Sarah Téibo releases ‘Baba O’, a Celebration of Life

Mar 21, 2025 | New Release, Music

London-based, award-winning gospel artist Sarah Téibo is making a change in 2025 with the release of ‘Baba O’ (Afro House Remix), a fusion of African rhythms and soulful house beats. The track reinvents one of the standout songs from her latest EP, ‘Human Like Me’, injecting it with a fresh energy that is deeply spiritual.

An anthem of hope, ‘Baba O’ carries a universal message—no matter what we go through, we are never alone. Originally crafted as a soulful worship piece, this new remix, produced by Sigag Lauren, reimagines the song for the dancefloor, blending pulsating beats with Téibo’s signature warm, emotive vocals. 

“This remix is a joyful expression of life, love, and light,” shares Téibo. “I wanted to give ‘Baba O’ a new soundscape—one that makes people want to move, while still holding onto its original uplifting message. The fusion of Afro house, Afropop, and Afrosoul gives it a vibrant, electrifying feel.”

Known for breaking barriers in the gospel scene, Téibo has already made history as the first female independent gospel artist to top the Official UK Charts, with a catalogue that spans MOBO-nominated albums and Billboard-charting singles. With this latest release, she continues to evolve, showcasing her versatility and ability to inspire across genres.

‘Baba O’ (Afro House Remix) marks an exciting new chapter in Téibo’s career—one that keeps her firmly rooted in her faith while embracing the global rhythms that bring people together.

 

Listen to ‘Baba O’ here

 

Press Release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

Gibela, A Meditation on Cultural Consciousness by FEDE Arthouse

Mar 20, 2025 | Art, Community

Established in 2020 by artist and curator, Lebo Kekana, FEDE Arthouse is a nomadic gallery working at the intersection of art, design and culture. Through research-based and site specific presentations, FEDE’s curatorial practice centres around ‘space-making’ to create alternative exhibition experiences in varying environments.

FEDE sets out to defy the “white-wall” template, dismissing the clinical approach to exhibition making, and opting for a methodology more curious, culturally engaged, and community-based. Gibela a Nguni word translating to ‘Get on board’, the exhibition, is but one part of a moving programme, between Johannesburg and Cape Town, with various layers of cultural activations.

Gibela, the latest curatorial offering by FEDE Arthouse is an exhibition showcasing the work of 6 artists based between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Brussels. Led by the work of cultural production, the aim of this showcase is towards the development of expression, recognition and respect of different cultures, including one’s own. 

Gibela is thus intended to speak not only through Fine Art, but rather a broad field of Cultural Production, including ‘Groove Culture’ and design — amongst various other elements through which many societies throughout human history have sought to self-define and create environments which reflect and preserve their values, beliefs and knowledge systems.

We had the pleasure of discussing Gibela with Lebo through this interview:

Exhibition photography by Athenkosi Maqubela

Gibela represents a span of culturally important and relevant work, can you talk about what the experience was like whilst curating this exhibition? 

Lebo: The first challenge came with recognising how broad a concept ‘culture’ is in itself. To address this, we wanted to create a broad palette of cultural experiences, beyond just an art exhibition, recognising how, as a format of gathering, an exhibition alone is too culturally specific and doesn’t hold enough room for diverse perspectives and ways of being. Gibela is therefore a first step in FEDE making it clear that we’re not only interested in Fine Art, and are broadening our framing, speaking instead through ‘Cultural Production’.

This has encouraged us to practice in ways beyond our comfort zone. For instance, throwing a party — and I mean, a Joburg kind of party, was a first. And it was incredible! We’re testing out alternative formats beyond the exhibition model. Our space of interest is in how various models can borrow from each other to create new, forward-thinking forms of cultural engagement.

Can you tell us about how the shows differed across the two host cities and what the intention was of having different experiences in JHB and Cape Town?

Lebo: From my own experience of existing between the two cities, there’s a sense of monoculturalism that defines the city of Cape Town, which is contrasted by the melting-pot that is Johannesburg. And based on similar reflections from the participating artists, this became Gibela’s point of departure. As an exercise in cultural consciousness, we wanted to comment on and draw from how culturally distinct these two cities are — how it’s almost as though the spell of Eurocentrism, as a kind of late-stage form of colonialism, has deeper roots in one city than the other.

On a more granular level, Gibela contemplates the application of seemingly universal epistemologies to specific cultural contexts – think of the imposition of Modernist principles in a Bantu homeland, or inversely, uMaskandi being blasted in a gallery, for example. This space of interest results in a matrix of references that exist on a spectrum between ‘the regional’ and ‘the universal’.

From these two ideas, arose a kind of abstract duality which we emphasised with two main offerings – uMcimbi and an exhibition, in Johannesburg and Cape Town, respectively. uMcimbi (a Nguni word meaning ‘event’ or ‘party’) in South Africa, it’s typically characterised by collective engagement through singing traditional songs, dancing, and ululations, and is a celebration of culture, family and community. The ‘White Cube’, on the other hand, is the archetypal (and universal) modality for engaging with the products of artistic expression, and it finds its origins in the advent of 20th-century Western Modernism.

These two distinct formats of gathering exist as the anchor points of Gibela. Together they create a third space defined by a broad palette of cultural nuances — cultivating a consciousness of culture rooted in the South African context but informed by a global ontology.

Each of the six artists involved in the Gibela exhibition explores a broad palette of cultural nuances including their histories, identity politics and socio-environmental positioning in a unique and intersectional way (spanning 2018-2025). What was the process like curating these works specifically, whilst some were made beforehand, like Mandisa Buthelezi‘s photographic series, were some of the works created specifically for this exhibition?

Lebo: Each artist was invited to form part of Gibela because I felt their overall practice intrinsically reflected a consciousness of culture, grounded by personal narratives. Some artists extended already existing work, while others were keen to create completely new work specifically for Gibela — something I never take for granted, because it expresses the artists’ response to the central idea, which expands our framework beyond the initial prompts.

Gibela poses a range of important questions, including a more subliminal challenging of hegemonic ideologies and homogenous ways of seeing. How would you encourage people to take this ideology and concept behind Gibela and practice it in their own lives?

Lebo: I’ll answer with a set of polar definitions by Bermet Borubaeva. She defines the ‘colonised’ production of knowledge as “the alienation from context, from creation of meanings and their replacement with external cultural dominants.” She then describes the decolonisation of knowledge production as a traumatic but emancipatory process and “experience of finding yourself, your context, your history, your background, your discourse and constituting it publicly.” So, Gibela! (“Get on board”).

Creative gestures may come in many forms, be it through an artist’s decision to communicate ideas using their native language, a designer’s reimagining of tradition in the definition of a context-conscious modernity, or a filmmaker’s recovering of silenced histories through activating personal or public archives in order to inform new modes of storytelling. These curious, courageous and sincere creative gestures become a means to create signifiers which resonate more closely with one’s true sense of self. Gibela has successfully layered elements of both past and present, influences both local and universal to bring together a culturally diverse, complex and rich conversation which strives towards the betterment of self and collective community.

Exhibition photography by Athenkosi Maqubela

About Gibela’s Participating Artists:

Chuma Adam is a multidisciplinary artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, working mainly through painting, printmaking, drawing and textiles. Her work is greatly informed by the writings of philosopher Édouard Glissant, such as his theory on opacity in “Poetics of Relation”.

Boemo Diale is a multi-disciplinary artist who grew up navigating different racial and socio-political structures in Rustenburg and the suburbs of Johannesburg as a young mixed-race woman. Rather than incongruent, her playful, bright and layered use of spray paint, ink, pastel and acrylic paint and form signals a deconstruction of struggle, vulnerability and fierce questioning about her sense of place impacted by maternal relationships, community and global tropes. 

Nkhensani Mkhari is a South African nomadic artist. His diverse body of work is distinguished by an observation of his surroundings and an ongoing investigation of the artistic medium’s foundations. Drawing inspiration from the vibrant cultural and social landscapes of South Africa, Mkhari’s art delves into themes of identity, community, and the human condition.

Bongani Tshabalala is a South African artist whose work is dedicated to reimagining spaces and places through the use of fragrance, music, food, photography, text, and product design.

Anna van der Ploeg is an interdisciplinary artist primarily across the mediums of sculpture, painting, printmaking and writing. Her work is driven by an interest in societal imagination and finding new perspectives on the idea of community.

Mandisa Buthelezi, born in 1991, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Mandisa Buthelezi is a Photographer and Cultural Producer who was raised in the township of Umlazi, in Durban. The importance of cataloguing and documenting African culture through visual art has become an important component of her work through work assignments. This has shaped her notion of sustaining the culture that surrounds her.

 

View ‘Gibela’ catalog for further information on available artworks here

 

Follow FEDE Arthouse on Instagram here

Rich Mnisi celebrates their 10th anniversary with their latest collection, ‘Nambu’

Mar 20, 2025 | Creatives, Fashion

This year, RICH MNISI marks a decade of storytelling, craftsmanship, and cultural expression. To celebrate this milestone, the trans-seasonal 25 collection, NAMBU (River), is more than just a seasonal offering—it is a declaration of identity, a testament to the brand’s journey, and a reflection on the currents that have shaped its legacy.

NAMBU, meaning “river,” symbolises vitality, movement, and the endless flow of creativity that has carried RICH MNISI over the past ten years. Water, like time, is in constant motion, carving paths, shaping landscapes, and nourishing the world around it. In the same way, RICH MNISI has navigated the evolving tides of fashion, steadily carving out a unique space where heritage and modernity merge.

All imagery courtesy of Rich Mnisi

For this campaign, they explore patriotism—not in the traditional sense, but through the lens of devotion to the world of RICH MNISI. The lookbook introduces the Republic of RICH MNISI, a nation built on boldness, fluidity, and fearless self-expression. This imagined republic manifests visually through flags inspired by the South African, Nigerian, and Guatemalan flags—each a nod to the cultural influences that have shaped the brand’s ethos. These flags, much like the garments in the collection, symbolise unity, resilience, and the blending of diverse narratives into a singular, powerful statement.

NAMBU encapsulates this spirit through fluid silhouettes, rich textures, and a palette that mirrors the vibrancy of nature’s lifeblood—rivers that sustain, heal, and transform. Each design is a reflection of growth, a tribute to the past, and a bold step into the future of the brand.

As RICH MNISI turns 10, this collection serves as a reminder that fashion is more than what we wear—it is a declaration of identity, a story woven into fabric, and a movement that flows beyond borders. Welcome to the Republic of RICH MNISI. Welcome to NAMBU.

Shop the collection here

Press release courtesy of iM4 Agency

The Pioneering Madame of Hyperpop, Angel-Ho

Mar 19, 2025 | Interviews, Creatives

The DIY music scene has always been a space for radical self-definition, but hyperpop has taken this to its most delirious, glitched-out extreme. By its mandate and its pure expression, hyperpop is a genre that has a singularly queered identity and sound—channelling the transgressive glamour of club-kid culture before it with the raw defiance of punk, and the high-gloss, low-fi alchemy of early internet music scenes: pushing past pastiche into something untethered, ecstatic, and wholly new. 

With the sound warping vocals into helium-laced cyborg screeches, pushing bass to grotesque, blown-out limits, twisting pop tropes into something unrecognisable yet deeply, viscerally familiar: hyperpop is resistance and a sonic hacking of mainstream culture that has turned hyper-femininity, hyper-masculinity, and hyper-digitality inside out. It’s a space in which queerness is a governing force and a portal to entirely new modes of existence: a space for identity to be fluid, mutable, and the music itself, forming a sonic manifesto of defiance and possibility. With its DIY origins, it has been an artform that emerged from the bedrooms and studios of the self-taught, who would go on to make a name for themselves on the internet’s world stage.

South African artist Angel-Ho is a Patron Saint and Mother of hyperpop’s emergent decade; as a global pioneer, their multiple incarnations are both an invocation and an evolution—a constant shape shifting that mirrors the very ethos of hyperpop’s queering of sound and self. Angel-Ho is an architect of new realities. Their sonic landscapes have pulled from the raw urgency of the South African underground, the global avant-garde, and the ecstatic digital ether— all at once collapsing them into something both deeply personal and radically expansive. From the opulent alien femininity of Death Becomes Her to the fractured, celestial club chaos of Woman Call, each incarnation is a new frontier—and equal acts of both defiance and divine creation.

With unfiltered vulnerability and a dedication to their craft (both artistically and spiritually), Angel-Ho is beckoning a new era; continuing their charge for edifying entirely new states of performing and being. As they explain to me, “I was always a performer—since the age of four, really. I was that kid entertaining at family functions, always extroverted in that way. In primary school, I started doing theatre, and I was really good at it. By the time I was 11, I could already see and understand myself improving, which was exciting,” this tone set the proverbial and literal stage for Angel. “In high school, I started landing lead roles—Frankie Lerner in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, Punk in District 6: The Musical—and I even performed Bad Romance as Lady Gaga with the Glee Club. It was so iconic! I wish I still had the footage, but all I have is a newspaper clipping.”

Images by Angel-Ho

For Angel-Ho, fashion was the next step in their ascent toward their artistic vision, reminiscing that “after school, I developed a huge interest in fashion. It felt like my own kind of luxury—wearing whatever made me feel good. I gravitated toward vintage pieces, finding incredible items at markets and stores like Second Time Around. Sometimes, even the cashiers didn’t want to sell me what I found! Fashion and music became intertwined for me. I was helping with a university fundraiser called Early Friday and decided to experiment with DJing. Performing has always been a big part of me, and DJing became another outlet for that.” RIP to Early Friday and The Waiting Room in general, which was part of so many of our creative segues in the early 2010s in Cape Town. So many DJs came out of the hard-wood floor enclave of this venue, as DJing’s accessibility through an aux cable and a laptop became noticeably clear. Suddenly, one’s music taste could mean something beyond a hobby— and music, partying and the vision of artistic expression all become one, beautiful (and sweaty) experience every Friday evening. 

As Angel shares, “I remember someone asking, ‘Who’s even taking this seriously?’ And in my head, I was like, I am! That moment made me realize how much I wanted to pursue it. Around that time, I was also DJing for Umlilo, which was amazing.” The self-described ‘intergalactic shape-shifting kwaai diva’ is similarly a patron saint of this time, and as Angel shares, Umlilo is foundational to their own lore; “I was so inspired by Umlilo and their music—I knew I wanted to make music too. I wanted to tell stories, to create gestures and movement that brought sound to life. Umlilo said to me, ‘why don’t you learn Ableton? So, I taught myself Ableton by treating it like a computer game. That approach made it feel intuitive. I started making experimental beats and put them on SoundCloud, and they really took off.”

Angel’s journey into the music world took an unexpected turn when their work caught the attention of Venus X, legendary founder of New York’s influential GHE20G0TH1K party. “One day, Venus X discovered my music. I had no idea who they were at the time, but they were huge. Rihanna used to go to their parties,” Angel recalls. Soon after, Venus X and Bobby Beethoven—now known for creating Mugler’s runway soundtracks—asked Angel to send over their edits. “Next thing I knew, they were playing my tracks in clubs across Europe and America.” 

This break opened doors to a larger experimental music scene, leading to collaborations with some of the industry’s most forward-thinking artists. “I was manifesting that Arca would mix and master my music,” Angel says, referencing the Venezuelan producer known for working with Kanye West and Björk. “Eventually, I connected with her through another incredible producer, Rabit, and ended up releasing my music on their label.” With a growing artistic vision, Angel co-founded NON, a music collective that reshaped club culture through a blend of sonic experimentation and political commentary. “For eight years, we were making music, we hosted pop-up parties in London, New York, and Berlin, working with artists like Chino Amobi and Nkisi,” and their influence stretched far beyond the underground. “NON was created to support the African diaspora and experimental sound art, which was so niche at the time. We brought that niche into the mainstream. Artists like Kelela were listening to us—we knew because she once posted a photo of her laptop screen, and in the open tabs was her own collective’s name.” 

As Angel’s career evolved, their focus expanded beyond sound into movement and performance; though given their relationship to fashion, self-expression was always central. “I released my first album with Hyperdub Records in the UK. Seven albums later, I became even more focused on storytelling in a mainstream sense, but also playing with performance binaries through Angel-Ho. It was all about opening up the boxes that we’re put into and saying, ‘Let’s dress up the doll.’”

Images by Angel-Ho

Reflecting on the evolution of hyperpop, Angel credits key figures who have been overlooked in mainstream conversations. “When I hear the word hyperpop, I immediately think of Lotic—Lotic J’Kerian from Berlin via Houston, Texas. Back in the day, she was releasing on Tri Angle Records. My first EP was already pushing those hyperpop boundaries—it was essentially a blueprint for what SOPHIE was doing later on. I was supposed to meet SOPHIE, but then she passed away. It was devastating. Afterward, MTV and Pitchfork reached out for commentary, but I didn’t know her personally—I couldn’t speak on it. It was just… surreal.” 

The genre, which has since gained global recognition, was built by a diverse and experimental group of artists. Today, ‘mainstream’ artists like FKA Twigs and Charlie XCX are inheritors of a long line of femme artists and activists. As Angel explains,  “I think the craft of hyperpop is understood best by what we did; Arca, myself, J’Kerian (Lotic), scraaatch (a performance art duo), Eric, and Elysia Crampton, who is Native American and a trans woman—so many trans women shaped this sound. It was crazy. At the time, we were all just kids with ideas. Then we evolved. It was this beautiful fusion of the feminine and the masculine, something cathartic in its chaos.”

Angel’s approach to music has always been unconventional, embracing experimentation over structured melodies; with hyperpop’s reverence for distortion as a reclamation of the ‘tidiness’ so often expected in music. “I couldn’t make music in key for so long—it was crazy! But people were still drawn to the experimentation, the feeling. I was kind of filling in a textbook of atonal singing and atonal beats. Everyone understands what an in-key song does—it makes you feel at ease, like, ‘Oh, I can listen to this.’ But some people don’t want to think anymore; they just want to escape. I’m so grateful that my music created that kind of escapism, even with its atonal nature.” 

The evolution of Angel’s artistry has been marked by transformation, though not in the way some might assume. With the introduction of a new figure in their expression, ‘Ange Madame’ was understood as a rebrand; now, as Angel clarifies, they’re more assured that “Angel-Ho and Ange Madame—it wasn’t actually a rebrand, in hindsight. It was more like… an organ donor. Angel-Ho is still the body. I changed my name back because there’s this trail of breadcrumbs that leads back to Angel-Ho. So, I can’t say it was a rebirth—it was just a shift, a way to step out of my comfort zone. I wanted to push myself into something new, to experiment with jazz, with persona, and what I could learn from that.” 

This sense of fluidity extends to Angel’s perspective on their own work, as I ask about one of their latest works, ‘Birth Becomes Her’; “Birth Becomes Her was a kind of prophecy. Music is prophecy, you know? We use our voices, our words—they’re spells. I was playing with the idea of Death Becomes Them, but I’ve always felt like my music moves in reverse. My first album was stripped down so much that it exists outside of time—when you listen to it now, it still sounds like it was made today. My whole career has felt like working backward, from the future into the past. I went to the darkest place—the end—and now I’m working my way back through the light.”

This suffusion of the esoteric and the material is something Angel has long explored in their music. “When I released Glitter Ain’t Gold on SoundCloud, I was working with esoteric themes, astrology, and merging them with the material—social politics, lived experience. But here’s the thing: there are astral gifts I know about, but I don’t feel like everyone is entitled to that part of me. I have to find a way to articulate it without giving everything away.” 

The mystical is always entwined with queerness—I have witnessed and understood this in my own experience as a writer and observer. Balancing personal mysticism with public expression is a challenge, and as I share my own journey with Angel, I recognise the familiar waters of mystery, particularly through what I understand as my own initiatory, psychosis experiences. Angel reflects on their own encounter with psychosis, describing it as both confusing and protective. “I realised that my legacy isn’t meant to be built on Grammys or mainstream popularity. If that happens, fine, but I’m not here to be ridiculed by the media or dragged into the pop machine. I’ve seen it happen to so many artists. Fame is traumatic. I feel for celebrities—people have constant access to them, even mentally. I went through that and realized: I don’t want that life. My peace, my quiet, that’s what matters.”

Their psychosis, triggered by cannabis, initially felt like an external force rather than an internal disruption. “I had a different understanding of the voice I was hearing—I genuinely believed it was someone speaking. I thought my neighbour was being rude and obnoxious. It was a mind game, and it was weird. On top of that, I was also experiencing racism—intense, crazy racism. At the time, I was living in Milnerton, in a complex of freestanding houses. There were hardly any people of colour in the neighbourhood.” The experience, and ultimately their healing and recovery process, has become a turning point, inspiring the song Diva High as a declaration of clarity and self-sufficiency. “I don’t need drugs to be high. I don’t need alcohol. I don’t need stimulants,” Angel emphasises,  “I’ve learned that lesson over the past six years. I’ve never skipped my medication once. I always took my meds, and eventually, after two years, things settled. People don’t realise that when you go through psychosis, you have to stick to your medication for two years before your body finally stabilises. After that, you can actually function normally again.” 

They nod to Beyoncé for affirming this realisation: “She said it best: I don’t need drugs for some freak shit. When I heard that, I resonated deeply.” This is an eternal truth for me too, now, and it is now a matter of asking; how do we reconstruct ourselves post-psychosis in a way that honours the lessons we learned while staying grounded in reality? How do we take those treasures and move forward in a healthy, sober, creative way? As Angel says, “for a while, I felt six years ahead of the creative consciousness, but I’ve since grounded myself. Now, I reference my past work instead of consuming too much pop culture. I try to withdraw and create from within. I think originality is about more than just references for me today, I’m more focused on tapping into my own experiences.”

Today, Angel is healing on multiple levels, stepping into a new chapter with clarity and intention. Their path is enshrined by a simple yet profound vision, and we can’t wait to see what comes next for Ange Madame, Angel-Ho and all the dimensions of self that they embody; “My vision for the future is staying present. Practicing radical self-care, and keeping my mind in control of my mind. Keeping my faith open and unwavering. Even when things don’t go as planned—like my Wi-Fi cutting out for hours today—I trust the process. I don’t stress. I move forward. My goal is simply to keep moving forward, no matter what life throws at me.”

STREAM ANGEL’S NEW EP ‘BREATHE AS IT FLOWS’ HERE

 

Written by Holly Beaton

 

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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NTWANA Is South African Fashion’s Newest Vanguard

Mar 18, 2025 | Interviews, Fashion

South Africa is in the midst of a renaissance—an idea we discuss almost ad nauseam, not out of redundancy but necessity. It is critical to keep sharing, dissecting, and understanding this moment, because, as history tells us, all renaissances must eventually reach their peak—or at least plateau. And while I’ve never believed we were anywhere close to that point, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered the inevitability of it. Isn’t that the nature of a golden age? A brilliance that exists in a particular time and space?

It’s not every day that a fashion brand arrives fully formed, articulating itself with clarity and conviction. The arrival of NTWANA on the scene has quickly dispelled any slight doubt in the future of our luxury fashion expression, and the Johannesburg-based brand co-founded by Mikhail Brown and Mmiso Luphondo, has stepped into this landscape with remarkable precision. Their debut is not scattered, not tentative, but is instead anchored in a single, tungsten-strong product: that ostrich trench. A statement of intent, an object of obsession, a piece that feels both distinctly South African and completely untethered from expectation, the brand might still be working out its philosophical machinations; but, oh boy, is the instinct geared up in full throttle. Further to this labour of love between the two friends, is its name, derived from ‘sho ntwana’; their deeply personal greeting and a phrase so quintessentially South African. 

“NTWANA was really one of those moments where opportunity meets preparation—maybe even subconscious preparation,” Mikhail tells me. “I’ve always been someone who’s deeply into clothes, almost irrationally interested. Even when my friends or family weren’t, I just cared about how people wear clothes, why they wear them, and which clothes they choose.”

Episode collection by NTWANA, photographed by Paul Shiakallis

Episode collection by NTWANA, photographed by Paul Shiakallis

That kind of obsessive interest—the kind that persists even when it’s inconvenient, even when the world around you isn’t paying attention—is what ultimately shapes designers with vision, and yet, Mikhail didn’t always imagine himself in fashion. “I come from a generation where we told ourselves we were going to be bankers, lawyers, engineers. Chartered accounting was the big career move at the time, and I told myself that’s what I wanted to do. But deep down, I always just cared about clothes.” That contradiction—between what we tell ourselves is practical and what we are actually drawn to—feels particularly resonant in South Africa’s creative landscape. Fashion, in particular, is often dismissed as frivolous, an indulgence rather than an intellectual or cultural pursuit. For Mikhail, the weight of clothing transcends aesthetics. “I’ve always been obsessed with the psychology of clothes. Fashion is often dismissed as something frivolous, purely aesthetic. It’s psychological. It’s about identity, perception, and meaning.”

There’s an awareness in Mikhail’s words, a self-interrogation that suggests the subliminal sense behind, say, their ostrich trench, which had us all in chokehold: the brand decided on a singular thesis statement as an anchor for something bigger. The ostrich trench is the initial story— the prelude to the big bang, beckoning at NTWANA’s door. 

Despite the polished nature with which NTWANA has introduced itself, Mikhail is quick to acknowledge that this is still a process of discovery. I ask about his design philosophy, to which he muses; “If I’m being honest, I’m still figuring so many things out. I was in class today—I’m still a student. When people ask about my design philosophy, it feels like a fashion magazine question. I listen to a lot of Business of Fashion, I have so many Vogue magazines, but I don’t know if I have a perfectly crafted answer for that yet.” This honesty feels rare, especially in fashion, a highly competitive landscape that often demands its designers arrive fully formed, with a manifesto in hand. Maybe, just maybe, the most interesting brands are the ones willing to admit they’re still in motion?

A single garment, no matter how striking, cannot sustain a brand forever. Mikhail understood this instinctively. Recently, NTWANA released ‘Episode’; its first collection, and a cohesive dissection of the original idea of the ostrich as the brand’s current fabrication focus. Mikhail notes, “‘Episode’ was a culmination of a few things. About a year after our coats first launched, they were received really well—like, really well. But I realised we needed to do something new. Otherwise, we’d be known only as ‘the coat brand.’ I could feel the buzz reaching a plateau, and I didn’t want that.” For a self-funded brand, the stakes are even higher. “We don’t have a financial backer, so I needed to create a collection that was strong but also financially viable. We had already sold in Paris, and our coats debuted in Berlin, so we knew the European market liked what we were doing. Even though we’re proud to be a South African brand, it made sense to focus deliberately on Europe because of our price point.”

This pragmatic approach speaks to Mikhail and Mmiso’s understanding of their moment; yet it doesn’t dilute the personal core of Episode. If anything, the collection is deeply autobiographical. “If you look at the collection, it’s very autumn/winter heavy. It was inspired by my life around 2018–2019—specifically, my nights and mornings from that time. I was a pretty hard partier, and all the bad and beautiful things that come with that lifestyle influenced the collection. It felt like I was living in a kind of Groundhog Day, where every night was a repeat of the last. That’s why I called it ‘Episode’—we used to joke, ‘Where are the cameras?’ because life felt like a never-ending series of episodes. It was life imitating art, imitating life.”

Episode collection by NTWANA, photographed by Paul Shiakallis

Episode collection by NTWANA, photographed by Paul Shiakallis

Episode as a collection isn’t interested in glossing over the reality of its foundational inspiration, “at that time, the junkies were very chic. I’ll just say it—they were the most stylish people in Joburg, and that’s what inspired Episode.” NTWANA’s broader ethos, then, is seemingly an unfiltered understanding of how the best style emerges from the streets and from the margins. There is no naivety here to Mikhail’s vision and life experience— instead, the brand’s guiding principle showcases an acute awareness of how beauty and destruction often exist in tandem, and how this is perhaps the juncture point from which all the wildest, most unbridled moments in design tend to occur from. 

NTWANA didn’t begin with a business plan or a pitch deck. It wasn’t built in boardrooms or strategised for a market. It was born in grief, in instinct, and the co–founders unshakable pull toward something more. Mikhail and Mmiso started this brand during a difficult time, as Mikhail shares, “my mom had just passed away, and I was isolating myself. Mmiso was one of the few people who kept showing up—coming to my house every week, sometimes twice a week. At that point, I’d stopped partying and, as a result, wasn’t socialising much.” Fashion became a way for Mmiso to help shift Mikhail’s grieving process, “we were both obsessed with fashion—especially Balenciaga at the time—and Mmiso kept telling me about this fabric store. He’d seen Thebe (Magugu) and Nao (Serati) there and kept pushing me to go. He’d already been making suits for himself, and eventually, he convinced me to come with him. That’s when I found the material. I wasn’t even thinking about starting a brand—I just wanted to make a really cool coat.”

Leather trenches were everywhere at the time, but this had to be different. “When I saw the fabric, I knew I had to make a trench coat, but I needed it to exist in a completely different dimension. Thebe had done a pink ostrich coat—I think it’s in the Zeitz MOCAA archives now—and exotic leather was definitely having a moment. I was about to go to Berlin, and I had to get into Berghain. I just knew—this coat was going to get me in.” Berghain, Berlin’s most infamous nightclub, is as much a cultural institution as it is a fortress of hedonism—its elusive door policy and almost mythological aura making it the holy grail of nightlife for the city, and the first part of the battle is its notorious dismissal of attendees based on ‘vibe’ and ‘appearance’. “Even though there was a heatwave, I insisted on wearing it. I wore it to Berghain, and it shut Berghain down. It absolutely killed. The crowd—six-foot South Korean girls in Jean Paul Gaultier durags and Ottolinger—but my coat still stole the show. People kept asking me about it, and the response was purely about the piece.”

That’s when Mikhail knew they were onto something. No marketing, no hype—just a coat that spoke for itself, that was self-pronouncing and explicit, “the coat started making the rounds, people were wearing it, and we didn’t even have an Instagram profile picture. Still, we gained thousands of followers. We hadn’t registered a company yet—I was still in school—but I knew I had to keep up with it. The momentum was insane, and the international response was immediate.”

Success doesn’t come without its pressures, particularly with Mikhail going back to school to study fashion so he could give NTWANA the best chance possible to flourish. “Fashion school is not cheap. Life isn’t cheap. Running a fashion brand is not cheap. So it’s a lot of pressure, a lot of pressure. But at the same time, it is so rewarding. Whenever I recommit myself to Ntwana, it commits to me. It helps me. We only went through our first financial year at the end of last year. Infancy is an understatement—we are embryonic.” 

The South African fashion landscape is shifting and as we both point out, NTWANA stands on the shoulders of giants now. It’s the likes of Lukhanyo Mdingi, Thebe Magugu, Wanda Lephoto and more, who have opened the door for Mikhail and Mmiso to even conceive of NTWANA as a potential leader in the next wave. “I feel like there needs to be a generational shift. We have the greats—Thebe, Lukhanyo, Wanda. It’s time for the next phase of South African fashion. Just like how, after Dior, there was Saint Laurent—that is what’s happening in South Africa. Especially in Joburg, we are having a renaissance. This is Paris in the 1920s. The time is now, we are in the thick of it.”

NTWANA’S vision is that expansion is inevitable. Mikhail is still in his third year of school, and “we want to extend the ‘Episode’ range to more summer pieces. We had heat waves at the end of last year, and we just didn’t have a horse in the race. I’m working on a deluxe edition of NTWANA with very talented collaborators. I already have the first three or four collections written down. I’ve started researching them. It’s just about preparing and meeting opportunities so we can really expand our universe, and properly flesh out the characters and themes. ‘Episode’ was just a glimpse into a small moment of a larger narrative.”

“We have interest from the U.S., which I never expected. That market is daunting, and the political climate is crazy. But we’re taking things one step at a time. There’s a universe we want to expand.” And if NTWANA’s trajectory so far is anything to go by, that universe is multi-dimensional, and the next chapter for NTWANA is being written in real time. As Mikhail balances school, design, and the realities of running an independent brand, the trajectory is both uncertain and inevitable; with the precision of NTWANA’s debut and the depth of its storytelling suggest a label with so, so much more to say.

Perhaps that is what our renaissance requires to maintain its momentum; for designers to continue insisting that South African fashion belong at its helm. 

 

Written by Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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Anderson Leaves Loewe – An update on the Creative Director Reshuffles in Luxury Fashion

Mar 17, 2025 | News, Fashion

Seismic shifts in the fashion industry have been underway in the last two weeks, giving us whiplash as to the new paths being chartered by some of the industry’s most influential houses. When a creative director steps down, it’s always the end of an era— and for these new appointments and reshuffles, each role has been fulfilled by a number of years and multiple seasons— meaning everything we know about each brand in recent memory is set to change. Each transition will surely bring with it a new, distinct design philosophy that will redefine the respective brands.

Perhaps the most surprising and significant change is Demna Gvasalia’s appointment as the new artistic director of Gucci, leaving his post at Balenciaga after ten years at its helm. Both houses are under the Kering conglomerate, with this shift being understood as an internal reshuffling. Under Demna, Balenciaga became synonymous with deconstruction, irony, and a postmodern, dystopian aesthetic; as well as much controversy, with viral moments like the Simpsons collaboration and $1850 extreme distressed sneakers being a hit and miss with Balenciaga’s couture heritage. 

At Gucci, a house known for maximalist glamour under Alessandro Michele and quiet luxury under Sabato De Sarno most recently, Demna’s appointment has confused fashion journalists and reporters alike —while Gucci’s share price plummeted following the news. Demna’s penchant for subversion may be at odds with Gucci’s heritage and traditionalist position in fashion, and as he did so at Balenciaga; is Gucci ready to be turned into something more provocative and conceptual, entirely through Demna’s singular vision? 

Jonathan Anderson’s recently announced departure from Loewe marks the end of an era defined by craft-driven innovation. Since taking over in 2013, Anderson transformed Loewe from a relatively small luxury leather goods house into one of the most sought after, creatively inspired labels in the industry. His tenure was characterised by an emphasis on sculptural silhouettes, his signature humour injected surrealist influences and an intellectual approach to fashion.

Anderson’s work at Loewe was deeply tied to artisanal techniques and modernist references, often drawing from fine art and architecture. Drawing on the label’s Spanish heritage, Anderson is credited with reigniting the industry’s adoration for hand-craftsmanship. His exit leaves a major creative void at the house, and fashion insiders are keenly watching who will take over. Reports suggest that Anderson is leaving to focus on his eponymous label, JW Anderson, as well as to explore new creative ventures.

Jonathan Anderson, via @jonathan_anderson IG
Demna, via @demnadaily IG
After nearly three decades at the helm of Versace, Donatella Versace is stepping down as chief creative officer and assuming the role of Chief Brand Ambassador. Assuming the role after her brother, Gianni Versace, was tragically assassinated, Donatella’s tenure saw the house maintain its signature sensual and baroque-inspired aesthetic, and ultimately keeping the Versace DNA alive.  Donatella also played a crucial role in reviving the brand’s relevance in the 2010s, with celebrity-driven campaigns and a return to archival codes that reinforced Versace’s signature sex appeal and power dressing.

Donatella’s successor, Dario Vitale, comes from Miu Miu. This signals a potential evolution for Versace, possibly leaning into a more youthful, subversive take on glamour while maintaining its Italian opulence; and it’s always nice to see when an ‘old guard’ stalwart is able to ready themselves to hand over legacy and opportunity to a new generation. There are also murmurings that the Prada Group is in talks with Versace’s parent company, Capri Holding, to purchase the Italian brand. 

Finally, minimalism’s favourite mecca, Jil Sander, has appointed Simone Bellotti as its new creative director following the departure of husband and wife duo Lucie and Luke Meier. The Meiers had steered Jil Sander toward a poetic minimalism that incorporated softer, romantic elements, and reinvigorated our collective sense for Jil Sander’s place as a truly modern expression of silhouette and restraint. Bellotti, who has experience at Bally and Gucci, is expected to maintain that balance of classic tailoring through a contemporary lens.

Critics of these shifts have noted that once again, there are no women, Black or People of Colour among these appointments; which remains an ongoing issue in the industry’s leadership structures. This lack of diversity continues to fuel conversations about systemic barriers and the need for more inclusive representation at the highest levels.

One thing about fashion— it’s always going to keep us on our toes. 

 

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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Turbo Releases a New Single ‘Classy Girl’ With Gunna

Mar 14, 2025 | New Release, Music

GRAMMY-nominated, diamond-certified producer Turbo has announced his upcoming single, “Classy Girl,” with multi-platinum artist Gunna. This high-energy track celebrates women from all walks of life, showcasing their strength, beauty, and individuality.

Known for his unmistakable signature, “Run Dat Back Turbo™” the Atlanta-based producer has become a force in modern music, crafting hits for some of the biggest names in the industry. With “Classy Girl,” Turbo steps further into the spotlight, demonstrating his evolution as a producer and bringing a new level of creativity to his music.

Following the success of his executive production on Gunna’s album One of Wun and his recent work with top-tier artists like Roddy Ricch, Moneybagg Yo, and Big Sean, Turbo remains at the forefront of today’s music. “Classy Girl” represents the next evolution in his journey, as he expands his influence and sound, furthering his place as one of the most important producers in modern music.

 

Listen to ‘Classy Girl’ here

 

Press release courtesy of Warner Music Africa

Charles Webster and Muzi release their single ‘Bakulindele’

Mar 14, 2025 | New Release, Music

Charles Webster announces his forthcoming album ‘Charles Webster And The South African Connection – From The Hill’, with first single ‘Bakulindele’ featuring Muzi.

Kicking off the highly anticipated forthcoming collaborative album from Charles Webster on Stay True Sounds, the first single is a deep, emotive piece of electronic music. Teaming up with genre-bending South African artist Muzi, this collaboration blends Webster’s soul-driven electronic production with Muzi’s raw, hypnotic vocals. “We really paid attention to the drum swing when making this,” Muzi shares. “It was cool to work with a fellow sonic experimenter like Charles,” highlighting the creative synergy that defines this record, which is both timeless and forward-thinking.

This release represents the key inception of a project that brings together the best of South Africa’s underground music scene. It sets the tone for what’s to come: an immersive journey through sound, culture, and collaboration. With Webster’s roots deeply entrenched in SA’s house music movement and Muzi’s genre-defying artistry, Bakulindele marks the beginning of something unique.

About the project:

Stay True Sounds supremo Allan Nicoll, aka Kid Fonque, and legendary UK producer Charles Webster have brought together the cream of the South African deep house scene for a unique album. The record was recorded at Flame Studios, a facility built inside a prison at Constitution Hill in South Africa, which is very significant to South Africans, because that’s where the Constitution was written. “It’s a remarkable institution,” says Charles. “Mandela was in there; you can really feel the history. You’re working in a prison cell from a brutal regime. It’s an important place. So, I didn’t want the album to be too light, because you can’t escape from politics anywhere, but especially somewhere like here – and you shouldn’t.” Charles Webster And The South African Connection – ‘From The Hill’ is to be released on August 29th 2025 via Stay True Sounds.

Listen to ‘Bakulindele’ here

Press release courtesy on Only Good Stuff

 

Revised VAT Hike Will See one percent Increase Over 2025 and 2026 from 15% to 16%

Mar 14, 2025 | News, Community

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has unveiled a new tax proposal that will see South Africa’s value-added tax (VAT) rate rise from 15% to 15.5% this financial year, with another 0.5 percentage point increase in 2026. This will bring the VAT rate to 16%, marking the first increase since 2018. The move is expected to generate R28 billion for the fiscus in the 2025/26 financial year.

This revised proposal is a scaled-down version of the initial two-percentage-point VAT hike that Godongwana attempted to introduce in February. That proposal was blocked by Government of National Unity (GNU) partners at a last-minute Cabinet meeting, leading to a delay in the national budget’s tabling.

VAT is a consumption tax levied on goods and services, meaning it is paid by consumers at the point of sale. It is one of the government’s most significant revenue sources, contributing to a substantial portion of the national budget. The proposed increase comes at a time when South Africa faces severe financial strain due to sluggish economic growth, declining tax revenue, and mounting social welfare demands. Godongwana emphasised that the decision was not made lightly, acknowledging the economic pressure many South Africans are under. However, he argued that VAT remains the most effective way to generate the revenue needed to sustain essential services such as healthcare and education.

“Madam Speaker, this decision was not made lightly. No minister of finance is ever happy to increase taxes. We are aware of the fact that a lower overall burden of tax can help to increase investment and job creation and also unlock household spending power,” he said during the announcement. 

South African Currency, via needpix.com

Imagery by Pixabay, via Pexels

To soften the impact of the increase, the number of tax-free goods will be expanded, and social grants will be increased above inflation—though by a smaller margin than previously proposed. Godongwana defended the decision to focus on VAT rather than raising personal income tax or corporate tax, stating that Treasury has found that previous increases to personal income tax did not yield the expected revenue due to tax avoidance and lower compliance rates. Raising corporate taxes, he argued, would further harm business profitability, discourage investment, and lead to job losses. “Corporate tax collections have declined over the last few years, an indication of falling profits and a trading environment worsened by the logistics constraints and rising electricity costs,” Godongwana noted.

Similarly, South Africa’s personal income tax rates are already high compared to other developing nations, making further increases impractical. Instead of adjusting tax brackets for inflation, the government is opting to keep them unchanged, meaning that as wages rise with inflation, more taxpayers will be pushed into higher tax brackets, generating additional revenue without an explicit rate hike.

The need for additional tax revenue stems partly from years of economic mismanagement, poor revenue collection, and major inefficiencies in government spending. South Africa’s budget deficits have widened due to sluggish GDP growth, state-owned enterprise bailouts and underperformance in tax collection.

The VAT increase will directly impact the cost of living, as consumers will pay more for taxable goods and services. This will disproportionately affect lower- and middle-income households, who spend a higher portion of their earnings on essentials. To mitigate the burden, the government has announced an extension of the list of zero-rated food items—products exempt from VAT. Newly added tax-free items include canned vegetables, dairy liquid blends, and organ meats from sheep, poultry, and other animals.

Despite these measures, the increase is likely to lead to higher inflationary pressure on household budgets. Many South Africans are already struggling with rising fuel costs, electricity tariff hikes, and stagnant wages, making even a small VAT increase a significant concern.

Godongwana’s proposal is expected to face significant opposition in Parliament. With the ANC lacking a majority, it will need the support of GNU coalition partners to pass the bill. Opposition parties, including the DA, have already expressed their disapproval of the budget in its current form. Meanwhile, other GNU members, such as the IFP, are pushing for alternative tax measures.

With South Africa’s economic challenges mounting, the VAT hike debate underscores a broader issue—how the government plans to grow the economy and manage fiscal sustainability without overburdening already struggling citizens, especially considering public service delivery (the biggest purpose of tax collection) has waned significantly in recent years. Godongwana has stressed that raising VAT is the least harmful of the available options, but whether Parliament and the public will accept this remains to be seen.

 

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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CEC presents Future Proof – Hacjivah Dayimani in G-Star by Walter Van Beirendonck Collaboration

Mar 13, 2025 | Editorial, Fashion, Community

Hacjivah Dayimani is certainly not your typical rugby player. While his on-field presence is formidable, his off-field style is equally commanding. A self-proclaimed fashion risk-taker, Hacjivah has spent years challenging the boundaries of athletic fashion in South Africa. Now, as he settles into life in Paris, he finds himself in a city in which fashion is so intrinsic— that it has actually simplified his style proclivities. We’ll get into that later.

With the launch of the G-STAR x Walter Van Beirendonck collection—a symphonic expression of avant-garde design and premium denim craftsmanship—G-STAR continues to marry the ability of utility and style as mutually inclusive of one another. 

Together with CECZA,  Hacjivah Dayimani, whose partnership with G-STAR reflects a shared ethos of emboldened self-expression, we captured the athlete embracing individuality and self expression, showcasing the latest drop from G-STAR’s inspired collaboration. 

Walter Van Beirendonck is one of fashion’s most visionary and disruptive minds, best known for his radical approach to design. As a sartorial mind and mentor (we can thank his mentorship for the likes of Raf Simons and Craig Green) Walter van Bereindonck brings a fearless energy to denim, embodied in the collection’s defining statement: ‘This is Denim with Balls.’

 If we’re talking about courage in the face of fashion; Hacjivah is truly the perfect ambassador to express the brilliance of this collaboration. His personal style—both striking and refined—mirrors the ethos of the collab, in which exaggerated silhouettes challenge conventional notions of menswear and the possibilities for denim construction, simultaneously.

CEC presents Future Proof – Hacjivah Dayimani in G-Star by Walter Van Beirendonck Collaboration, Photography by Zander Opperman, Hair and makeup by Xola Makoba, Styling by Onesimo Bam

Moving to Paris is a seismic shift, and for Hacjivah, the transition has been as much about fashion as it has been about rugby. “Yeah, obviously for me, moving to Paris was very big. It’s very, very different—a big culture shock in so many ways. Obviously, language, food, and the way people do things,” he says. But one thing stood out to him immediately: the way Parisians approach dressing. “Fashion in South Africa is something that a selective few engage with, but in Paris, it’s a way of life for many people. Just dressing well—people are always going to work, always putting on an outfit. You see it in the metro, how people dress, and you realize you get challenged in so many ways.” Fashion for Hacjivah is an attitude, a discipline, and an unspoken language. In South Africa, standing out in fashion is an act of rebellion. In Paris, it’s an expectation.

Paris, as Hacjivah explains, has refined his entire approach to personal style. “Yeah, it’s given my style a different look. Previously, my style was very avant-garde. It’s moving more towards a minimalist, clean, formal look—something that allows you to go to dinner but also to Fashion Week. It’s a look that still turns heads, but it’s not as extreme as what I used to wear in South Africa.” He notes that winter has played a significant role in this transformation. “It’s probably the first time I’ve actually had to go and buy winter clothes. Before, I just had one jacket and kept styling it, but now I have a couple and I just keep changing looks. I really, really enjoy it because the temperatures go down to minus six or minus seven—something you never experience in South Africa.”

Though Paris has sharpened his aesthetic, Hacjivah’s foundation remains rooted in South Africa. He sees its fashion culture as one still in the early stages of global influence. “I wouldn’t say my style is very South African, but I would say that my sensibility—how I view things and how I do things—is influenced by my background. Paris has a strong fashion culture, but it’s also very conservative in certain ways. Being South African has taught me to not care what people say.”

CEC presents Future Proof – Hacjivah Dayimani in G-Star by Walter Van Beirendonck Collaboration, Photography by Zander Opperman, Hair and makeup by Xola Makoba, Styling by Onesimo Bam

This ability to push boundaries and embrace personal expression makes him an ideal figure to champion the G-STAR x Walter Van Beirendonck collection. The collaboration thrives on exaggerated silhouettes and artistic defiance—qualities that South African fashion is increasingly embracing; particularly in the arena of rugby, and the possibilities for rugby players as style icons; “Rugby is making a massive shift regarding fashion. It’s exciting to see.”

For Hacjivah, rugby should not be a cage that confines identity. “Rugby is what you do, it’s not who you are. A lot of players think rugby is their identity, so they try to live within those conservative boundaries. But we are human beings outside of our work. We have different feelings, ideas, religions, and political views.” Through his unapologetic approach to style, Hacjivah is showing a new generation of rugby players that they can be fierce competitors on the field while embracing full creative freedom off it. “What I want to show in rugby is that you can be a rugby player and still be yourself. It doesn’t take anything away from your performance. It doesn’t matter what you wear, how you behave—what matters is being a good person. That should be the only thing that counts.”

As South African rugby continues to be an agent of unity, Hacjivah believes it can be a platform for even broader cultural change. “As much as rugby unites races, we can also use it to unite other parts of society—to be inclusive of disability, of people who see themselves differently, of those with mental health struggles. If we can be a world that is open to how people want to be, we will treat each other much better.”

CEC presents Future Proof – Hacjivah Dayimani in G-Star by Walter Van Beirendonck Collaboration, Photography by Zander Opperman, Hair and makeup by Xola Makoba, Styling by Onesimo Bam

With his growing influence in both sports and fashion, Hacjivah Dayimani is proving that rugby is a cultural expression as much as it is an expression of brute strength and skill, and its conservative traditions are worth rewriting of its future. If we think of what rugby has done for our country in South Africa; one can only imagine what it can do in the future, thoughtfully led by figures like Hacjivah Dayimani. 

And in true Hacjivah fashion, he’ll be leading the charge while looking incredibly, incredibly good. 

SHOP G-STAR X WALTER VAN BEIRENDONCK’S COLLECTION HERE

Written by Holly Beaton

 

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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