Being a contemporary designer
To answer the question of whether African fashion should be westernized, we’re going to take a closer look at Thebe Magugu’s profile to provide some initial food for thought. Thebe Magugu systematically asserts his South African origins in his designs. He founded his eponymous brand in 2015 and entered the international scene a few years later.
International recognition
In 2019, he wins the LVMH Prize. In 2021, he is one of 6 finalists for the International Woolmark Prize. His insolent ascent makes his career a textbook case. His victories give him access to the international media, the network and the funds needed to develop his brand. He skilfully strings together a series of collaborations as if to establish his status as an essential artistic director. His capsules, created in partnership with Western brands, are an extension of his brand DNA.
He integrates his entourage into all his initiatives, and his South African imprint is not discreet, attenuated, light. From Az Factory to Adidas, he’s where you least expect him.
Thebe Magugu
Unprecedented collaboration
His experiment in creative exploration with Pierpaolo Piccioli, Artistic Director of Valentino, is a fine example of the revival of the fashion ecosystem. The two designers took up the challenge of creating a unique piece, or more precisely, a transformation. Each appropriated the work of the other to propose a new vision. Each stage of this experience was documented by the Vogue media. An interesting mise en abîme, a real risk-taking exercise with which Thebe Magugu seems perfectly at ease.
With each collaboration, the young designer comments on each of his initiatives, describing his influences and his relationship with Africa. He seems to use his opportunities as pretexts to make the invisible visible. He forcefully asserts his plural identity and skilfully blends influences. He does not deny. He doesn’t forget. On the contrary, he contextualizes, allowing everyone to identify with him and take the part that suits him.
Without concession, he chooses difficulty to force us to reconsider the West’s share in Africa, Africa’s share in the West, in a world where the boundaries of artistic creation are constantly shifting.
Thebe Magugu seems to be succeeding in imposing himself on the international scene with lightness and without compromising identity.
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