Laduma Ngxokolo

Laduma Ngxokolo is the designer behind MaXhosa Africa, a luxury knitwear label renowned for its fusion of traditional Xhosa textile motifs and embellishments with modern silhouettes. Ngxokolo’s approach to design has not only elevated South African fashion on the global stage but has also provided luxury brands across the wider African continent with a playbook to consider. By 2024, MaXhosa Africa employed 260 people and boasted six mono-brand stores including five in South Africa and one in New York City. In the same year, the brand debuted at Paris Fashion Week, marking a new chapter in Ngxokolo’s career.

Ngxokolo’s innovative designs have earned him a place in prestigious exhibitions at institutions such as MoMA and the Smithsonian in the US. Since launching MaXhosa Africa in 2010 he has championed local manufacturing by collaborating with artisans and acquiring a factory in Johannesburg. Born and raised in Gqeberha, South Africa, Ngxokolo honed his knitting skills from his mother and furthered his expertise by studying textile design and technology at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. His pursued a master’s degree at Central Saint Martins in London.