A 26-year-old fashion designer from the dusty streets of Kimberley, is the first South African to ever win the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy prize.
The prize comprises of a year’s worth of mentoring from the fashion group and a cash prize of 300,000 euros. Alicia Vikander, brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton awarded Magugu with the honour on Wednesday in Paris.
“Winning the prize means the world to me €300,000 [goes] a very long way. The unemployment rate is 30 percent of the youth in South Africa. That is massive. I want to do my part”; said Magugu
This the most sought-after prize in world of fashion as it celebrates young fashion designers and help them propel their career.
LVMH is said to be home to 75 distinguished houses rooted in six different sectors namely; wine, spirits, fashion and leather goods. True to tradition, each of these brands are built on the of legacy specialty while keeping focus on the exquisite caliber of its products.
As South Africa celebrates heritage month, this is a perfect reminder on how the country can celebrate its colourful nature of diverse culture, language and food. Magugu’s win is a stamp of affirmation that South Africa is a runway of fashion envy for the world.
Thebe Magugu has been featured in many South African youth culture publications such The Times and Flux Trends. His latest collection was featured at the South African Fashion Week earlier this year. He describes his work as “sleek, forward-looking design intersects with motifs from our continent’s storied past, providing smart, multifaceted clothes as valuable as their woman.”
In 2016 Magugu launched his womenswear label after completing his fashion design, photography and media studies.
Magugu has previously won the overall award for curation and fashion content at the International Fashion Showcase, which was supported by the British Fashion Council.
Watch Magugu’s spring | summer 2019 show at SA fashion week here.
Speaking on his influence in The New York Times Style Magazine, Magugu said; “I’ve always been surrounded by independent, headstrong women” Brand South Africa congratulates Magugu for flying the South Africa flag high and wishes him all the best as he takes the global fashion stage by storm.
