For four African designers who are presenting their collections through the long-established Milanese retailer Biffi Boutiques, the success of African fashion comes more from its quality than its ethnicity. They are part of a generation of African designers interested in sourcing their materials on the continent to sustain the local artisans while maintaining the hand-made quality in their clothing as a trademark.

Mimi Plange

Mimi Plange is a Ghana-born and California-raised fashion designer whose mother modeled for Drum magazine. She studied Art and Architecture at Berkeley and decided to design clothes rather than buildings. After her graduation, she went to New York City to work as a designer for various sportswear brands for 11 years. In 2010, Plange began her eponymous ready-to-wear brand while committing to a multicultural vision of American Sportswear inspired by the creativity of lost African Civilizations. She aims to create beautiful and long-lasting clothes with superior workmanship and construction. Her designs reflect substance and high quality rather than the image. Plange has become the favorite of many in the fashion industry and beyond, including first lady Michelle Obama. Her label has received press coverage from major magazines such as Vogue, Marie Claire, and Elle, and her designs are sold in boutiques in North America, Europe, and Africa.

Sophie Zinga

Sophie Nzinga Sy is a Senegalese born fashion designer whose natural talent was developed while attending Parsons School of Design in New York. She established her label Sophie Zinga that is marked by a new approach to design, where luxury meets sensuality. Her clothing is inspired by her travels and the fusion of the multiple cultures that have shaped her, from her African roots to her North American education. Sophie Zinga collection features exquisite and the finest materials and fabrics namely silks, handmade Senegalese cloth and semi-precious stones. Nzinga designs for socially conscious as well as cosmopolitan, elegant and sophisticated women, with a touch of minimalism while still embracing colors and shapes. She wants to give the modern woman the key pieces to constantly reinvent her style while exuding confidence whether she is in a board meeting, attending a gala or traveling between New York and Lagos.

Sindiso Khumalo

Sindiso Khumalo is a Botswana-born textile designer who lives and works in London. She studied Architecture at University of Cape Town before moving to London to work for the well-known architect David Adjaye. In 2012, Khumalo launched her eponymous label off the back of the Elle New Talent competition, of which she was a finalist. The label focuses on sustainable contemporary textiles designed with graphic symbols inspired by her Zulu heritage and London environment as well as the Memphis movement and Bauhaus. Khumalo’s clothing plays an important role in honoring and uncovering the artistry of African prints through a modern design medium. Aside from its fashion merit, the textiles are also appreciated as art by various institutions including the Smithsonian Museum of African Art in Washington. Khumalo has also been featured in Vogue, The Financial Times, and Elle.

MaXhosa

Laduma Ngxokolo is a South African designer who had his first hands-on experience of textile designing in 2003. His passion for knitwear design earned him a bursary from notable South African textiles organizations during his studies at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in 2010. The same year, he won the South African national leg of the South African Society of Dyers and Colorists (SDC) Design Competition, which earned him a trip to London where he was awarded first prize in an international competition. The following year, Ngxokolo established the knitwear brand MaXhosa based on his acclaimed project inspired by traditional Xhosa beadwork aesthetics, using South African mohair and wool. Today his clothing range extends to women’s clothing and home décor and is stocked locally as well as some international spaces. Ngxokolo has showcased his work in London, Paris, Oslo, Berlin, New York, and now Milan. Ultimately, he aims to establish MaXhosa as an international premium brand.