Maxhosa Africa Spring 2026: Repetition Is Persuasion

To mark the 15th anniversary of Maxhosa Africa, creative director Laduma Ngxokolo wanted to “try to showcase sophisticated ways of wearing the brand,” he told WWD after the first of a series of mini-shows. “We started as a knitwear brand, now we’ve become a lifestyle. This was a combination that we into the next 20 years, 25 years.”

In addition to drawing on his trademark knitwear to build a spring collection of skirts, dresses and tops featuring ruffles, fringes and beading, he had the models walking on lush carpets that are part of the home goods line he introduced in 2024.

Clothes remain the focus, said Ngxokolo, and he continued to iterate around geometric patterns that sample Xhosa heritage, its beadwork in particular, as well as a broader range of cultures from across the continent.

Among standouts of the season were a cold-shoulder ruffled playsuit in pink tones edged with black; the long pleated skirts that kicked open to reveal a contrasting color; an asymmetric midi-dress with a twisting intarsia motif that gave it a loosely Op-Art feel, and staples like polo shirts and mesh tops playing on a trompe-l’oeil mesh motif.

Ngxokolo has been plowing familiar terrain since his brand landed on the official presentation calendar for fall 2024. As the saying goes, repetition is persuasion — and his source material is rich enough to pull it off.