Lesotho style, Paris dreams: Designer Thabo Makhetha ready to take Basotho heritage global

News24

14-05-2025

Thabo Makhetha is a fashion designer who integrates Sotho heritage into her designs, notably using Basotho blankets.
From launching her collection in 2011 to showcasing at SA Fashion Week, her milestones include collaborating with Jerry Mofokeng and international recognition with her designs featured at global events.
Makhetha focuses on celebrating Basotho culture through bold, impactful designs while aspiring to showcase her work on international platforms in cities like Paris.
Once again, celebrated Sotho designer Thabo Makhetha has taken the fashion industry by storm with her latest collection showcased at SA Fashion Week in April, and she has set her sights on international runways.
Known for her remarkable use of the Basotho blankets, the designer celebrated heritage once again in her latest collection, featuring the iconic print in pastel colours and various shades of brown.
For Makhetha, fashion has always been a huge part of her life and the only plan in terms of a career. 'Fashion is just something that's always been with me,' she told News24.
In her early life, Makhetha often heard that her gift for sewing came from her grandmother, Dikeledi, whose name inspired the print in her newest collection, showcased at SA Fashion Week.
'The collection that you also saw now, the print on this 100% cotton is called Dikeledi. That's my grandmother's name.
'People say that I got the gift for sewing from her. It's just always been with me. I've never actually thought about doing anything else. I don't know what else I can do but fashion,' she said.
The Dikeledi collection featured the Sotho print on 100% cotton, showcasing a lighter and more versatile evolution of the blanket design.
'It's a translation of a lighter fabric and possibly the future of textiles for Basotho culture in terms of using those beautiful bold prints and colours,' she said.
The boldness of Sotho blankets
For Makhetha, the designers are meant to make a powerful statement while also putting Sotho in the spotlight both locally and globally.
'It's my story, it's my heritage. It's amazing; it stands out,' she said, adding that the boldness of the blankets is not just about aesthetic appeal but also about making a cultural statement.
According to the designer, her journey in the fashion industry started in 2009 after she completed her tertiary studies.
Instead of seeking employment and working under someone else, she dived headfirst into building her own brand.
Two years later, in 2011, she introduced the celebrated 'Kobo ea Teng' collection, marking her signature use of Sotho blankets.
When asked if she thought her work would become successful enough to land on SA Fashion Week's runway, Makhetha said bigger milestones are yet to come.
'We haven't yet gotten to the part where we're having these interviews, and you and I are talking in Paris and all these other foreign locations. So that's the answer to that one,' she grinned.
Career milestones and creative collaborations
Makhetha's career has seen various significant milestones, with one of her proudest moments being her collaboration with legendary South African actor and director Jerry Mofokeng.
The two worked together on 'Hope on a Horse' in Cape Town, an artistic performance blending fashion and storytelling.
Mofokeng, who directed the event, praised Makhetha's vision, describing her work as a way of wearing 'the best of yourself on your skin.'
Mofokeng, who donned one of Makhetha's pieces for a poetry programme in Cape Town, told News24 about how the garment impacted him.
'Nobody must touch my body except Thabo. And she got me right... really brought the best out of me,' he said.
He also applauded Makhetha's ability to redefine traditional Sotho elements, particularly referencing her latest show as a redefinition of 'Tethana,' a Sotho skirt symbolising youthful grace among Basotho maidens.
'There is something in Masoto for the little young maidens called Tethana. She redefined Tethana today.
'That last dress is something for the awards ceremony. It cannot be worn at anything less than that. It requires an event that has lights and cameras,' the veteran actor said in an interview with News24 after the fashion show.
Another memorable milestone was when former Elle magazine editor Jackie Burger showcased a Thabo Makhetha cape seated at the front row of a Louis Vuitton fashion show.
'And I think for her, it was that seal of approval to say, 'Girl, you're doing the right thing. Keep going in this way'. And really encouraged me to get to where I'm at now as well,' she said.
A celebration of culture and craft
Makhetha's SA Fashion Week collection demonstrated her creativity and dedication to preserving and celebrating the Basotho culture.
The final dress during her show made a huge impact and was described by Mofokeng as perfect for award ceremonies. This is because it symbolised the grandeur and bold elegance Makhetha is known for.
'That last dress is something for the awards ceremony. It cannot be worn at anything less than that,' he said. 'It requires an event that has lights and cameras.'