If you’ve seen a man in a suit conquering hiking trails armed with a stylish umbrella and manoeuvring some epic poses, you’d be forgiven for wondering if you accidentally crashed a wedding or stepped into a Disney film. He’s become a thrill to spot for locals, who have also stopped to take photos with the budding icon fondly known as ‘Mr Poppins’.
Cape Town’s Mr Poppins may just double as our best-dressed hiker. He’s not an actor, and he isn’t late for his wedding either. But who is Mr Poppins, and why does he trek trails in a suit?
Armani Minani describes himself as a 25-year-young man, and an eagle ‘born to soar’.
In speaking to Armani, I was curious to know what inspired him to ditch any hiking kit for a stylish suit, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Ashleigh Nefdt.
A ‘fit inspired by not wanting to fit in
“The thing that inspired me to ditch any hiking attire and put on a suit was the belief that I am different and unique- I was born to stand out! Not fit in! I believe I am an eagle. I was born to soar,” says Armani.
“The idea of hiking in a suit came to me in 2017 whereby I tried hiking the three peaks- Devil’s Peak, Lion’s Head & Table Mountain in a suit, but only ended up doing Devil’s Peak and got busy. So, I ended up not going through with the mission because life happened. However, before the end of last year, I thought about bringing the suit back to life again and even thought deeper about it – what if I can show people that you can hike in formal attire as well? What if I can use the suit to draw attention and generate funds which I can use to help the less fortunate? I got my suit and started hiking late in 2021. The rest is history now. It’s become my new hiking outfit.”
Armani has been snapped doing epic, and often nail-biting poses for those of us afraid of heights. Of these, he says that it’s just him being himself.
“I live my life on the edge. Literally.”
Being a personal trainer, Armani is no stranger to endurance on the body. His poses are a testament to his strength and tenacity.
The golden heart underneath the suit
Beyond his confidence and character, Armani also sports a heart filled with helpful intentions. Originally from Burundi, Armani expresses that he had a humbling beginning on his journey to South Africa. This is what inspires him to give back.
On matters of the heart and giving back Armani’s ‘Touching A Tummy At A Time’ and the ‘Reveal the Cape To Me’ Initiatives were inspired by a background where he didn’t have everything.
“[The initative] arose because I came from a background where I didn’t have everything. But I didn’t let that stop me from persevering and being where I am today. The touching a tummy at a time initiative is to help the homeless in our communities with food, toiletries, clothing etc. I have taken matters into my own hands with the touching a tummy at a time initiative,” he expresses before explaining that he’d take the time to buy loaves of bread to make sandwiches for the community to provide homeless people with a sandwich until they run out.
“It’s become a weekly tradition now. Funds would be highly appreciated, but I guess that can only happen or people will be more supportive once they see it’s a registered organisation,” he says.
What do people do when they see Mr Poppins?
“When people see me, they give me a lot of different reactions and they make hilarious comments like, ‘are you late for a wedding’, ‘was there a meeting on the mountain?’, ‘Are you lost sir?’ or ‘did you hike up in that?’. These usually has him cracking up he says.
The next thing they do is ask him “why the suit?” which lends Armani to tell his story. He also notes that people are usually impressed and amazed at how he’d go up and down a mountain in a suit. Sometimes people stop him and ask to take pictures with him, and others simply take snaps anyway.
“I’m just being myself and doing what I enjoy in style now,” he says. Of his name, he also indicates that he’s waiting for Giorgio Armani to sponsor him a suit so that people stop saying to him: “Is your name Armani, like the suit?”
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Picture: Armani Minani
