South African fashion brand MaXhosa Africa showed its first collection at Paris Women’s Fashion Week on Monday. The brand opened the first day of the event with a show full of colourful knitwear.
Founder Laduma Ngxokolo sent out 54 looks on his first appearance on the official Paris calendar. The collection was made to celebrate African crafts and unity between African people, AFP reported.
“I feel honoured to be represented. I’ve been fighting to sit on the table for 16 years now,” Ngxokolo, 39, told AFP.
The designs are part of the brand’s Spring-Summer 2027 collection. One wool dress had knitted tassels carrying the names of African countries.
Another black and grey outfit showed a large outline of Africa on the front. Other parts of the world appeared on the back and sleeves.
That design pointed to a recent change to the United Nations’ official map. The change was made to show the true size of the African continent more fairly.
“We appointed ourselves to be one of the forerunners that showcases the African continent to the world,” said Ngxokolo, who is based in Johannesburg.
The show took place at the South African ambassador’s home in Paris. Afro-soul singer Sjava performed live on the night.
Models wore glasses and accessories by Kenyan artist Cyrus Kabiru. He makes his pieces from recycled waste.
Ngxokolo started MaXhosa Africa in 2010. The name refers to the Xhosa people of South Africa.
The company now employs about 300 people and runs eight stores. It makes all its knitwear at two factories in Johannesburg and East London. Michelle Obama and Beyonce are among its fans.
“I grew up in looking at inspiration such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and various other established brands,” Ngxokolo told reporters backstage. “But there’s no brand that is known to be proudly ‘made in Africa’.”
He said 90% of the brand’s products are made in-house.
Very few African designers have been given a place on the Paris Fashion Week calendar. France’s Haute Couture and Fashion Federation decides which brands take part.
The federation has slowly been inviting newer labels from around the world. They now show next to big French houses such as Chanel and Dior. In January 2020, Cameroonian designer Imane Ayissi made history. He became the first sub-Saharan African designer on the official Haute Couture calendar.
“We feel that we are still under-represented as the African continent, and more platforms can be done,” Ngxokolo told AFP. “But, on the flip side, we need to take this fashion business thing seriously as well.”
“I am for professionalism. I am for good quality standards. I am for high standards in everything that we touch,” he added.
A total of 67 catwalk shows for Spring-Summer 2027 are planned for this Women’s Fashion Week. Christian Dior and Saint Laurent were set to show their new collections on Tuesday.
Source: this article is based on reporting by eNCA. Image: eNCA. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Entertainment desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Rirhandzu Baloyi writes about entertainment for Tzaneen Voice. Rirhandzu covers South African music, film, TV, streaming, awards and celebrity news, from amapiano and local soapies to Showmax and Netflix releases. Stories stick to what happened, who was involved and when fans can watch or listen.