Image: Instagram/British_design Thebe Magugu’s star is on the rise. The 25-year-old South African fashion designer recently won the top prize at the British Council’s International Fashion Showcase (IFS) during London Fashion Week.
Magugu was called ‘a leader of his generation’ by the judging panel that described his installation as ‘not only having a striking visual impact but real clarity.’ The exhibition titled Dawning, had Magugu up against fifteen designers from all over the globe. The womenswear designer presented his collection ‘African Studies’ which he described as ‘a celebration of South Africa’s progress over the past few years. As many know South Africa has one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, almost a complete opposite to the version it was, post ‘94. Despite pushbacks and serious crimes against them, South Africa is also becoming even more women-led, which is incredible for a variety of reasons.’
Image: Instagram/Thebemagugu Another recent and pretty big deal is Magugu being selected as one of twenty finalists for the 2019 LVMH(Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) Prize in Paris. The twenty LVMH Prize designers were selected from a field of 1,700 applicants and are representing fifteen countries, two from Africa, our very own Magugu, and Kenneth Izedonmwen from Nigeria. Since its launch in 2013, the Prize has been considered a true enabler for young talent from all over the world. The grand prize includes €300 000 and a year being mentored by the Louis Vuitton designers. Magugu got to present his ‘African studies’ collection to none other than sister-publication Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour and Delphine Anrault, the executive vice president of Louis Vuitton and the founder of the Prize.
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Delphine Arnault together with all the #lvmhprize2019 shortlisted designers. #lvmhprize
A post shared by LVMHPrize(@lvmhprize) on Mar 1, 2019 at 8:16am PST
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A post shared by LVMHPrize(@lvmhprize) on Feb 28, 2019 at 12:46pm PST
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A post shared by Thebe Magugu(@thebemagugu) on Feb 25, 2019 at 1:28am PST
Honored to have presented my collection “African Studies” to Anna Wintour and Delphine Arnault in Paris for @LVMHPrize, who both took home a copy of our zine @FacultyPress #LVMHPrize pic.twitter.com/ZdqRxSA41W
— THEBE MAGUGU (@_ThebeMagugu_) March 3, 2019
Reunited with my sisters @bellahadid and @GiGiHadid after we were so tragically separated at birth #LVMHPrize pic.twitter.com/D5rVgZldI6
— THEBE MAGUGU (@_ThebeMagugu_) March 2, 2019
We are proud of this African brother man, we are rooting for you Thebe, and hoping that you bag that Prize in June!
