Lukhanyo Mdingi Men’s Fall 2022
Hot off the LVMH Prize, South African designer Lukhanyo Mdingi opened Paris Fashion Week for the men’s fall 2022 collections with a presentation that combined clothes, music and yards of striped fabric, bunched and draped across the walls of the gallery-style show venue.
Mdingi, one of the three joint winners of the Karl Lagerfeld Special Jury Prize at the LVMH ceremony in September, was inspired by a recent visit to Burkina Faso, where he produces part of his men’s and women’s collections as part of a partnership with the Ethical Fashion Initiative.
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“The idea was to really create a whole sensory experience,” he said, as Guinean musician Djeli Moussa Kondé sang and played the kora in the background, while a weaver worked a loom in a neighboring room. “This is really quite a big deal. I’m so happy to be here.”
The designer updated the traditional Faso Dan Fani cotton fabric with a shot of Lurex, for a striped men’s suit in a green, black and white colorway. Women’s tailoring included a suit with wide, cuffed pants in an ikat pattern combining green and yellow checks with bold blue stripes.
Textured knitwear, including fringed ponchos and patchwork shawls, contrasted with fine knit polo tops and dresses in zingy shades of yellow, lilac and pink, set off with graphic colorblocks and jagged stripes. “We always have a hybrid between artisanal craft as well as something that’s modern,” explained Mdingi, whose collection is carried by Net-a-porter and Ssense.
He hopes the visibility of the LVMH Prize will help him grow his label at retail. With this soulful display, Mdingi made a strong case for craftsmanship as a way to connect and uplift.
Launch Gallery: Lukhanyo Mdingi Men's Fall 2022
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