Mnisi gets bright idea from his Rich past
Backdrop tribute to lobolo ceremony
Local fashion designer Rich Mnisi pays homage to his great-grandmother for his latest look-book.
Titled Nwa-Mulamula: Lobola the high-fashion glossy stars models Yannick Konan, Deja Bynum, Richard Awuni, Collins Onyejekewe, Summer Zoe Thompson and Dylan Wentze showcasing brighthued layers with edgy cuts and bold prints by Mnisi.
“An undocumented woman born during World War 2 from rural Valdezia in Limpopo, she only exists in the time capsule of age-old stories fondly told through generations in my family,” Mnisi said.
“She embodies all the qualities of a mother. A guardian, a beacon of light and represents the generations of strong women that have moulded the man I am today. “Although she rests as a guardian in an ancestral realm, her spirit, lessons and sacrifices have defied temporal limitations.”
In a beautifully penned letter that explains the inspiration behind the campaign, Mnisi says the rustic backdrop with black and white cattle was inspired by the lobola ceremony. “In the spirit of imagining an ancestor into existence, this is dedicated to my artistic muse and the place where I draw inspiration – I sought to imagine her into existence, through a daydream of her role as a matriarch set against the backdrop of a lobola ceremony.”
During her performance in SA in December, Beyoncé rocked designs by Mnisi as part of her off-duty look.