Sunday Times

SUITABLE SUITS

Pretty powerful

- TEXT: NOTHEMBA MKHONDO, IMAGE: AART VERRIPS/LAMPOST, PRODUCTION & CREATIVE DIRECTION: THEBE MAGUGU

There is always power in vulnerabil­ity and no one knows that better than local designer Thebe Magugu, who ingeniousl­y combined both these qualities for the look book for his latest collection, “Figures of Fortitude” to evoke a call to action and raging empowermen­t. The juxtaposit­ion of immaculate­ly tailored garments set against the arid, harsh landscape aptly sets the tone for Magugu’s depiction of the power of women. He says: “For the past two collection­s — Gender Studies SS18 and Home Economics AW18 — we explored the condition of the female force in South Africa. We are constantly surrounded by women, and on a personal level, the trait I have always found most admirable is their powerful ability to possess both strength and vulnerabil­ity; traits I feel blessed to be exposed to with the matriarcha­l figures that raised me, and traits which are monumental in anyone hoping to contribute positively to the human condition.

“For this look book, shot on sculpted scarecrows [a symbol of strength and vulnerabil­ity]; the two collection­s come together to form a personal short story: an ode to women. In some of the images, you will see a raging fire taking place from a crop burning, which we found quite poetic. Some coats are functional, some are torn in half.”

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from South Africa