Orapeleng’s Style Avenue

The Mercedes Benz Africa Fashion International Week is among the most prestigious of events in any fashion designer’s life.

Talent from across the continent heads down to the Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton to showcase creativity and innovation in the hope of to changing the world through fashion.

This year saw the rise of young Pretoria-based designer Orapeleng Modutle of Orapeleng Modutle Style Avenue.

Modutle was born and bred in the heart of Kimberly, Northern Cape. He is defined by his unique ability to use less and create more. His creative abilities derive from childhood and, now in his early teens, he has adopted some sowing skills from his mother.

After matriculating, young Modutle moved to Pretoria to further his studies in Fashion at Tshwane University of Technology.

“Through my years of study I interned at a few fashion houses. One of them, Stoned Cherie by Nkhensani Nkosi, played a big role in furthering my knowledge on how to run a successful fashion business. Fast forwarding to graduation, I decided to open Orapeleng Modutle Style Avenue,” he said.

The Orapeleng Modutle Style Avenue original brand is becoming a leading name in South Africa’s young designer fashion scene.

Thanks to the distinctive style and unique brand identity, it has won recognition and acclaim on an international scale. Together with growing market success, the brand keeps evolving. Orapeleng Modutle answered a few of our questions:

What or who motivates you and why?

I get motivated by those who work endless hours and don’t stop chasing their dreams just so they create a better life for themselves.

Who are the women in your life who have made an impact?

My mother, Oprah Winfrey, and Bonang Matheba.

What story do you want your designs to tell?

The Orapeleng Modutle Style Avenue woman fits an ideal profile, heterogeneous and transversal.

More than a mere style, as such, she reflects a lifestyle, a realm of shared passions and attitudes with a strong connection to the defining qualities of all the brand’s collections: Feminine, fun, international, business-like. She loves to express her own romantic femininity, always with taste, sensibility and refinement, making the most of her natural attributes.

She feels at home wherever she is, travels in both time and space. She keeps inventing her own style, referencing different influences, inspirations and cultural traditions.

What is the inspiration behind your Spring/Summer collection?

The collection is inspired by a destination wedding. It is created for people who desire to get married in warm weather climates like the Greek islands, it caters for the bride and the mother of the bride. The collection is characterized by nautical glam style, inspired by sailor and yachting themes. It features an array of intricate floor-length gowns and skirts in various colour palettes, presenting an unmistakable tribute to femininity, romance and seduction yet remaining consistently elegant and pulled together in every look.

What goes into creating a collection?

A whole lot of planning and telling a story. We have worked endless hours and we were given a very short timeline to produce this collection, but thanks to an amazing team that I worked with we somehow managed to pull it off very well.

Where do you see yourself as a designer in 5 years?

I would like to have flagship stores around the country and supply boutiques and thereafter I would like to penetrate into the global market.

What is next for Orapeleng?

Becoming a household name in South Africa.