Designer who gave Basotho blanket a luxury twist, puts her mark on textiles
Bruce Whitfield talks culture, fashion and growth with Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana.
Fashion designer Thabo Makhetha. Image: Facebook
Award-winning fashion designer Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana established her eponymous luxury women’s wear label in 2009.
Since then she's become known particularly for creating beautiful garments inspired by Basotho blankets.
Most recently she showed her latest collection at SA Fashion Week, tying in with another authentic local brand, Veldskoen Shoes.
Makhetha-Kwinana told Bruce Whitfield how her journey started when she decided to go to a royalty-themed Durban July as a Mosotho princess.
"I wanted to represent my culture as this beautiful thing.... I chose the blankets because I thought Shesheswe was a known fabric, but it was more southern African cultures than the Basotho people specifically."
"The reaction people gave me from creating that very first garment is really what put me on this journey where I am right now."
Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, Fashion Designer
The designer says the much-discussed topic of appropriation is something she can't avoid.
At the same time, she's been hamstrung by people actually buying the blankets themselves once they've found out where, and recreating her work for cheaper prices, Makhetha-Kwinana says.
'We got to a point where we actually had shipments from China coming in with copies', she chuckles ruefully.
"There are different quality blankets... At the time I actually started using the blankets they were about 98% wool and 2% cotton. We decided to go that route because also we're looking at the sustainability aspect."
"And not just that - if you're going to invest in a garment you want something that's going to last you a long time and still look good... and I think that's one thing our brand has successfully managed to do with the pieces that we create."
Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, Fashion Designer
At Fashion Week last month, Makhetha-Kwinana showcased her own fabrics - linen, cotton and woven textiles.
She notes that 2024 marks the 200th year of the formation of Lesotho, and draws parallels with finding a like-minded 'tribe' to connect with.
"It's 200 years since a man stood up and gathered different tribes together, who had the same mindset and the same goal."
"I think it's that point in time where you realise there are certain people who also have similar mindsets and goals, a certain overview in terms of where do we want to see our next generation..."
"That's one of the conversations AGAIN with this collection to say: Find the people that have the same vision as you, and come together and create something beautiful... and Veldskoen,the heritage shoe we got to use, I think it just completed the story."
Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, Fashion Designer
Scroll up to listen to the inspiring interview