Thebe Magugu

QandA with Thebe Magugu

1. Heritage is something that is beautifully articulated in your creative process. Why is heritage important for you?

I think heritage is at the base of everything - in its historic definition and in terms of technical process. Even modernity, with its ideas of novelty, are still in proximity to heritage. So for me, I use the past often in my work and reiterate it for a present audience; as a way to inform and educate. I am also one of the believers that everything has been done but we are constantly building upon these ideas, cross- referencing and expanding upon them and this is a process that gives me joy, turning things on their head so to speak.

2. How do you see heritage being continued and encouraged?

I think heritage will always be continued and encouraged, if not intentionally then subconsciously. However, certain practices considered heritage might not be sustainable and thats where heritage will grow - an example being the fashion industry. The dyeing process has a long history from the days thousands of years ago when people used plants. Today, the dyeing process is the 2nd largest polluter of water and modern solutions, such as electro-chemical processes and supercritical fluid dyeing technology. This is how heritage can continue throughout the ages.

3. What literature/ podcasts or television have you been actively consuming of late?

I’ve been reading about the subject matter of my new collections and have been blessed to be able to chat to the authors and subjects who inspired this new collection. Apart from that, I have been stuck in the production process . I don't own a TV so my consumption has just been music and the odd article online.

4. How has minimum social engagement affected your process if at all? How do you wish to adjust your social engagement after lockdown?

I think minimum social engages often forces us to confront what it right in front of us, which is important for creatives - the idea of being 100% immersed in reality because that is often the start of honest work, work that doesn’t try and pretend and impress as it is directly pulled from that creatives’ lived experience. I experienced this quite a few times, and it makes me want to engage less so I can feel present more often. I think the advent of social media has made people put aesthetics over meaning, and although we may argue that we are in a postmodern state and thats how this era is defined, it may come at a cost of art’s ability to help us introspect.

5. With events at a halt for the next half of the year, what transformation do you foresee happening within the S.A fashion industry? How does the industry survive this blow?

I think right now everyone has to go to the core of their business offering and see if it works in the times we find ourselves in. If not, becoming bible and malleable is very key to survive - and you might begin to expand into services that the times right now require. Going forward, I also think the industry needs to stop putting the cart before the horse and growing in a sustainable way - not to operate like what an international fashion industry ‘should look like’ and create processes and systems that support a South African Fashion industry. What Im saying is that we need to make out own industry and not rely on a template of one.

6. You recently opened a studio- congratulations. Where is it located? How does one engage with it? Would you further consider a Thebe Magugu outlet?

Thank you! It is in Ellis Park and I will have an open day soon around August so people can get to engage with the space. I don't foresee an outlet - my business currently is very B2B - BUT for now but I am working on a very exciting global online store, launching very soon.