World-renowned designer Laduma Ngxokolo draws inspiration from his Xhosa heritage for his MaXhosa Africa brand.
The MaXhosa Africa brand has assumed an iconic status and has been showered with acclaim on the world stage including the New York fashion week and fashion industry accolades in Uganda, Tanzania, London, and Italy.
The brand has also piqued the interest of mega stars like Beyoncé and Alicia Keys and is a sought-after status symbol for fashion enthusiasts.
Its status got further elevated in 2019, when it got a deal to supply costumes for cast members of Coming 2 America, the sequel for the 1988 popular comedy Coming to America. The American film takes a humorous look at an African prince from the fictional country of Zamunda, who explores America before settling down with an American wife.
The Nelson Mandela University fashion design graduate said his inspiration for the MaXhosa Africa brand came about when he was ikrwala (a young Xhosa man who has recently gone through the rite of passage into manhood).
“I realised that the clothes worn by amakrwala were European. I thought our beads as AmaXhosa which I believe most beautiful in Africa, was something I didn’t see on a daily basis. Yet it’s something we are known for as Xhosa. I used the patterns from beadwork to design my brands. I was taught to knit by my mother. And since PE is capital of mohair and wool of the world it seemed like all the stars had aligned,” said Ngxokolo who grew up in KwaDwesi in Port Elizabeth.
The MaXhosa Africa luxury brand is known for knitwear items such as jerseys and dresses, but has diversified its product offering to home design items like floor-rugs and cushions, inspired by traditional Xhosa patterns.
Ngxokolo, 35, said when he started his knitwear business, most people of his inner circle were sceptical.
“Most people said my designs were too colourful. This changed in 2010 when I won my first award, but I knitted way before that. I won an award in London while studying at Nelson Mandela University. I represented South Africa against countries from all continents. A lot of magazines and conferences from overseas invited me to fashion shows and I got international recognition,” said Ngxokolo, who credits his mother for teaching him how to knit.
Some of Ngxokolo’s international accolades include the Vogue Italia Scouting for Africa award 2015, the Pride of Africa award at the Fashion Week Barcelona Awards 2017, the AFI Fashion Week: Emerging Designer of the Year 2014, and the International Representation Award in 2010.
At the age of 32, Ngxokolo was recognised as one of the ambassadors of Xhosa heritage at the Eastern Cape chapter of the Lilizela Awards for tourism in 2018, where he received the MEC’s Lifetime Achievement award, in recognition work that he does in promoting his Xhosa heritage on the world stage.
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