Why should you care about fashion as an African? | Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana

We are pleased to welcome Lesotho-born, South Africa-raised fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, as a guest on our channel’s podcast.

Thabo is well-renowned for her incredible designs, which are centred around her Basotho culture.

In fact, in 2016, Jackie Burger, the editor-in-chief of Elle Magazine South Africa, at the time, nominated one of her Basotho-centred designs as the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa. And Thabo has not only been featured in Elle magazine, but also in Vogue and in Marie-Claire.

In this video, we discuss a range of topics, including the importance of fashion in Africa, the unique relationship between Lesotho & South Africa, the history of the Basotho blanket and even the dynamics of post-apartheid South Africa. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss.
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LINKS:

Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/4bXdR3i

Listen to this episode on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3P3AOZ0

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3Iihljp
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Thabo’s Top 3 African Fashion Designers:

- Thebe Magugu: https://bit.ly/49Wr7Dq
- Maxhosa (by Laduma Ngxokolo): https://bit.ly/3IpqDda
- Abantu in Africa (by Thandazani Nofingxana): https://bit.ly/3uTxBnI
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TIMECODES

00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:52 - Why is fashion so important to Africa’s future?
00:04:46 - Lesotho’s unique relationship with South Africa
00:08:50 - Why did your family move to South Africa + earliest memories of life in SA
00:14:19 - Did you always want to become a fashion designer?
00:15:36 - How did your fashion become as cultural as it is now?
00:19:52 - Was your culture taught to you or did you have to discover it on your own?
00:23:21 - Is South Africa still segregated in 2023 & has it progressed enough since apartheid?
00:31:24 - The impact of Thabo’s parents creating a bubble for her to grow up in
00:32:50 - Thabo’s activism + humans losing basic respect for each other
00:38:25 - What is a Basotho blanket? The history of Basotho blankets
00:41:23 - Why did you centre your designs around the Basotho blanket?
00:44:22 - Africa still doesn’t own its own fabrics!
00:45:29 - Cultural appropriation + whether individuals can appropriate fashion
00:49:05 - Why don’t Africans buy from local designers?
00:50:18 - What is the real impact of fast fashion on Africa + what does sustainability mean in this context?
00:53:52 - The business of fashion & the journey of a designer
00:59:05 - Building a team as invested in your values as you are
01:02:23 - What is the moment you’re most proud of across your career?
01:04:38 - What’s your favourite item you’ve designed?
01:08:14 - Top 3 African designers you’ve got your eye on
01:12:15 - What is the one thing that will transform Africa over the next few decades?