Designers

Designer To Know: MAXHOSA Africa

By Isa King | May 13, 2022

MAXHOSA Africa is South Africa’s leading knitwear brand founded in 2012 by Laduma Ngxokolo.

Maxhosa Africa has been causing a stir for a while now, both in Africa and abroad. The hugely popular knitwear brand which draws inspiration from the Xhosa rite of passage, could be described as a bolder African version of Italian label Missoni.

Laduma Creative director of Maxhosa Africa started out with the desire to explore knitwear design solutions that would be suitable for amakrwala (Xhosa initiates).

His initial vision was to create a modern Xhosa-inspired knitwear collection that would be suitable for this market. As a person who has undergone the process, Laduma felt that he had to develop premium knitwear that celebrates traditional Xhosa aesthetics.

Along the journey into exploring astonishing traditional Xhosa beadwork patterns, symbolism and colours, laduma discovered that he would be the best source of inspiration for knitwear, which he then reinterpreted into modern knitwear.

MAXHOSA designs showcase the beauty, culture, language and aspiration of the Xhosa people. Evolved and amended in a modern way and a current design context it translates into a form that resonates with multiple fashion markets globally.

Since its launch, the label has amassed worldwide recognition and acclaim. Ngxokolo won the prestigious Vogue Italia “Scouting for Africa” prize in 2014 and had the chance to present his collections at the Palazzo Morando Show in Milan, Italy. He also received the 2014 WeTransfer scholarship to study Masters in Material Futures at Central St. Martins from which he graduated in 2016. Ngxokolo’s knits have been spotted on international celebrities such as Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and South African Black Panther actor, John Kani, and in 2018, a MaXhosa cable-knit sweater was displayed as part of the Museum of Modern Art’s “Is Fashion Modern?” exhibition in New York City. Via his showings at South African Fashion Week, AFI Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, and other major events, the brand has cemented itself as a respected pillar of South Africa’s emerging design scene

Their latest SS2021 collection “INGUMANGALISO IMISEBENZI KATHIXO” (‘God’s work is miraculous).

This song was composed and titled by the Designer’s late paternal grandfather – Mike Ngxokolo, a renowned jazz artist, choral music composer, visual artist, actor and radio presenter. The collection is MAXHOSA AFRICA’s most colourful showcase to date. The vision is to bring about a new dawn and excitement about summer, sharing that despite the global pandemic we have to be hopeful about the new season.

“I wanted to showcase happiness so that people can feel excited about summer, because happiness is the new Luxury ”Laduma Ngxokolo.