Johannesburg - Celebrated fashion designer Thebe Magugu brought an interesting twist to his Spotify Fashion Forward playlist after bringing it to life at NIROX Sculpture Park in Johannesburg.
Recognised as the first African designer to curate the global streaming platform’s Fashion Forward playlist, he used music by South African artists to tell the stories that inspired his latest folkloric collection.
The folk tales were recreated by black-clad muses throughout the event and artist performances by Zoë Modiga, UkhoiKhoi, and The Brother Moves On, which combined 21st-century dynamic storytelling while paying homage to African customs and traditions.
The night’s programme centred on the four elements of air, water, earth, and fire.
There was also an intersection of music and fashion evident throughout the event, from the matching ponchos for each of the guests to the muses who walked among the gathered guests and the mythical choreographed piece, which infused elements of folk tales, that opened the event.
The artists’ performances transported guests to the ancient storytelling around the fireplace, dating back to ancient times.
Magugu’s playlist is a collection of songs that have inspired him, as a designer and as an African, and tells the story of his journey towards becoming one of the most celebrated South Africans in global fashion.
He joins international fashion designers and stylists including Yoon Ahn, Brandon Blackwood, Bobby Wesley, No Sesso, Zerina Akers, and Misa Hylton, who have all taken over the playlist in the past.
“Across Africa, storytelling is key in highlighting and celebrating creative pursuits, whether it be through music, fashion, or art. Thebe Magugu’s ability to intersect music with fashion through storytelling is really inspiring,” said Spotify sub-Saharan managing director Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy.
Speaking about the collection, Magugu said: “As the name suggests, the collection looks at the past through a modern sense – much like the artists selected, who beautifully combine the past, the present, and slight suggestions for the future through their intelligent, genre-bending and Afrocentric stories.”
“As Africans, storytelling has always been an immovable facet of our culture, and especially as artists, we have always found the most progressive ways to express our vivid internal landscapes, whether individually or communally,” he added.
The 55-song playlist is an exploration of South African music, featuring legends like Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, Brenda Fassie, and Lebo Mathosa, as well as South Africa’s current musical obsession, amapiano.
The Star