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The stratospheric rise of South African fashion designer Thebe Magugu

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The rising star whose cerebral designs delve into the footnotes of history

Thebe Magugu may not yet be a name that trips off the tongue, but that’s about to change. Because Thebe (pronounced “Tebe”; the h is silent) is, by most accounts, a force to be reckoned with.

Hailing from Kimberley in South Africa, a small town more famous for diamonds than fashion, Magugu is in the midst of what can only be described as a stratospheric rise. The creator of quietly beautiful menswear and womenswear, he launched his label in 2016. His work was picked up by Italian Vogue and in 2019, he won the LVMH prize. Presently, he is in the final six for the International Woolmark Prize 2021 (the winner will be announced later this year) and is part of MatchesFashion’s Innovators Programme.

A design by Thebe Magugu. Courtesy Thebe Magugu

“Getting the message from Natalie [Kingham, buying director at MatchesFashion] that she was considering me to be part of the Matches Innovator programme was such an honour,” Magugu tells me.

“Natalie and I go back. She was one of the judges for the International Fashion Showcase in London. She was so interested in what I was doing, so it’s sort of a full circle,” he adds.

It is worth noting that Magugu won the 2019 International Fashion Showcase prize so convincingly that the judges, including Kingham, hailed him as a “leader of his generation”. Now he has been reunited with Kingham for the Innovators Programme, as part of which 12 emerging fashion labels receive backing, support and mentorship from MatchesFashion experts, and are given space on the online platform. Yet, despite so many accolades, Magugu remains disarmingly grounded, and deeply appreciative of the power of learning directly from experts.

Magugu’s designs delve into the footnotes of history. Courtesy Thebe Magugu

“I am based in Johannesburg, so I am quite far from fashion in that sense, so in the past it has been quite a struggle. I went to a fashion school here that was great in terms of creativity, but it didn’t really delve into the buying process or other facets of the industry. But the biggest blessing in my life was meeting people along the way who have acted as mentors to me, and taken the time to teach me. I am really grateful for that.”

A sense of learning runs through his collections, which, despite at first glance appearing stripped back and simple, are brimming with artful tailoring and sparse patterning that reflect hours of meticulous research on topics that hover on the fringes of society.

“I feel a lot of history runs the risk of being forgotten, because it is in the margins. So I make it a point to try to read as much as possible about obscure South African history that not a lot of people know about. I think people understand the big things that come out of South Africa, such as Nelson Mandela and apartheid, but there are so many footnotes that get forgotten,” he explains.

Magugu is a finalist for the International Woolmark Prize 2021. Courtesy Thebe Magugu

One such footnote inspired his spring 2020 collection. Entitled Prosopographyit was inspired by the Black Sash movement that was founded in 1955 in protest to apartheid. As well as wearing black sashes, the all-female movement would conduct what they called “hauntings”, and would stand in silent vigil against pro-segregation figures. This is echoed in the collection as ghostly images of distorted patterning, running across impeccably cut clothes in vivid red and denim blue.

Magugu even tracked down former members of the movement to record their story. “I tried to reach out to the ones who are still alive today, so essentially I can document what they have done. And I love doing that, because, as much as it is about educating others, it is about educating myself as well.”

Thebe Magugu’s spring / summer 2021 collection. Courtesy Thebe Magugu

For his spring/summer 2021 collection, called Counter Intelligence, he looked to the South African female spies who had worked on both sides of the apartheid regime. Again, he sought out the characters involved, using those interviews as the basis for his entire collection. Filled with subtle blink-and-you’ll-miss-it details, there is a small zig-zag pattern based on a polygraph test, a shirt covered in written testament, and even a polka dot that turns out, on closer inspection, to be a fingerprint. The men’s pieces are in muddy olives and teals, and come with discreetly mismatched buttons.

This cerebral approach is what sets Magugu apart and it runs alongside a deeper thread in his work: the idea that one person can make a difference. He himself is committed to empowering and enriching his wider community.

I think all of us were questioning our contribution to fashion, and certainly in the past, fashion could get away with being fashion for fashion’s sake

And yet, just like everyone else, he has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with stores around the world shutting down even as he was shipping his collections to them. “That was a hit, certainly, but I just feel my values have been calibrated even further.

“I think all of us were questioning our contribution to fashion, and certainly in the past, fashion could get away with being fashion for fashion’s sake” he says. ” But with the pandemic, we are all starting to think: ‘How has this bettered the community? What value is in this product?’

“I have always been obsessed with the idea of education, because I know what it does for a community. I am from a very small town and I have seen what a lack of education can do to a society. I have seen the effects of poverty and HIV quite close up,” he tells me.

A look from Thebe Magugu’s spring/summer 2021 collection. Courtesy Thebe Magugu

Now in a position to be collaborating with large, established companies, Magugu is using this platform to help uplift others. “There are so many wonderful opportunities that have come my way, but I have to sift through and really veer towards the ones that are in line with what I want to create, while empowering whoever is involved,” he explains.

Case in point, at the start of 2021, Magugu was invited to take part in the Lucky Charms exhibition at Bon Marché in Paris, for which he enlisted regional handworkers. “We sent thousands of embroidered flowers to Paris, done by the women in Ladysmith, which is a very small town.” In December, he teamed up with Adidas in South Africa to create a protective face mask based on a traditional tablecloth print, which was given out for free.

“Masks are not accessible to certain parts of the community in South Africa, so that’s what I mean by purpose-driven projects. Things that contribute over and above the actual product.

“My overall mission is to create a brand that is based in South Africa and very strong here, but with roots all over the world, to show people that it is possible to have localised manufacturing in places that are not known for that. It is quite a mission and very ambitious, but I really feel it can be done.

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Houston’s Urban South Brewery Celebrates Fourth Anniversary

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Urban South Brewery Houston will host its upcoming Anniversary Party from Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 7, in the HTX Taproom, starting at 11 AM, celebrating four years of crafting exceptional brews and fostering community culture. This milestone event will be an exciting day featuring live music, food, activities, and a vendor market.

Beer enthusiasts are also in for a treat with the release of four exclusive anniversary specialty beers. Highlights include “Press Start,” a crafted Czech Pale Lager brewed in collaboration with Parleaux Beer Lab. Additionally, beer fans can indulge in “Level Up,” an Old-Fashioned Cocktail Sour Ale infused with orange peel, Luxardo cherry syrup, and subtle bourbon barrel notes. The offerings continue with “High Score,” a robust Double IPA bursting with flavors of Mosaic, Citra, and Chinook hops, and “Game Over,” a decadent Neapolitan Ice Cream Stout layered with strawberry fruit, Tahitian vanilla bean, and milk chocolate.

To make the celebration even more memorable, fans can pre-order an Exclusive 8-Bit Beer Box featuring the four-anniversary specialty beers (Press Start, Level Up, High Score, Game Over), a 16oz can-shaped Silipint with discounted refills, and 2 tokens redeemable for draft beer.

The Anniversary Party is open to the public, welcoming families and furry friends. Urban South Brewery invites everyone to join in the festivities and toast to four years of brewing excellence.

For more information on Urban South’s Anniversary Celebration, follow the Houston taproom on Instagram and Facebook.

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$600 Million Showdown: Michael Jackson’s Estate Executors Refusing to Pay Pop Star’s Mom $500k Legal Bill

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Now She is Fighting to Block Music Catalog Sale

The war between Michael Jackson ’ s mother Katherine and the two executors running his estate has heated up. According to court documents, lawyers for the executors, John Branca and John McClain , asked the court to shut down Katherine’s recent demand for $500k.

As we first reported, Katherine filed a motion asking that she be reimbursed $561,548. She said she spent the amount on a team of lawyers to fight the executors over the sale of Michael’s music catalog .

The executors asked the court to approve the music catalog sale in 2022. Katherine quickly opposed the deal. The parties went back and forth in court for months until a hearing was held on the matter.

At the hearing, Katherine testified that Michael did not want the music catalog sold and that he considered it a lifeline. Michael’s children Paris and Blanket told the court they opposed the deal too. Blanket said he opposed on emotional grounds.

The executors fired back claiming Katherine has a pattern of objecting to lucrative deals. They argued the market was hot for the music catalog sale and they needed to take advantage of it.

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=20oBOm_0rpVCYR600
The estate said it had every right to make the deal. 

“The Estate was teetering on the verge of collapse, with more than $400 million in debt that encumbered Michael’s most significant assets and little or no liquidity or means to service that debt. Through creative thinking, hard work and business savvy—and, of course, Michael’s extraordinary creative legacy—the Executors transformed the MJJ Business into a profitable enterprise,” the executors said as they argued for the deal to be approved.

Despite the family’s plea, the judge approved the executors’ deal and allowed them to move forward with the sale.

Within weeks, Katherine had filed an appeal of the decision. She argued the executors did not have the authority to sell Michael’s assets.

Recently, the executors argued that Katherine’s appeal should be dismissed. They said they had every right to sell the catalog. No decision has been reached on the appeal.

On February 9, 2024, the estate announced they sold one half of Jackson’s music to Sony for $600 million — a deal that Katherine said should not have gone through.

As part of the appeal, Katherine won a couple of small victories against the estate. As a result, she asked the court to award her the $561k in legal fees.

Now, the executors asked the court to deny the motion for legal fees. In their motion, they argued, “The Petition does not indicate the source from which Mrs. Jackson’s counsel seeks to have the requested attorney’s fees and expenses paid. It is not clear whether she is seeking payment from the probate estate or from the Trust.”

Further, the executors argued, “To the extents Mrs. Jackson seeks payment from the probate estate, the Petition lacks merit because it relies on provisions of the Trust, claiming that payment of legal fees is required by provisions of the Trust authorizing the Trustees to make payments “in [their] absolute discretion, for [Mrs. Jackson’s] care, support, maintenance, comfort and well-being.”

A judge has yet to rule.

Culled from Rada online

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Otu-Umuokpu Anambra USA in Houston Gets New Leadership  

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Houston – TX: The Otu-Umuokpu Anambra USA Association Inc., Headquartered in Houston, Texas, has inaugurated its new executive leadership. An election was held in November 2023 where a set of new executive leadership emerged and was officially sworn-in on February 4, 2024.

Adaeze Stella Icon Adeone Samuel ( Stainless) is now the group’s new President, whereas Adaeze Nkiruka Mbonu ( Mmili doluedo) is the  Vice President.  Former President, Adaeze Dr Maria Elioku (Nkpulunma) remains the President Emeritus. A complete list of the new executive board members will be available on the group’s website, it was gathered.

While welcoming the new leadership team, President Emeritus Dr. Elioku thanked the outgoing executives for their impeccable service during their tenure. “As we all know, our mission as Otu- Umuokpu Anambra, USA Association is to promote and uphold our welfare and culture as well as foster unity, love, and harmony among us; and I am glad that within the past years, we were able to curtail distracting challenges to uphold those values,” she said.

Otu- Umuokpu Anambra, USA Association is a community of all paternal daughters of Anambra State of Nigeria with the core mission to promote and uphold the welfare and culture of her members; and foster unity, love, and harmony among them. The group has since its inception shared the uniformity of their ancestry as a unifying tool for community development and bonding of sisterhood.

For more information about Otu-Umuokpu Anambra, USA Association, Inc., please call 832-640-6329 or click to visit their website >>>>

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