Lifestyle
H&M partners with South African designer Palesa Mokubung in first ever collaboration with an African designer
Global fashion retail giant H&M has teamed up with South African designer Palesa Mokubung, unveiling its first-ever collaboration with an African label, Mantsho. Launched on August 15 online and in selected stores, including South Africa, the Mantsho collaboration features vibrant bold prints, creative cuts and confident styles.
African fashion designers continue to influence and redefine the global fashion and style industry and South African designer Palesa Mokubung is the latest African creative to bless the fashion world with her remarkable creativity, and bold swagger.
Swedish clothing giant H&M teamed up with Mokubung, unveiling its first-ever collaboration with an African label, Mantsho. Launched on August 15 online, and in selected stores including South Africa, the Mantsho collaboration features vibrant bold prints, creative cuts and confident styles.
Mantsho x H&M collection will be available at H&M stores in 11 regions around the world. The collections consists of colourful dresses, pants, a skirt, kimonos, blouses, a sweater, espadrilles, clutch bags, earrings and leather cuffs.
Through this collection, Mokubung told Glamour that she wanted “to celebrate the beauty of women and the vibrancy and diversity of the African aesthetic, its textures and its colors”.
The Mantsho label, meaning “black is beautiful” in Sesotho language, was established in 2004 by Mokubung. The label has featured on numerous runways including Greece, India, USA, Jamaica, Nigeria, Botswana and Senegal.
In October 2018 Mokubung showcased in the BRICS show with designers from Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
Palesa holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fashion Design, she’s an entrepreneur, an award winner and a fashion visionary “who has a rare quality to design from the heart” said Lucilla Booyzen the founder of SA Fashion Week.
Palesa zooms in on African materials and cleverly transforms them into modern and edgy designs incorporating fine silks and woven fabrics to end up with a 100 percent Mantsho garment.
The Johannesburg based designer hails from Kroonstad in the Orange Free State. She was raised by a single mom along with her equally talented brother who is responsible for creating the Mantsho Logo. Palesa’s career started when she walked into a boutique in Rosebank Johannesburg and the owner asked her where she got her outfit from and Palesa said ‘’I made it”.
