& Other Stories' latest collaboration will shine a light on Sindiso Khumalo
& Other Stories is great at shining a light on up-and-coming designers, helping to bring their wonderful work to a whole new audience, and its next collaboration – which will be available this spring – is with South African designer Sindiso Khumalo.
Khumalo is a great name to get to know – she was one of the joint winners of the 2020 LVMH Prize and has been making waves with her sustainable designs that are inspired by her South African heritage. She founded her brand in Cape Town in 2014 after studying at Central Saint Martins and working with the United Nations Ethical Fashion Initiative, which helped put her in touch with artisans across the continent, with whom she now works on a daily basis.
Her collections are inspired by the places and people in her roots, namely her mother, who was an activist fighting against apartheid during her youth, as well as other inspirational black figures in South African history, including Charlotte Maxeke and Sarah Forbes Bonetta. These references play into Khumalo's designs with vintage-inspired cuts and fabrics that are given an updated twist.
"We have so much love for Sindiso Khumalo’s evocative designs and storytelling about Africa," said Karolina Ekman, co-lab manager at & Other Stories. "But we also admire the brand’s focus on sustainability and dedication to social equality and female empowerment. I don’t want to give away too much right now, but I’m sure the collection will bring a bit of happiness to women around the world – and their wardrobes."
Khumalo's collection with & Other Stories will feature ready-to-wear, swimwear, shoes, bags and other accessories, all of which have been created with sustainable materials and will incorporate Khumalo’s hand-painted watercolours and collage prints. "We want to open up a sustainability conversation with more people," the designer said.
"My hopes and wishes for this co-lab with & Other Stories are to shine a light on African design and the magical nature of our enigmatic continent," she added. "Another goal is to communicate to the customer the importance of the materials when building your wardrobe, showing that clothing made from materials sourced in a more sustainable way, can be bold and playful."
The designer follows in the footsteps of a number of inspiring, up-and-coming fashion designers who have teamed up with & Other Stories on one-off capsule collections. The most recent of this was Natalia Alaverdian of Awake Mode, which launched last October. Meanwhile, Minju Kim and Rejina Pyo have also worked with the affordable retailer.
The Sindiso Khumalo x & Other Stories collaboration will be available to shop in April. Check back here for all exciting updates as we get them.
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