Thabo Makhetha making serious fashion waves with Afro-Luxe Couture

Thabo Makhetha is a luxury fashion brand established in 2009, rooted in heritage and culture. Founded by Fashion goddess Thabo Makhetha, the award-winning brand is one of the leading labels for a new wave of African-inspired designs known as Afro-Luxe Couture. Ready to wear collection, “Kobo Ea Bohali” (Blankets of prestige), is a range that consists of capes and jackets made from authentic Basotho blankets with a modern twist.

In 2014, Thabo Makhetha was listed in the Top 40 under 40 business leaders and honoured with the Impact Award for Design. Her starburst coat was nominated by Elle Magazine as the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa for 2016. Kobo Ea Bohadi, made its first debut at the Design Indaba Expo in 2013 as part of the Emerging Creatives programme. Not only do locals love the brand, it is also making international waves for breaking the “stereotype” in Afro-Luxe Couture.

Usually when international buyers think of Afro-Luxe Couture, they think animal prints and flea market wear but Thabo Makhetha transcended this norm by incorporating her own unique style. She adds that Aromat* in Afro-Luxe Couture! “International buyers love the twist and they can immediately identify the luxury aspect of the label, the texture of the faux fur, the 100% wool fabric, the stitching and timeless look of it. It then becomes really easy for them to invest in a garment.

 

 

They know they’ll turn heads wherever they go and we get emails from international clients who bought items 3 years ago, who still turn heads whenever they put on their Thabo Makhetha outfit.” says Makhetha.

The global trend is intended for a more individual style and in that sense locals themselves are on the lookout for what truly stands out. One of the biggest challenges in the market of luxurious Afro-Luxe Couture is that locals still invest in high-end international labels, but over time they are slowly discovering that you can make as much of a statement in a Thabo Makhetha jacket, that’s less expensive and way more visually striking than international brands.

 

 

The Thabo Makhetha Collective is the brainchild of fashion designer Thabo Makhetha and her entrepreneur husband, Kevin Kwinana, located at the African Pride 15 on Orange Hotel in Gardens, Cape Town. The Thabo Makhetha Collective is a celebration of the African luxury lifestyle with art work, décor, fashion and accessories for both men and women available in store. The store only launched on the 13 October 2016 and the response to it has been amazing. The launch event itself saw leading fashion, corporate and media heads descending into the African Pride Hotel to celebrate.

 

 

“An international guest, not wanting to miss out on the opening specials, bought 7 dresses and 5 handbags in one go. She commented that she expected a store of this quality to be a lot more expensive and vowed to recommend it to her friends.”says Makhetha. “The local response has been overwhelming, many buyers have commented that there need to be a lot more boutique stores such as the Thabo Makhetha Collective in the leading shopping malls.” The luxury store is home to some of the most exciting leading brands on the continent.

 

 

Their mantra “Inspired by Africa – Made in Africa” describes everything one needs to know about the store. It’s a collective because the store is more than just the Thabo Makhetha brand. Brands such as Imiso Ceramics, One of Each, Ruff Tung, Afrigarde and art by Muso Musoabi are all available.Talks with other brands in and outside of South Africa are well underway. All the current brands have had international exposure and recognition, most having done solo shows in New York, Paris and London. Makhetha says, “…being African and investing in quality African goods says a lot about you as a proud African and buyers are conscious of that.”

*Aromat is the brand name of a mass-produced general-purpose seasoning produced in Switzerland and South Africa under the brand name Knorr. Aromat is now used as a South African slang which emplies one seasoning thing can make anything taste good

Find out more about Thabo Makhetha designs:

Official website: http://www.thabomakhetha.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThaboMakhethaDesigns/