In fashion, succession is often seen as passing the baton to a new creative director who can protect a house’s codes while introducing something fresh. However, for many African luxury brands, the stakes are higher. These brands represent personal, cultural, and ancestral legacies. As global interest in African design grows, can a brand so deeply rooted in one person’s story – their heritage, values, and community – truly live on in someone else’s hands?
Finding the Balance
While global fashion houses often embrace a rotating leadership model, African luxury brands face unique challenges. Their stories are intertwined with the legacies of their founders, whose personal and cultural narratives shape their work. For African founders, the decision to select a successor goes beyond design talent. It’s about finding someone who can protect the soul of the brand – rooted in heritage and community. This responsibility isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about preserving a legacy that is distinctly African.
“African brands aren’t just brands. They are vessels of memory and resistance,” explains Modupe Oloruntoba, founder of The Fashion Operator. “Our designs speak not only to the present but also to the struggles, triumphs, and stories of our ancestors. This isn’t just fashion; it’s cultural continuity.” Fashion, for Oloruntoba, reflects the community’s history and values. This view highlights the significance of leadership succession in African brands – it’s about continuing the cultural narrative.
Rich Mnisi, founder of the eponymous fashion brand, agrees that leadership transitions are about more than design. His philosophy, anchored in duality, sees old and new, light and dark, holy and wicked coexisting. “If someone takes over one day,” Mnisi says, “they must understand this deeper narrative beyond aesthetics. They need to embrace the tension between cultures and how my work brings together life’s contrasts. It’s about an emotional, intellectual, and spiritual connection to the brand’s heritage and its forward-thinking vision.”
For Mnisi, the continuation of his brand’s legacy isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about sustaining a narrative deeply rooted in cultural and emotional ties to African heritage. A successor must understand this relationship to carry his legacy forward.
Evolution and Interpretation
Laduma Ngxokolo of Maxhosa Africa shares a similar outlook. He believes the future of his brand lies in openness – openness to evolution, interpretation, and leadership beyond himself. “As Maxhosa Africa evolves, it will not just be a personal story of mine or a cultural-based aesthetic. It will be received in multiple ways,” Ngxokolo explains. He envisions transitioning from creative director to chairman of a larger group, where a collective of multicultural creatives guides the brand, as long as its core values and aesthetic remain intact.
Ngxokolo’s vision reflects a shift toward more collaborative leadership. “The brand is open to interpretation… as long as the values are maintained and the aesthetic stays the same,” he says. Leadership, in his view, is about a person’s spirit and connection to the brand, not just credentials. This openness suggests the brand can evolve under new leadership, as long as its core principles are preserved.
A Hybrid Future
Lukhanyo Mdingi, whose label emphasises community, timeless design, and craftsmanship, supports a flexible, hybrid approach to leadership. Based in Cape Town, Mdingi believes leadership can be shaped by working with a team that shares the broader vision. “Legacy and leadership are guided by working with the right people,” Mdingi says. “If the new creative director respects the values of the maison, the essence and spirit won’t be lost.” A solid succession plan, Mdingi believes, allows both founder-led and rotating leadership to coexist, ensuring sustainability.
“I believe both can live together,” Mdingi concludes. For him, succession isn’t about adhering to one specific leadership model but about ensuring that the brand’s values continue to thrive, regardless of who leads.
The Soul of the Brand
The true soul of an African brand lies in its values, which must be preserved whether the founder remains or a new leader takes over. The future of African luxury may not lie in maintaining a singular vision but in ensuring the founder’s cultural story continues to shape the brand. As long as its values are upheld and its narrative respected, new perspectives can thrive.
Modupe Oloruntoba sums it up: “This conversation isn’t about founders vs. change. The frequent leadership changes we’ve seen, especially in Europe, aren’t always driven by a desire for change. They’re about teams that get along (or don’t), designers succeeding in categories the bottom line depends on, and making the best choice for profit today or legacy tomorrow.” Oloruntoba’s words highlight that leadership changes are often strategic, ensuring alignment with values while adapting to new circumstances.
Progress in African luxury isn’t about abandoning the past but building upon it thoughtfully. The soul of a brand may not be easily passed down, but with the right stewardship, it can be carried forward.
