When Laduma Ngxokolo a textile graduate from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, started his research project he had no idea months later he would end up showing his first collection at London Fashion Week.
I first read about Laduma on Pattern & Textile blog. Since then I have done my catch up research only to find out this 25year old has developed such a phenomenal textile and product that maintains local production and sourcing all in South Africa.
He has developed a Xhosa-inspired range of knitwear for amakrwala (Xhosa for new initiates) and the fashion industry has been set ablaze with established designers interested in collaborations before this chap has even had time to really overstand all that has happened.
His inspiration came from Laduma himself being an initiate in which boys between the age of 18 and 23 undergo circumcision as part of a manhood initiation ritual. Once the initiates return home they must burn their entire wardrobe. Their parents must buy them an entire new wardrobe and a part of that wardrobe must be knitwear. This is where he saw a niche' most of the knitwear was not reflecting the Xhosa culture and are of course mainly imports. Read more of Laduma here Africa the Good News

.. Now that absolutely inspiring and amazing. Laduma is the spark of that next generation that will do what others say can not be done. Step into your greatness and acknowledge that we can be the change we want to see in this world..