping in Giorgio Armani and it was super fun.

That shoot opened a lot of doors for me. A lot of people spoke about that shoot. There were billboards up and I was the main model. It was a moment for me. I remember driving in my mother’s Tata Indica, stopping in front of the billboard with security shouting at me, telling me that I’m not allowed to park there. There I was, having my moment, screaming to the heavens, Thanking God!

I have worked very hard for this and it was very special for me. It was a game changer for my career and I’m forever grateful to the people that gave me that opportunity.

LIVE YOUR TRUTH

Besides modelling is there anything that you’re passionate about?

100% living your truth. You’re nothing if you’re not the truth. I want to help young boys be themselves. It wasn’t easy for me when I came into the fashion industry. Being a flamboyant gentleman, it wasn’t easy. It was not appreciated and it was not respected. I had to fight to have the reputation I have. So, if I can open a door to younger boys and girls, to say, “This is who I am...”, then I’ve done my job.

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt about modelling or in life?

The most valuable lesson is to be kind and to be grateful. Gratitude is the secret to happiness. I am grateful for every opportunity that came my way. I’ve learnt in modelling to always put my best foot forward. That opened so many doors and opportunities that I’ve had in my life. Be grateful. Be humble. Never forget where you come from. My roots give me my drive to want what I want.

When did you get the diagnosis? How did that make you lose your drive or your spirit?

You can have the strongest mind, but if your body doesn’t work with you, you feel helpless. It tested me as a creative, to now be creative from what, bed? It was a huge shock for me. You hear these things happen, but you never think they will happen to you. I’d spent five to six years building my name, the little reputation that I had and it had to stop for a year and a half.

I was diagnosed in 2016. I remember the day that the doctor called me and said, “You need to come into the office and see me.” I knew immediately it was something serious. You immediately go into shock and then the next question is, how can we fix this? It’s also been my saving grace in life to always look at the good in everything. Have that positive outlook. It was a bunch of life lessons and I’m grateful for it. It taught me a lot and I’m so much stronger.

DIT E U RYou haven’t gotten through this on your own. Do you want to tell us about the people who have supported you through this?

I would not have gotten through this without the support structure that I had. Everyone from God who had my back 24/7 when I was stuck

in those 4 walls that I was in with

just my mind, my thoughts and my

feelings. He was there to listen to my

thoughts and to completely open up and say, ‘It’s okay’. My mother who is a strong, powerful woman was there for me. She taught me my strength. My agency (Ice Model Management) has been nothing but a family to me and has loved me and literally opened up their homes to me. Jane, Warren and Charlene. I love them to death. My supporters and followers and the daily messages that I received, that they are thinking of me and that they love me. People in the entertainment and fashion industries came through for me saying, how can we raise funds, how can we sort this out? I will forever be indebted to them.

Tell us about the Shavathon.

I hosted a Shavathon where models came to shave their heads for the blood cancer that I had. We hosted an art exibition in Melville where we then sold the marrow transplant. People came through and supported me. I feel like I'm blessed to be the person to bring awareness about his illness. I tell God, use me and he did and I'm grateful for that.

Tell us about bone marrow transplant.

The actual procedure is not as intense as the traumatic experience that you go through from chemotherapy to being isolated in a room that you’re not allowed to leave for three months. You were only allowed out for about a week if that. You have no immune system. I received a brand new immune system because my immune system was producing an abnormal cell which was a cancerous cell. I had a second chance at life. There were many people I met in the hospital who never got a second chance. That means that I savour the moments in life. I get to appreciate things more. I live in the moment. I’m a risk taker. “It’s never a failure, it’s always a lesson”, as Rihanna said. We take it as it comes, and we run with it. We make it fabulous.

When you close your eyes, what do you dream for the future?

There are three things I want out of life, that is, to be happy, to be free and to be loved. If I can have those three things till the day I die, I’m a happy guy. I’ll be happy and I’ll smile and I’ll have my cup of tea.

What can your followers expect?

You can always expect the unexpected with me. In terms of my career, I see myself branching out doing many different things from art direction to visual illustrations. I want to fully immerse my self in the subculture of what we call fashion. I live for fashion. It taught me my identity, fashion exposed me to so many different environments and showed me how to adapt to different people, how to work with amazing clients and environments.

Give us a quote for all those aspiring models and fashionistas.

It gets better. Work hard. People watch. They say nothing, but they’re always watching. So, If you’re mindful of that you will get far. Don’t do it because people are watching, do it

because you know it’s the right thing to do. If you work hard, people will see it. It's been my johannesburg hustle people have appreciated. People will constantly work with you and bool you because they see the work ethic.

Who do you look up to and admire?

For me, it’s not about any model. It’s about anyone that changes the game in the industry. I’m a big fan of Naomi Campbell. First African Model that dominated Europe. She took a different kind of beauty and said “This is what beauty is”. I will always like Kate Moss. I’m a short model myself. People have looked down on short models and we’re killing it. In terms of local celebrities, I’m a huge fan of Bonang. She is raising the fashion game in South Africa and schooling us on what designer brands are.

INTERVIEWED BY BEKIWE HLONGWANE

IMAGES BY HENRY MARSH PHOTOGRAPHY