Lukhanyo Mdingi Brings Together Modern And Traditional Fashion For SS23

Paris Fashion Week kicked off under the sun on Tuesday, coinciding with the city’s ‘Festival de Musique’; an annually-held outdoor party which sees young people coming together in the streets to appreciate global artists, share their musical passions, and most importantly; to dance. The energy was there, and design’s finest minds were gearing up to unveil new concepts throughout the coming week.

Around 15:00, We arrived at Lukhanyo Mdingi’s presentation in the 10th arrondissement, a north-eastern district of Paris. Fresh off the back of winning the Karl Lagerfeld Prize at the 2021 LVMH awards, the young South African designer showcased a small-scale, static collection spanning both menswear and womenswear. Mdingi’s native influence shone through, with clear references to his colourful heritage. Growing up in Cape Town, he employed bright pastel colours as well as natural earth tones in his garments, mirroring the nation’s rainbow culture as well as their rich and diverse geographic setting.

Tight fitting knitwear vests decorated with layered intricacies were juxtaposed with looser blazers with short lapels. Mdingi has already established a signature weave; a thinly crocheted foundation which he garnishes with asymmetrical shapes of different shades on top, a pattern which was also seen at his last display. The delicacy of the stacked knits was impressive, each strand seemingly seconds away from completely ripping apart. A true masterclass in detailing. One particular outfit adopted the recognisable weave and carried a soft berry theme throughout; the bottom layer of the vest, trousers and dress all with matching hues. Mdingi adorned the geranium top with moss-coloured constructions of a thicker weave, rounding off the edges with apricot yarn.

The collection attempted to bring together the modern and the traditional; a flawless pair of models stood proudly next to eachother, one of which was dressed in maroon heavyweight sports shorts and a glossy chestnut bomber jacket; an outfit which wouldn’t feel out of place on Portobello Road. The other model, however, was dressed in conservative lemon cargo bottoms and an exuberant top made up of three knitted parts, all of which were carefully constructed using several blocks of different patterns and materials. Orange and burgundy sequins, fleeced blue fabrics and purple frills lined the end of the piece to blend into unexpected harmony. A true homage to long-established and widely-respected tribal attire. Every model wore uniform leather loafers, intentionally creased around the toe, forming a shape which somewhat resembled a claw.

A personal highlight piece was a formal shirt with plain beige sleeves on each side and a pattern-printed chest, only describable as the fusion of leopard print and tie-dye; bringing together the perennial wildlife trend with the colourful and uneven customisation popularised by Janis Joplin and Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) in the 1960s.

We spoke briefly to Lukhanyo before leaving, telling him that I could really feel his personal expression through the collection, and that he would go onto very big things.

This is only the beginning for Lukhanyo Mdingi.