M&M African Fashion Artwork Aims To Represent South African Inspired Designs In The Fashion Industry

Creating cultural pieces that reflect the tradition or one’s culture brings about diversity in the fashion industry and it also creates unique products that can only be exclusively accessed or bought through the people that are making them. This will also create a demand for their products when they are sold to people from different cultures or nations that are looking to learn about different South African cultures.

M&M African Fashion Artwork is a traditional wear and accessories start-up aimed at providing and promoting African cultures through fashion, this comes effortlessly to the company as the founders are proud of who they are as black South Africans. The company makes sure to present that in how it dresses its customers and how it crafts its accessories. The company emphasised that the reason it chose to focus on African style is because it knows that this is a representation of what it is.

According to the company’s website, the business name M&M African Fashion Artwork which stands for “Mom & Me” African fashion artwork and it was inspired by the fact that Mpho Netshiongolwe, the co-owner of the business was inspired by her mother to start crafting traditional wear. This brand mainly specialises in African Traditional wear, handcrafted beading/ artwork and traditional bangles.

Co-owner of the business Mpho Netshiongolwe is originally from Limpopo Thohoyandou. Mpho is a qualified Data Steward with a Masters qualification from University of Cape Town. Mpho loves blending in the society without forgetting her roots, she continuously remains true to herself and represents her culture which gives her a true identity. This led Mpho to believe that fashion should to some extent, represent Africa as a whole, especially fashion from the African continent.

Margaret is the co-owner of the business and the mother to Mpho. She was the originator of the business, she designed and sewed traditional clothes at home, and also crafted fashion and traditional beads and that is how Mpho got inspired to start crafting her own designs.

By Thomas Chiothamisi