Mantsho, a renowned design house by award-winning designer Palesa Mokubung, celebrates 20 years in the South African fashion industry with a series of notable milestones.
The design house boasting a string awards and a history of attending SA Fashion Week since 2004, is set to debut a solo show at the SA Fashion Week set happen at Melrose Arch on September 28.
Speaking about the upcoming show Mokubung said: “The collection will be soft and delicate while maintaining the strength and edge that a Mantsho woman possesses. We will also introduce pieces that are 100% cotton, which will be a huge milestone for the brand.
“Mantsho always aims to demonstrate the beauty of being a black and contemporary woman at any stage in her life in a bold, authentic, and gracious way. Clothes are what we make. Style and grace are what we sell. The show is called ‘Mosa’, which means ‘Grace’ in Sesotho, and really expresses my gratitude to be so abundantly blessed. However, ‘Mosa’ also happens to be my daughter’s name.’’
Mokubung holds a Bachelor of Arts in fashion design from the Design School of Southern Africa, now known as Vega. Her fashion journey began when she went to register for the Clothing Production course at Vanderbijlpark Technical College. It had been the shortest queue, and so it was easy to make the choice, but once the choice was made, she decided to be good at it.
It is explained that from the start, her inspiration has been women, the African aesthetic, and the history of fashion. Mokubung works closely with her internal team in designing her fabrics.
In reflecting on her career, she says: “I’ve given South African fashion a voice, an identity; I’ve created trends along the way. Not to mention having the privilege of being the first brand to collaborate with H&M and have partnerships with brands such as Nedbank and Hertex. Especially coming from an era where collaborations weren’t really a thing,” she says.
Mantsho, the first design house to collaborate with H&M, launched a collection in 2019 sold in both H&M’s flagship and online stores worldwide.
“There have been many accolades and notable brand collaborations in her 20-year career. This is my life’s work. I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager. I’ve been focused on my business and building my brand so much that time just flew by, and only now I’m realising how far I’ve come. I must say I’m very proud of myself.’’
She was also named “The African Trend Dictator” by True Love Magazine in 2019.
In addition to winning the Haig Club Clubman Disruptor Award and the GQ Best Dressed Award, she was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award at Free State Fashion Week.
In 2014, she was recognised by the Carol Bouwer Mbokodo Award for her outstanding and valuable contribution in the field of arts and culture in South Africa.
Mantsho has showcased at South African Fashion Week and all over the world multiple times, including at the BRICS show in 2018.
She says she aims to continue serving the community and inspiring young designers while building a brand that South Africa is proud of.
The Star