MAXHOSA SS2021 COLLECTION AT NYFW
“Ingumangaliso Imisebenzi Kathixo” means “God’s work is miraculous” in isiXhosa, a native language of the Southern African region. This praise is the title of Maxhosa Africa’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection. It is also the soundtrack and overall message being conveyed in the enduringly menacing face of a global pandemic.
Watch: MAXHOSA AFRICA’s Spring-Summer 2021 Collection showcased at New York Fashion Week 2020.
A Mostly Virtual Fashion Week
This year, fashionistas and pundits have exclaimed that a virtual fashion week was just not the same as the style highlight in person. However, there have been positive reviews of the creativity being displayed by designers adjusting to the changing times. In accordance with strict New York State health and safety guidelines, New York Fashion Week complied by facilitating outdoor events capped at 50 persons, indoor events at 50 percent capacity and no spectators. The shows rolled out between 11 - 16 September 2020. Amongst the mix of limited live and virtual fashion shows, presentations, and programming was the digital runway show “Ingumangaliso Imisebenzi Kathixo” by Ladumo Ngxokolo’s label, Maxhosa Africa.
Style, Hope, Heritage
“The collection is the most colourful and exotic collection I’ve designed to date. My objective was to bring about a new dawn and excitement about the upcoming local summer season, considering that, despite the global pandemic we have to endure, we have to be hopeful about reaching the light at the end of the tunnel, because we have realised that happiness is the new Luxury” shares Laduma Ngxokolo.
It is definitely worth mentioning that in addition to the beams of hope and optimism emanating from the collection, there are multiple layers of heritage at work in this collection alone. First, the tapestries of prints that have woven this beautiful collection are inspired by Ngxokolo’s Xhosa heritage. Second, Laduma and his siblings, who make up the famed Maxhosa Africa design house, learned the art of creating knitwear and handmade garments from his late mother; Lindelwa Ngxokolo. Third, “Ingumangaliso Imisebenzi Kathixo”, the collection’s soundtrack is a song composed by Mike Ngxokolo; Laduma’s late paternal grandfather, who was a renowned jazz artist, choral music composer, visual artist, actor and radio presenter. It is inspiring and notable that even a decade into chiefing his design house, Ngxokolo still interweaves varying layers that speak to community, heritage and hope.
Greater than Celebrity, Greater than NYFW
At any given moment, and in considering the competitive landscape, it would be very easy to get caught up in the honour of being dubbed to showcase a collection at NYFW. It would be just as easy to be distracted by the throng of talented celebrities that adorned Ngxokolo’s work and did justice to the wearable art as they owned the runway. In my opinion, however, the wealth of this collection’s story stretches far beyond these two enticing factors.
It takes a maestro to entice people to lust after knitwear during the warmest season in Africa. Moreso because of the extreme weather caused by climate change.
Yes, Maxhosa Africa really did make knitwear sexy… again! Seriously… who does that for almost a decade?!
I think it’s worth asking if anybody in the history of NYFW runways has ever delivered such a wealth of variation in knitted patterns and colour combinations in a single fashion collection and runway staging.
For the last eight years, Maxhosa Africa have consistently delivered an uncompromising tapestry that is a clear ode to community, heritage and quality.
A NYFW Masterclass in Style & Heritage
Maxhosa Africa did more than deliver a style and design masterclass. There was so much wealth, lightness and joy in this collection that it would be forgivable for anyone watching to feel like COVID-19 and the accompanying financial crises do not exist. My conclusion is that whether viewed from the perspective of his character, as a creative, or from the dexterity of his transcendent, impressive art; it is abundantly clear that “ingumangaliso imisebenzi kaThixo”.
Watch: Laduma Ngxokolo sharing the personal story of his beginnings, inspiration and journey.
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