The young South African designer unveils his SS17 collection – an ode to more innocent times
Johannesburg-based designer Thebe Magugu has just debuted the lookbook for his first full collection. Entitled Geology, it was first aired at South African Fashion Week earlier this year but the campaign takes us far from the catwalk to the remote landscapes of Gauteng, where his six carefree models sport colourful afros while playing childhood games.
The inspiration for the collection was anything but idyllic though, as Magugu explains: “Here in South Africa, we are in a state of socio-political flux. Among all the beauty in the country, there are some very stressful and damaging events coming into light almost with each passing day. So I just started imagining a woman taking to the great outdoors, to escape the pressures and noise of urban living. She takes time to recover, think, breathe and regroup.” His girls abscond from the harsh realities of the city wearing adventurous button down shirts, wrap dresses, pleated skirts and aprons in nostalgic shades of wine red, burnt orange, plum, navy and khaki.
Born and raised in Kimberly, Magugu studied at Lisof Fashion School in Johannesburg. He was selected for Design Indaba’s Emerging Creatives 2017 programme, for which he created the Hawkers Rocking Chair with Emile Millward, and also recently contributed to a capsule collection for South African retailers Woolworths alongside his contemporaries including AKJP, Rich Mnisi, Selfi and Maria McCloy. With SS17, this young talent looks set to thrive.
Photography Aart Verrips
Styling Bee Diamondhead
Make-up Annice Roux using MAC
Models Niler Bernard, Refiloe Seretlo, Mitchelle Daka, Retha Lethoko, Emy Ozori, Geraldine Mojaki
Visit Thebe Magugu
Published on 28/06/2017