Macgyver Mukwevho and Solomzi Phenduka of the Podcast and Chill recently had a sit down with the Creative Director of MaXhosa Afrika Laduma Ngxokolo for an episode of their podcast.
The pair who were in the US for a BET gig shot a few podcast episodes that side with A-listers and prominent people in the arts industry.
With a new store recently opened in New York, Laduma sat down with the pair to reflect on where his brand comes from.
Speaking on the growth of the luxury clothing brand, and how his brand got a lot of support from Cape Town he shared:
“Literally, in Cape Town 90% if not 99% of our market was white people. Which was Germans, Dutch, Cape Townians and a few Americans.”
He added that one of the reasons they received support from white tourists was that they placed their product in the busiest street known to attract a lot of tourists, Long Street.
MaXhosa items were available at a shop called Ultra Luxury Boutique which sold expensive African Luxury Products.
The father of one spoke about his first big order adding, “I started selling my products there (African Luxury Products) and the lady that welcomed me was apparently at the Design Indaba Conference in Cape Town. I later learned that the lady who placed the first big order which was 300 pieces of MaXhosa … and she was like I will sell your clothes like its art. I will do justice to your brand. She’s an Afrikaans lady, from the Rupert family, Johann Rupert’s daughter.”
He added that Johann’s daughter told him to send his banking details for a deposit promising to send the balance as soon as the clothes were ready while extending a further business partnership.
Laduma adds that the brand has been doing business with her since that day, which was over 10 years ago. He did however note that they went independent seven years ago but still link up for work with the Rupert lady.
#PodcastAndChill – Laduma on the role Johan Rupert’s daughter played in growing MaXhosa, taking it to the world, doing justice to the brand?
“She ordered 300 pieces of MaXhosa”♥
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