MaXhosa Africa unveiled its autumn/winter 2026 SiyiKulture collection last night in a dazzling Paris Fashion Week presentation.
Video is courtesy of The Voice Lounge
Showcasing for the fifth consecutive season on the official Paris Fashion Week schedule, Laduma Ngxokolo, the Xhosa knitwear brand’s founder and chief creative designer, presented the collection at Le Philanthro-Lab in a historic building dating back to the 15th century near Notre Dame.
Ngxokolo, who has dressed former US first lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé and Black Coffee, has built a huge international following over the years.
“What’s new and different this time is that there’s a lot more texture,” he told the Sunday Times ahead of the show.
“We never compromise on perspective. There is always colour in MaXhosa; that is part of our DNA, but this season our core colours are expressed in a very energetic way to communicate ‘kulture’.”
New textural elements with materials including mohair, viscose, wool, cotton and lurex help to communicate the cultural aesthetic. Cultural references also appear through historical garments reinterpreted for the runway.
We amended that to reference the idea that we are very much inspired by the Zulu culture, the Xhosa culture, the Tsonga tribe, the Sotho culture, and learning how in popular culture we must reference who we are
— Laduma Ngxokolo
MaXhosa culture and communications lead Ntsika Tyatya said one look draws inspiration from a traditional Zulu rear apron worn by leaders and warriors.
“The piece we reference is called iBeshu — an ancient loincloth made with animal hide,” he said. “Historically it would have been worn by kings, queens, princes and warriors going into battle.
“We amended that to reference the idea that we are very much inspired by the Zulu culture, the Xhosa culture, the Tsonga tribe, the Sotho culture, and learning how in popular culture we must reference who we are.”
A special performance by award-winning South African dancer Robot Boii (Mzwakhe Mbuli Jnr) was a highlight of the show. Well-known personalities, from contemporary South African artist Nelson Makamo to renowned fashion journalist Suzy Menkes, were among the celebrity guests in the front row.
Gqeberha-born Ngxokolo said that growing global interest in African heritage reflects the continent’s enduring cultural influence — and possible Paris expansion.
“We’re not opening an office in Paris yet, but we will be joining a Paris showroom next year,” he said. “We believe that we must prioritise our service at home first when it comes to distribution and retail before we come and cater to the rest of the world.
“Last year, we launched a boutique in East London, which brings our number of retail stores to 10. So we’ve almost closed each and every corner of South Africa when it comes to our retail representation.
“From the trips we’ve been doing around the world, we can see that South Africa is claiming more ‘real estate’ when it comes to dance influence and when it comes to music, specifically amapiano and afrotech music. We’re so proud of Tyla and other public figures who have been a tremendous positive influence around the world.
“So this collection is especially dedicated to South Africa and the African continent, and we are ultimately becoming a big influence when it comes to culture. Soon, we hope that fashion too will be one of those big influences.
“MaXhosa is a brand that celebrates culture, our own and throughout Africa. When it comes to film, entertainment and fashion, there’s a huge opportunity at hand, and we cannot sleep on it.”
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