South African designer Lukhanyo Mdingi is living the dream as he has just been awarded the special Karl Lagerfeld Prize.
Mdingi is one of the three designers who won the prize awarded by the LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) Prize.
The other two designers with whom he shares the prize are with KidSuper and China’s Rui Zhou.
To celebrate Mdingi’s achievement, we take a look at his top three collections.
COUTTS COLLECTION
This is the collection that he presented to the LVMH jury, which consisted of top designers like Virgil Abloh, Stella McCartney, Kim Jones and Marc Jacobs. Made of mohair, this collection celebrates the spirit of pure love. It is a dedication to the designer’s late friend, Nicholas Coutts.
“COUTTS COLLECTION A poignant love letter to our dear friend Nicholas Coutts. This season we present a refined homage to the nuanced inner world of Nicholas Burnett Coutts. Forever grateful to Mick, Lindsay and Emma Coutts,” Mdingi said.
RELIC
Launched last year, the Relic was a full-bodied collection, representing a sartorial sentiment of timelessness and refinement. He also showcased the collection at South African Fashion Week Diamond Fibre Collections in April.
PERENNIAL
For Autumn/Winter 2019, he dropped the collection made of pure silk and mohair.
“Perennial is a steady collection that represents a mindful approach in design development. Through the use of pure angora kid mohair and merino wool, it was imperative for us to understand the true root and source of how the blended textile is made and the hands that created it.
Select pieces represent a hybrid of how these luxury yarns together with an ancient technique can create a modern, refined and honest textile,” said the designer in an interview with Vogue.
Taking to Instagram, Mdingi said how grateful he is that the collection dedicated to his dear friend won him an international award.
“It’s an incredible honour to represent Nicholas’s legacy with respect and sincerity. I’ll forever be grateful to the support of Lindsay, Emma and Mick Coutts – your son and brothers presence will never wane,” he said.