South African fashion made its presence felt in Paris this week, with Laduma Ngxokolo’s MaXhosa Africa staging its first runway show on the official Fashion Week calendar and South African-born Drew Henry unveiling his debut collection for Courrèges.
Beyond the official schedule, Jacques LaGrange and Nadene Marx of New Romantics Couture took homegrown craftsmanship to independent showcases Fame Week Africa and Noir Fashion Week, respectively.
At the South African ambassador’s residence on Monday, Ngxokolo presented 54 looks, expanding MaXhosa’s signature knitwear vocabulary with silk, chiffon, organza, organdy and cotton, alongside the label’s first footwear showcase.
South African musician Sjava performed live, while upcycled eyewear and accessories by Kenyan artist Cyrus Kabiru extended the collection’s conversation across the continent.
For Ngxokolo, ambition includes demonstrating Africa’s manufacturing capabilities. He said 90% of the brand’s products were produced in-house.
“It is a Xhosa philosophy that we constantly showcase as a brand. We hire multiple Africans within our organisation as a business, and there’s a lot of innovation,” the Gqeberha-born designer said at the show’s press conference.
“Ninety percent of our products are produced in-house, and we wanted to showcase that it is possible to make excellent quality products from Africa.
“Any designer that is operating and running a business from Africa that is able to do what we did today deserves praise because we operate from very difficult circumstances, whether it be energy, water supply, labour — especially in South Africa, which is known to have some of the hardest labour laws in the world.”
Africa in Paris was inspired by the diversity of our country — our cultures, landscapes, colours and most importantly our people. We have worked with traditional Shweshwe fabrics and Ndebele-inspired woven elements, combining them with luxurious materials such as suede, faux leather, velvet, satin, chantilly lace, sequins and feathers
— Nadene Marx, New Romantics Couture
Henry’s arrival at Courrèges placed another South African talent at the centre of the Paris conversation. Born in Witbank (now eMalahleni) and trained at Lisof in Johannesburg before studying at Central Saint Martins, he previously worked at Céline, JW Anderson, Phoebe Philo and Burberry.
His debut on Wednesday at Palais de Tokyo explored the French house’s colourful heritage and early 1960s archive, with neon yellow, acid green and tangerine among the shades. It was a breakaway collection from the aesthetic of Nicolas di Felice, who had served as creative director of the French label for five years until March 2026.
For Paarl couturier LaGrange, Paris is a return to a city where he once lived. His collection was presented as part of the Fashion Synergy Events PFW showcase at Le Salon des Miroirs on Saturday, with footwear from South African brand Coast & Koi.
LaGrange, who is the official designer of Fame Week Africa 2026, described the collection as having elegant silhouettes, luxurious fabrics and embellished bomber jackets, bringing together local embroidery, beading, ostrich feathers and layered textures with exquisite handmade detail.
“Eighty percent of my clients are in Europe, as well as Dubai and America. I’m very lucky to have worldwide clients, and that’s why my standards are always so high,” he told the Sunday Times.
Marx’s New Romantics Couture presented “Africa In Paris” at Noir Fashion Week on Saturday, after winning the 2025 Africa Fashion Week emerging designer competition in Johannesburg.
The collection combines shweshwe fabrics and Ndebele-inspired woven elements with velvet, satin, Chantilly lace, feathers and hand beading across sculptural silhouettes, corsets and statement outerwear.
African Fashion Week founder and CEO Mpho Mogotsi modelled alongside brand ambassador Zaza Letsholo. The showcase forms part of a collaboration between Africa Fashion Week and Noir Fashion Week.
“Africa in Paris was inspired by the diversity of our country — our cultures, landscapes, colours and most importantly our people,” Marx told the Sunday Times. “We have worked with traditional Shweshwe fabrics and Ndebele-inspired woven elements, combining them with luxurious materials such as suede, faux leather, velvet, satin, chantilly lace, sequins and feathers.”
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