The Power Behind Knitwear

The Power Behind Knitwear

The latest trend to hit the shelves this winter is most definitely knitwear. One designer who has been focused on knitwear since early 2010 is Laduma Ngokolo. 

Laduma studied at the Nelson Mandela Metrolpolitan University in Port Elizabeth and it was whilst here that he noticed that brands such as Pringle have not got any ranges of high quality knitwear which represents the true Xhosa traditions. As being a Xhosa initiate, he spoke at the Design Indaba in 2011 about how the idea of starting a high quality knitwear range which was true to Xhosa traditions but in the same space trendy and contemporary.

Laduma earned first place in the internationally in the competition hosted by the South African Society of Dyers and Colourists for his entry entitled "The Colourful World of the Xhosa Culture"
Using high quality wool and mohair in his knitwear of zig-zags, diamonds and arrows, the light, medium and dark colours are a true representation of the Xhosa tradition and are easily recognisable as such. 

Laduma presented his range entitled MaXhosa at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Johannesburg in March 2014, where he was greeted with loud cheers and applause from fashion fanatics. The last piece of the range to be on the runway saw a standing ovation from the crowd. 

 

Currently his collections are stocked at:
Cape Town - Merchants on Long
Johannesburg - Egality
UK - Agnes & Lola
France - Itu Escape Design
Namibia - Oscar & Olive
Netherlands - Scaapi

Twitter: @LadumaNgxokolo
@MaXhosaKnitwear
Facebook: MaXhosa by Laduma
Website: www.maxhosa.co.za

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