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From Passionate Intern to World Class Designer : Palesa Mokubung Part 1 (S9, E6)
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This is the first part of a two-part conversation with renowned South African fashion designer Palesa Mokubung. In this conversation, she shares her 20-year journey with Mantsho by Palesa Mokubung, the fashion brand she founded after working as an intern at another iconic South African fashion house, Stoned Cherrie.
This episode is both a celebration and a walk down memory lane with Palesa and here are some of the topics we discussed during our conversation:
• Founded Mantsho without formal education, working for seven years before hitting a ceiling
• Returned to school at 30, studying alongside teenagers to formally train in fashion design
• Describes education as transformative, bringing focus, technical knowledge, and business structure
• Collaborated with H&M in 2019
• Uses authentic South African cultural elements in designs, from specific color palettes to layering techniques
• Defines success as making a visible impact on African lives
• Attending trade show in Paris as a first step in global expansion for Mantsho
• Values sustainability and conscious production in fashion
• Maintains an informal "board of directors" to guide her in her business decisions
Keep an eye out for the second and final part of this conversation. Subscribe to the Shades and Layers newsletter on shadesandlayers.com or follow wherever you get your podcasts.
LINKS AND MENTIONS
Shweshwe (Seshoeshoe) - Traditional Bashoto printed colorful fabric
Stoned Cherrie - Iconic and seminal post-Apartheid South African fashion brand inspired by African aesthetics, as well as 50s and 60s urban African style with echoes of the Harlem Renaissance as seen in Janet Jackson's 'Got 'Til It's Gone' video
H&M Advert controversy - In 2018, the Swedish fast fashion brand faced a backlash over a racist advert featuring a Black child model wearing a sweatshirt that read "Coolest Monkey In The Jungle"
Amapostoli - United Apostolic African Church known for its iconic blue and white uniforms.
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Chapters
1. From Passionate Intern to World Class Designer : Palesa Mokubung Part 1 (S9, E6) (00:00:00)
2. Introduction to Palesa Mokubung (00:00:33)
3. Reflecting on 20 Years in Fashion (00:01:35)
4. Education as a Career Turning Point (00:05:33)
5. Defining the Mansu Brand Identity (00:09:44)
6. The H&M Collaboration Story (00:12:52)
7. Global Expansion and African Success (00:22:55)
8. Financing a Fashion Business (00:27:35)
9. Closing and Future Episodes (00:33:25)
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