Mimi Duma

Ncumisa Duma, better known professionally as Mimi or "the Urban Mimz," is a natural hairstylist making waves in the industry through her fierce creativity and genuine hair artistry. She's been described as a "hair guru" who tells stories through hair in profiles by Destiny Magazine and City Press, recognition that reflects how distinctive her styling has become. She trained formally at Carlton Hair Academy and spent two years working in a Carlton salon, where she learned to work with all types of hair. During that time, though, she also realized that her creative vision would never be fully satisfied within a traditional salon setting, which pushed her toward a different path. She began teaching herself about African hair textures, exploring different forms and structures, and drawing on her theatrical background to tap into the rising wave of Afrofuturism in expression and identity. Her client list includes styling hair for Terry Pheto, Andile Ncube, and multiple contestants on Glam Squad, as well as Thandiswa Mazwai's Bonna cover shoot. She's also created several avant-garde cover stories for Bubblegum Club, and worked on Nike's women's running campaigns featuring The Pack, Caster Semenya, and DJ Doowap, along with Standard Bank's Avant Card campaign alongside Trevor Stuurman.