Maxwell Boko and Mmuso Potsane

Maxwell Boko and Mmuso Potsane are the founders and joint creative directors of Mmusomaxwell. The South African designers are known for their precise tailoring, sophisticated minimalism and use of a ‘slow fashion’ design philosophy. In 2022, they earned the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, as part of the International Woolmark Prize initiative, for a collection that explored performative religious figures. Worn by the likes of Beyoncé and Naomi Campbell, their designs have been featured in leading international publications. Mmusomaxwell garments have also been exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum’s “Africa Fashion” exhibition.

The Johannesburg-based duo met in 2016, while participating in the reality television competition show “The Intern by David Tlale,” and launched Mmusomaxwell later that year. They won the 2017 Sunglass Hut New Talent Search at South African Fashion Week and received a capital infusion for the brand after competing in the 2020 Arise Fashion Week “30 Under 30: The New Stars Arise” event. Boko studied fashion design at Vaal University of Technology in Vanderbijlpark, while Potsane studied fashion design at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein.