The Way I Am - ‘I Became A Fashion Icon At 52'

Fashion icon and brand owner Yasmin Furmie tells Stephanie van der Plank how she’s found her calling by following her passion

Yasmin, 56, was a social worker for many years, but started a fashion brand, SiSi The Collection, with her friend Cynthia in 2014. She’s since been in the front row at many fashion week events and was also part of L’Oréal’s Age Perfect campaign. She has two grown-up children and lives in Illovo with her husband Mohamed.

Your earliest memory?

Waiting at the door to greet my dad when he came home from work. I was two or three years old. He was an upholsterer, and he’d whistle the same tune walking up to the house each night. I loved hearing that sound.

Did you have a career plan B?

No, but life had other plans... I gave up my job as a social worker to be a stay-at-home mom, so hadn’t worked for ages. At 52, I stumbled into my first job in fashion. After complimenting a friend on her shirt, she put me in touch with the designer, Jamal Nxedlana. I arranged to meet him and, when I did, he said he loved my style and wanted to collaborate with me on a collection. We discussed fabrics and fits and it spurred me on to create my own pieces, too. Taking the plunge to start SiSi with Cynthia, who’s a designer, was nerve-racking, but so worth it. It’s never too late to find your true passion.

Have you always been a style fanatic?