For Laduma Ngxokolo, showing in Paris is never just about fashion. His is the only African brand on the official PFW calendar, so he is offering an ongoing manifesto about Africa’s role as a foundational, active contributor to global creative dialogue. “We as a continent that influences culture—in fashion, lifestyle, music and even film,” the Johannesburg-based designer pointed out backstage before the show. “At the moment Afrotech is the fastest-growing music in the world. My aim is not to be more readable to Western European cultures. I don’t want to blend in and be lost in translation; I’m traveling roads in reverse.”
Entitled Siyi-Kulture—or “We Are Culture”—the fall presentation showcased Xhosa as a dynamic, constantly evolving language expressed through fashion and, in this instance, dance. For the first time, Ngxokolo expanded on his native Xhosa culture to include bold motifs from four other South African cultures: Zulu, the largest in the country; Pedi, from the northern region; Tsonga, which is known for extravagant layering; and Swati, “which is more flamboyant,” he said. The choice was deliberate: Maxhosa has found a clientele in those cultures. “That’s not often the case. People tend to shy away from other cultures because they don’t want to look like they are compromising their identity,” Ngxokolo observed.
Thematically, the thread retraced African music, rhythm and movement, exploring the idea of choreography through the brand’s signature knitwear, beadwork, and intarsia. Structured separates sat side by side with tracksuit fabrications, merging ceremonial and sporty. The palette was likewise intentional, translating traditional design codes in a festive parade of turquoise, poppy, hot yellow and black and white graphics. The exuberance, Ngxokolo noted, fits perfectly with the winter season back home. “It’s not super cold; people wear flamboyant clothes during winter,” he said. “If I accommodate the collection as the typical study it should be here, I wouldn’t be reflecting the true essence of what Africa feels like in winter.”
As a parting thought, Ngxokolo reflected on the habits of some high-flying shoppers: “A lot of presidents’ wives take a jet and come to Paris and spend. I don’t see the need to have pressure because of that. I want people to do the other way around—if someone has a stack of money, fly down to South Africa and identify with us.”