In 2014, Emerging Creative Lukhanyo Mdingi was a fashion student turning heads with his avant-garde course collections. Now in 2015, he is a fashion designer who is refining his distinctive style through his own fashion label.
Originally from the small town of East London, Mdingi moved to Cape Town to study fashion design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He first made his mark on the local fashion scene as a finalist in the Elle Rising Star Design Awards. During his studies, Mdingi completed two collections – Basics and Granite, which were largely inspired by the beauty of natural form. In his recent Fall 2015 collection Macramé, Mdingi stays true to his minimalist aesthetic but draws inspiration from the ancient knotting art by incorporating fabrics that are rich in woven texture.
In this video interview, the young South African designer talks about his less-is-more approach to fashion and his ready-to-wear menswear ranges that he hopes will encourage South African men to expand their idea of everyday clothing.
“People identify luxury menswear with suits but I want to create a luxury brand that’s based on everyday clothes. I want to be part of a movement that empowers South African menswear,” says Mdingi.
For more on Lukhanyo Mdingi, see his latest SS16 menswear collection, Taintless.
