The changing face of african luxury
SHE has always been the prettiest girl in the room. The one everyone envies because of what she has. And yet because she doesn’t want her peers to feel threatened by her, she diminishes herself, lends and even let’s them take her finery away.
And yet even with her dress in tatters, ripped to shreds like Cinderella’s was by her stepmother and sisters, she still shines, her beauty impossible to ignore...
That is the continent of Africa. A powerful continent who has been quiet for a long time. But she has had enough of being in the shadows and denying herself of her power, beauty and wealth. And so have her children.
When Thebe Magugu was awarded the 2019 LVMH Prize, it confirmed what many in the fashion and arts space have been saying for years: the time for Africa to be in the spotlight has come.
His designs tell a story, are immaculately designed, use the best fabrics, textiles and technology.
They are luxury items that any fashionista worth their salt would wear with pride. The news this past week that another South African designer, Sindiswa Khumalo has been shortlisted for the prize, has once again proven that the time for Africa has indeed come.
For the longest time we have believed that luxury cannot be associated with the continent of Africa. We have embraced Western brands, designs and habits, as the definition of luxury. We rarely ever looked at homegrown brands as luxury. But that has changed.
When the Conde Nast International Luxury Conference took place in Cape Town last year, the biggest players in the world of luxury commerce were present. It was a moment where the world of luxury confirmed that their spotlight was on Africa.
At the conference, Uche Pézard, chief executive of The Luxe Corp Group and founder of Luxury Connect Africa said: “The Afrocentric population worldwide is more than two billion people whose shared cultural codes, collective consciousness and inclusive influences are defining their relationship to luxury both inside and outside Africa. Understanding them is key to luxury success in afro societies.”