THEBE MAGUGU

The South-African designer founded his eponymous label in 2016 and offers ready-to-wear collections that seek new ways of representing men and women. 

The 2019 LVMH prize winner uses clothes to tell personal stories and for social commentary. While he has reimagined his grandmother’s kitchen tablecloth as a utilitarian parka for his AW20 collection, he has also used prints to make a political statement on the issue of femicide in South Africa.

With garments that embrace and enhance everyday experiences, Magugu’s work can be characterized by innovation and precision. Using an app called Verisium, he has incorporated a microchip in every garment that displays fabric composition, pictures of the people who worked on the garment and the general story behind the collection. Leveraging this technology allows a high level of transparency, and a stronger immersion into the brand’s universe.

Thebe Magugu wants to make his brand more tangible and accessible through its online universe and extend its retail footprint. Through cultural honor and uncompromising quality, the designer wants to export Made-in-Africa to the world and continue to draw from the continent’s past, present, and imagined future.