From Africa with love…
Thando Magumise shares her journey of blending African heritage with contemporary luxury to redefine bespoke fashion in the global style capital.
What inspired you to start Ntombi Couture, and how did your journey inthefashion industry begin?
Ntombi Couture is a brand that was inspired by my love for Africa, the African people and the diversity of the continent itself. Though we design clothing for both men and women, women were at the core of the brand when we started, hence the name Ntombi which means a lady in my language IsiNdebele.
How would you describe the ethos and design philosophy behind NtombiCouture?
Run by my desire to tell a genuine African story through fabrics, our design process speaks to the ethos of the continent. Africa is made up of a beautiful mix of diverse cultures. With those , come different colours, fabrics, people, and even fabrics. Yet there are so many elements of the different people of Africa that have a lot of elements in common, such as the colourful fabrics, the decadent foods, and the welcoming nature of people. As we design, we think of these elements in our collections and we keep our work clean and classic. Our design philosophy ensures that our offering is timeless.
Why did you choose Dubai as the home for Ntombi Couture, and how has the city influenced your designs?
Dubai is one of the best places in the world not only to start a business but to go global with your business. It is one of r the world’s leading destinations in terms of the fashion industry and with it comes leadership that spearheads great investment in the creative industry. Earlier this year Dubai was ranked first globally in foreign direct investment into the creative economy with AED 11.8 BN invested to boost the creative market.
What does luxury mean to you, and how do you ensure Ntombi Couture stays synonymous with elegance and quality?
Luxury means a seamlessly produced product from start to finish. From the brief, to design, fabric sourcing, production, quality control, product delivery and client support. To me luxury is not only the product but the entire process from concept to after the delivery. You may have a beautifully designed and crafted piece for a client but if they do not have a luxurious experience from the first touch point/conversation then the luxury experience is lost. To ensure we stay synonymous with elegance and quality we do our best to not compromise any of the mentioned stages of the process. We continue to strive to master our craft, one Ntombi piece at a time.
How do you incorporate elements of African culture into your creations, and why is this important to you?
We usually incorporate elements of African culture into our creations through different elements that speak to the continent. Namely fabrics from the continent, fabrics with African prints, and fabrics that are rich in colour even if they are solid colours. The landscape of the continent also inspires us, for example the unique sunset of the one of a kind safaris. A lot of our designs are driven by African people at large, many of which are our clients. There are many elements about the continent one can draw inspiration from.
Could you share a memorable project or a significant milestone in your journey with Ntombi Couture?
The most significant milestone for me will always be the launch of our first collection at the Middle East. Fashion Week 10 years ago. It was at that moment that the penny dropped that Dubai was the best destination for us to build the brand from.
What challenges have you faced as a designer and entrepreneur in the luxury space, and how have you overcome them?
Some challenges we have faced include learning some elements of running a successful business as you go. This is an expected element that comes with being an entrepreneur however sometimes you make mistakes that may cost you. I’ve overcome such mistakes by staying open to learning and accepting that lessons are there to be learnt. Sometimes that means doing research, reading up on certain subjects that will assist me in making better decisions in the future. We have also been faced with resourcing challenges that have pushed us to outsource the human resource element of the business to ensure that we not only have talented people that we work with but also that they are the best fit for the dynamic with strive for. This has been a major lesson this year.
What is your vision for the future of Ntombi Couture, and what can we expect to see from your brand in the coming years?
The vision is to grow the Ntombi brand to be a brand that connects personally with each person that experiences our pieces. When we design our bespoke pieces, we ask questions that give us insights into the client. It’s important that the client remains at the heart of a brand. You can expect to see us expand our ready to wear pieces. Although the brand started off with bespoke clothing, we have transitioned to offering both ready to wear and bespoke clothing for men and women. We also plan to continue to collaborate more with other brands on capsule collections.
How has your travel experiences influenced your designs, and are there any particular destinations that have left a lasting impact on your creative vision?
This may be biased however every time I travel to South Africa I return to Dubai buzzing creatively. South Africa has an immensely talented pool of creatives that I respect and the fashion scene in South Africa has its own unique soul that cant be found anywhere else in the world.
