From the Series
Mohair is a greatly versatile textile. Its sustainable, breathable, elastic and lightweight. Drawing on these qualities Laduma Ngxokolo, a student at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, created a range of mohair knitted textiles to explore the cultural heritage of the Xhosa people.
Ngxokolo’s “The Colourful World of the Xhosa Tribe” earned him the first place in the Society of Dyers and Colourists’s annual international design competition, recently held in London.
Inspired by the Xhosa initiation ceremonies, Ngxokolo wanted to create garments that could be worn by Xhosa men on traditional occasions. The winning designs make use of a blend of Merino wool and Kid mohair, the latter was added for extra sheen and richness of colour.
Ngxokolo is a fourth year BTech student in textile design and technology. He is particularly keen to set up his own production line for mohair knitwear in his hometown Port Elizabeth.
