Lukhanyo Mdingi’s eponymous label demonstrates a reverent commitment to the human spirit through the vehicle of design. Since 2015, the label has seen steadfast growth as one of the most critical facets of South Africa’s fashion landscape, while being intentionally renowned.
This collaborative collection was made on their fifth floor design centre at the ‘NFS workshop’ led by Dennis Collins, and showcases their ongoing vision to bring about the production potential of local design right in the heart of Cape Town. The collection itself embodies Lukhanyo Mdingi’s ongoing dialogue with sporting attire as rich with sartorial histories and cultural relevance, as seen by the label’s SS23 BURKINA Collection.
Unique to the label’s practice, is Lukhanyo’s commitment to re-imagining design as a pathway to restoring dignity and preserving craftsmanship. Through a network of relationships with artisans from Khayelitsha, to the Eastern Cape and up to Burkina Faso; Lukhanyo Mdingi continues to advance a vision for artisanal through the ‘hands that make’, as central to his expression as a designer. Through a focus on natural fibres, textured materiality, perennial tailoring and focused referencing; the label perfectly distils contemporary, African design in the 21st century.
