MaXhosa Africa weaves its magic in Japan with TokyoKnit collaboration

The rich history of Xhosa and Japanese culture comes to life in designer Laduma Ngxokolo's first Eastern collection, 'Lindelwa'

19 September 2021 - 00:01 By Thango Ntwasa
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Pieces from Maxhosa Africa's 'Lindelwa' collection.
Pieces from Maxhosa Africa's 'Lindelwa' collection.
Image: Maxhosa Africa

In 2012, designer Laduma Ngxokolo began to explore the wonderful world of knitwear in a way that hadn't been done before.

Preceding the trend that saw dashikis and kente cloth become representative of the African aesthetic, Ngxokolo began crafting his own image of South African luxury through his brand MaXhosa Africa.

Ten years later, the brand not only marks a decade of celebrating iconic Xhosa-inspired prints in its collections, but is branching out into new territory.

Awa'tori, a platform that connects Japanese and African creatives, tapped MaXhosa Africa with fabric manufacturer TokyoKnit to offer its first Eastern collection.

"Instead of doing just a showcase, the idea was to build business within Japan. This would be through pop-up stores around Tokyo, as well as ensuring that the Japanese market has access to our items post the showcase," says Ngxokolo.

Shown at Rakuten Fashion Week as part of the Face A-J (Fashion and Culture Exchange Africa & Japan), MaXhosa Africa's show was titled "Lindelwa: we are the ones you have been waiting for".

The collection features signature geometric patterns taken from Ngxokolo's Xhosa heritage and beaded head pieces.

It's accompanied by a short film which shows how Ngxokolo was inspired by contemporary heroes and female leaders — a fitting theme as his mother's name is used in the title and she has been a huge influence on the family business.

WATCH | MaXhosa Africa's presentation for Tokyo Fashion Week titled 'Lindelwa: we are the ones you have been waiting for'.

Ngxokolo says he discovered "rich" similarities between Xhosa and Japanese culture while working with the team from TokyoKnit.

"Both cultures have passed on storytelling from one generation to the next. The stories that we found in our research led us to discover myths that have a sense of moral value when told. The Japanese have warrior stories of battles, similar to most cultures in SA.

"The Samurai, for instance, have traditional regalia that differs between ranks, different tribes and cultures ... in our country the same thing exists within the many sub-tribes of SA and their traditional garments."

No plans have been made to collaborate with local brands, but Ngxokolo is keen to find new opportunities to merge with their approach and continue to tell the colourful African story the brand is famed for.


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