Paris Fashion Week is often recognised as the pinnacle of the global luxury industry, so it’s unsurprising that South African fashion brand MaXhosa headed to the French capital for the second consecutive time this year to launch a new collection. Paris is where designers go when they’re looking to explore the global luxury market and build their brands beyond home territory. Drawing its message from the Renaissance period which championed the rediscovery of classical art and literature, MaXhosa’s Spring Summer 2025 collection aims to reshape the essence of African luxury in a similar fashion of rediscovery and storytelling. “We wanted to define what luxury means to us as a brand beyond the preconceived ideas of colonial representation of the continent”, explains Laduma Ngxokolo, founder and chief creative of MaXhosa.
African fashion has been on a consistent upward trajectory in the last few years, and leading brands like MaXhosa are utilising this renewed global interest on the continent to cement themselves beyond the African borders. On the catwalk, there were familiar pieces in modest styles such as a button-down dress in pastel colours and striking geometric patterns that have become synonymous with the brand alongside pristine matching golfer t-shirts and shorts. This collection evoked a sense of restraint in colour and some looks were intended for people with a more muted taste.
The pieces reflected the current mood of casual, streetwear-inspired summer dressing through leisurely wide-leg trousers and loose-fitting tops. There were also newer design ideas including a cut-out skirt and vest styled with a lace inner, a scale-detailed sleeveless top with a beaded hemline, and a stunning pair of jeans with playful motifs. These looks had a youthful edge to them perhaps to capture a younger market as the brand pursues its international strategy.
MaXhosa has spent the last two years expanding its retail business in South Africa and internationally. The brand has multiple flagship stores in major cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town and opened its first international store, a pop-up concept, in New York City earlier this year. More recently, however, MaXhosa launched a new space in Sandton City and its growth plans are expected to continue with a rollout of additional retail stores soon.
This collection also introduces the brand’s foray into fine jewellery. Delightfully cool pieces from earrings to chain necklaces and bracelets were used to accessorise some key looks. MaXhosa is at a turning point in its remarkable journey. Founded in 2010, the brand has spent the last decade refining its offering and production capabilities while building a loyal fanbase of consumers.
This year, Ngxokolo is part of BOF 500, an international index of people shaping the global fashion industry alongside the likes of Pharrell Williams, Zac Posen, Gucci’s Sabato De Sarno, and other fashion luminaries. He has a lot to celebrate but if Ngxokolo’s plans to expand MaXhosa are anything to go by, this is only the beginning.
