This year has been extremely difficult for fashion locally and internationally. And with a new year approaching we can’t forget to celebrate and acknowledge all the amazing, talented and gifted local designers who made heatwaves this year. These designers, brands and their team worked tirelessly to make the South African fashion into a powerhouse of creativity and chic.

Sindiso Khumalo

South African textile and fashion designer Sindiso Khumalo has scooped the title of Independent Designer of the Year at the prestigious Green Carpet Fashion Awards in 2020. Sindiso Khumalo, the designer behind the namesake label, has a very rich cross-cultural background. Born in Botswana and raised in Durban, South Africa, she went on to live and work in the United Kingdom. Sindiso focuses on women’s RTW, she was shortlisted in Elle Magazine’s, ‘Rising Star Competition’ in 2012, where she showcased her debut SS13 collection. Her ‘Aretha Dress’ was nominated for, ‘Most Beautiful Object in South Africa’ by an online publication, Design Indaba. She was also an LVMH Prize finalist. We can’t wait to see what she does next.

Thebe Magugu

Thebe Magugu Born and raised in the small town of Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa, his passion for fashion led him to Johannesburg to pursue a degree in fashion. The brand focuses on women’s ready-to-wear. Thebe Magugu won the LVMH Prize 2019, and International Fashion Showcase 2019 from the British Fashion Council. He was also acknowledged as a Rising Star in GQ South Africa. British Vogue September issue. 2019 was Thebe Magugu’s year, but he is not letting a global pandemic curb his rise to stardom. This year Magugu paid homage to his homeland with a photo exhibition entitled Ipopeng Ext, after an area in Kimberley, South Africa, the city in which he grew up. Fittingly, the name itself translates as “to beautify oneself.”

Maxhosa

When Johannesburg-based designer Laduma Ngxokolo, 33, launched his Maxhosa brand in 2012, he wanted to work with mohair produced in his native Eastern Cape. Ngxokolo first created his premium knitwear, with geometric shapes woven from bright threads, for amakrwala, the young Xhosa men who dress elegantly as a sign they have completed their initiation ceremonies. The line has since evolved to include womenswear and home goods. “It’s important for me to preserve our culture,” says Ngxokolo, who uses Xhosa beadwork as an inspiration for his slinky dresses and cardigans striped in typical Xhosa colours of yellow, red and blue.  The label, now rebranded as MAXHOSA Africa, has a flagship store at Mall of Africa in Johannesburg, while the ready-to-wear collection is also available at selected boutiques in SA, New York, France, Australia and online.

We are extremely proud of these designers who keep putting South African designs and fashion at the forefront of international markets. These brands show that there is more to African fashion that meets the eye. We can’t wait to see what they all do next. 

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