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The Future Is Africa

Maxhosa Africa's stratospheric success proves that African design is what the world wants more of right now.

By: Justine Stafford

In a homogenous design landscape full of drab rehashes of trends long past, it is refreshing to witness the technicolour pattern explosion of Maxhosa Africa into the collective consciousness of even the hardest-to-crack fashion capitals of the world.

Last Saturday, the first Maxhosa Africa store opened in Canal Street, New York, in what Founder and Creative Director, Laduma Ngxokolo, describes as a curated space that merges the brand’s bold African design directive with the edgy vibe of urban New York.

Maxhosa Africa NYC store launch, Sat 15th June 2024.
 

Stocked with the latest collection of knitwear for men and women that Laduma debuted at Paris Fashion Week earlier this year; the store also offers New Yorkers the opportunity to decorate their homes with the brand’s new range of brightly coloured and intricately patterned rugs and woven scatter cushions, as well as lifestyle accessories like graphic-print designer bathrobes and beach umbrellas.

New York and Paris are only the latest in a string of stellar international successes that Laduma has enjoyed since launching his first ready-to-wear capsule collection of geometric men’s knitwear in 2012. Inspired by the beadwork patterns traditional to his tribe, it paid homage to Amakrwala, the Xhosa initiation ceremony he had just experienced.

This laid the foundation of Laduma’s signature aesthetic: a contemporary interpretation of traditional tribal symbols, patterns and colours that has, in the last twelve years, seen Laduma being awarded numerous international awards. His work has also been displayed and archived in prestigious museums across America and Europe, and mega-celebrities including Michelle Obama, Kelly Rowland, Beyonce and Jay Z have all been photographed wearing his designs.

Always humble about these achievements, Laduma insists his success will only feel important if he achieves his true purpose as a designer: to elevate the perception of African design and establish Maxhosa Africa as a global luxury brand while also growing the local African fashion economy.

“This is my greatest source of purpose, and what makes me feel most alive,” he explains. “Accolades don’t mean much if I cannot live, and progress, this conviction.”

To date, he is truly living up to that promise. Currently Maxhosa Africa employs three hundred people at their South African production facility. And at Decorex Cape Town 2024, the brand team curated an exclusive outdoor seating area, and decorated the VIP lounge, while over at the event stand, a new range of Maxhosa Africa floor and wall tiles was launched to the public, along with custom furniture pieces, and a fun collab with Fieldbar.

 

Maxhosa Africa’s range of lifestyle and decor accessories at Decorex 2024.
 

This steady expansion of Laduma’s original vision is the secret to their long-lasting success, says Lihle Nqini, who is Laduma’s sister, as well as Managing Director of the brand. “We’ve never moved away from our essence, which is to celebrate the beauty, the language, the culture of our heritage in a way that looks, and feels, good, every day. That’s why people love us.” We couldn’t agree more. Viva Maxhosa Africa!

 

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