Let me introduce you to the man behind Thebe Magugu, perhaps one of the hottest lines at the moment. Meet Thebitsele Magugu. Thebetsile translates to “he who bears the shield.” Such a fitting name for someone is undeniably part of the fashion vanguard. He is:
- 2019 winner of the LVMH prize
- Winner of the 2019 International prize, whom the committee heralded as …,
- A finalist for the International Woolmark prize.
The designer, just as everyone else, has an origin story.
His begins in Kimberley, a small town in South Africa. It is perhaps best known for its diamond mines, and I am really trying hard not to make a comment about how he is certainly one of their best gems. Magugu recalls first taking an interest in fashion upon seeing the way his mother, aunt, and grandmother all dressed in their distinctive styles. Looking back on the way his mother changed her demeanor to match her fashion, he could see even then the power of fashion to help women express different sides of themselves.
When he got access to the Fashion Channel, little 8-year-old Magugu sat stunned by Marc Jacobs’s designs for Louis Vuitton walking down the runway. He became enamored with the world of fashion and sought to join it himself. He started sketching designs and storing his drawings under his bed. His mother, who was constantly picking up those pictures, finally gave him a sketchbook and fashion magazines. She pushed him to take the craft seriously and to practice every day.
When he came of age, he would go on to the then LISOF in Johannesburg. There was a period of two years where Magugu had to struggle to remain committed to his dream. Times were hard financially for his family. He has spoken of subsisting on cornflakes for every meal and sleeping on his friends’ couches to get by. After being unenrolled by the school, likely for default payments, he snuck into classes to continue to learn. Fortunately, he was able to pull through and successfully graduate. He went on to intern and work for other brands and retailers, but after 2 years he created his namesake label.
He had some regrets about the school he went to. He previously hoped to study abroad but was unable to. He also has spoken about not receiving enough education on the business side of fashion. But looking back, he sees the blessing in having gone to LISOF. It was there that he was equipped with the perspective that fashion was a mode of communication and that he could use it to tell uniquely African stories.
While the brand is primarily focused on women’s ready to wear, they introduced menswear for Spring/Summer 2022. In speaking about it, Magugu refers to it as a project, pointing out that while it is something the brand is trying out, he will not force a commitment to menswear in perpetuity.
They launched an e-commerce site in 2020, like so many other brands who needed to make the shift to get products to consumers as stores closed. In launching the site, Magugu was able to emphasize his focus on education, in addition to having a retail space. The site was designed to look like a course syllabus. The landing page looks like a book spine. And the Faculty Press section on the site is a way to invite people into his world, to learn more about the background his collections and hear from thinkers he believes should have a space to share their views. Even the brand logo appeals to an academic aesthetic. The logo, introduced in 2020, was made from original image that was included in his Faculty Press. It depicts two women with ornate hairstyles sitting facing each other and hand in hand. It calls to a strong piece of the brand story, that is that it exists as “a refuge for women’s needs.” The design itself is reminiscent of the crests found at prestigious universities. The logo appeals to the aesthetic often seen in those logos used by heralded academic institutions. It highlights his own interest in education and the power it grants people to change their lives and their society.
When asked to describe his brand during his pursuit of the LVMH prize, Magugu said this.
“Together with our pillar values of quality, novelty, and culture, we constantly seek new ways of presenting women with clothing that both complies with and enhances the everyday. … Sleek, forward-looking design intersects with motifs from our continent’s storied past, providing smart, multifaceted clothes as valuable as their woman.”
His description provided to LVMH and quoted by L’Officiel
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Sources for the Thebe Magugu series
Allaire, C. (May 24, 2022). Thebe Magugu’s new dresses pay homage to eight South African tribes. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/thebe-magugu-south-africa-dresses-collection
Appel, R. (February 21, 2019.) Thebe Magugu: ‘I come from a very rich culture.” CNN. https://www.cnn.com/style/article/thebe-magugu-london-fashion-week/index.html
Bang, M. (September 04, 2019). Thebe Magugu wins the LVMH prize. L’Officiel. https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/lvmh-prize-winner-2019
British Council. (February 18, 2019). Thebe Magugu from South Africa announced as the winner of International Fashion Showcase 2019. https://www.britishcouncil.org/contact/press/thebe-magugu-south-africa-announced-winner-international-fashion-showcase-2019
Friedman, V. (April 13, 2022). What if Africa was the birthplace of fashion. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/11/style/thebe-magugu-az-factory.html
Hall. J. (February 26, 2020). Tribute to Ipopeng: Designer Thebe Magugu shows and intimate portrait of his South African hometown. Hero. https://hero-magazine.com/article/166501/designer-thebe-magugu-shows-an-intimate-portrait-of-his-south-african-hometown
Haute Fashion Africa. (February 26, 2020). Thebe Magugu debuts new logo. https://hautefashionafrica.com/thebe-magugu-debuts-new-logo/
Huber, M. (September 10, 2021). Thebe Magugu on the political power of fashion. The Met. https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/articles/2021/9/thebe-magugu-interview
immi. What to know about award-winning fashion designer Thebe Magugu. Knotoryus. https://www.knotoryus.com/articles/2019/9/10/what-to-know-about-award-winning-fashion-designer-thebe-magugu
Katz, E. R. (March 22, 2021). Thebe Magugu on South African spies and having Wendy wear his clothes. Paper. https://www.papermag.com/thebe-magugu-wear-me-out-2651172476.html
Khalfe, F. (September 29, 2021). For his SS22 collection, Thebe Magugu is keeping it in the family. Glamour Zaire. https://www.glamour.co.za/fashion/for-his-ss22-collection-thebe-magugu-is-keeping-it-in-the-family-84b91e79-2379-4c5f-9b31-d19156f215db
Love, J. (November 4, 2020). Thebe Magugu pays homage to South Africa with his Autumn/Winter 2020 Collection. Essence.https://www.essence.com/fashion/thebe-magugu-south-africa-autumn-winter-2020-collection/
Magugu, T. (2019) Thebe Magugu. LVMH Prize. https://www.lvmhprize.com/designer/thebe-magugu/
Maisey, S. (March 26, 2021). The stratospheric rise of South African fashion designer Thebe Magugu. The National News. https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/the-stratospheric-rise-of-south-african-fashion-designer-thebe-magugu-1.1191449
Mohammed, S. (March 31, 2022). Thebe Magugu: “I want my clothes to be relics for South Africa.” AnOther. https://www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/13995/thebe-magugu-south-africa-genealogy
Oloruntoba, M. (February 10, 2022). Designer Thebe Magugu is one to watch. InStyle. https://www.instyle.com/fashion/thebe-magugu-spring-2022-shoot
PROTOChic (April 30, 2018). Thebe Magugu perfects unconventional daywear with “Gender Studies.” PROTOChic. https://www.protochic.com/stories/2017/4/30/thebe-magugu-perfects-unconventional-daywear-with-gender-studies
Samaha, B. (Sep. 24, 2020). Thebe Magugu’s new website schools shoppers on South African culture. Harper’s Bazaar. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/designers/a34058383/thebe-magugu-website-launch/
Seape, T. (March 7, 2018). In conversation with Thebe Magugu. https://csa.global/the-power-of-memory-in-conversation-with-thebe-magugu/
Saint-Louis, T. (March 5, 2022). Insecure designer Thebe Magugu is out to redefine South Africa to the world of fashion. AfroPunk. https://afropunk.com/2022/03/insecure-designer-thebe-magugu-is-out-to-redefine-south-africa-to-the-world-of-fashion/
Wightman-Stone, D. (Aug 1, 2022). Adidas unveils collaboration with Thebe Magugu. Fashion United. https://fashionunited.com/news/fashion/adidas-unveils-collaboration-with-thebe-magugu/2022080148935
Zalando. (February 8, 2022). #BlackHistoryMonth: 6 questions with Thebe Magugu. Zalando. https://corporate.zalando.com/en/brand-hub/news-media/blackhistorymonth-6-questions-thebe-magugu
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