Introducing Makhundai’s Fall/Winter ’24 Collection

At the center of Makhundaì’s ethos is the practice of ‘being a good farmer’. With roots in the Eastern Cape, but firmly planted with a life in Johannesburg, founder and creative director Namhla Thiwani describes being a good farmer as an exercise in patience, a commitment to your intentions, and the continued work towards alignment with who you are and who you have the capacity to be. In a world where so many of us must grow ourselves within the confines of a bustling city, your ‘crop’ becomes your craft, your practice, or the community fashioned around you which all contribute to this metaphorical farming needed in one’s life.

This 2024/25 Fall Winter collection is an introduction to Thiwani’s world of creative cultivation, and a formal invitation into Makhundaì and the world that governs these bold and textured creations. Makhundai, a name given to Thiwani’s late father, which means ‘the tribe has multiplied’ marks the beginning of a brand and practice consciously combining modern design and traditional notes in each design. Far from minimalist but not quite within the maximalist territory, Makhundaì incorporates structured and clean silhouettes that are further emphasized with fabrics that lean into nostalgia – with textiles that sometimes look pulled from the closets of grandfathers since passed. Intent on practising slow and sustainable fashion, the Makhundaì team earnestly molds these looks to give them each singular identities that can still exist alongside each other in this new tribe multiplied. From signature big collars and wide sleeves, to crimped shoulders and long hemlines, both models and onlookers are invited into these stylishly constructed settings.

Makhundaì is longing manifest. It is a call to slow down and be welcomed into storytelling that is both intrinsic to fashion and creating a key to understanding the way to ‘be a goodfarmer.’

Copy Written by: Mosa Molapo