Lukhanyo Mdingi’s South African Intelligence
Lukhanyo Mdingi is a designer who established his brand in 2015 in South Africa. He is passionate about local South African design and creating ethically based fashion, which is sourced and produced in South Africa. His collections have been presented in Italy and London. He is one of the top designers in South Africa and is an advocate of showcasing the value of South African artist as a creative society contributing to Africa as a whole. He is interested in the roots of Africa in its entirety and its diverse expressions of identity. Lukhanyo Mdingi looks to cross cultural references and uses theory and research as a foundation to create honest pieces that celebrate the pure spirit of considered design and modern refinement.
The fall 2019 collection included men and women’s looks in a rich palate of gold, ivory and bronze. The tour de force were the textiles particularly the silks and the knits in plush wool showcasing variation in knots in sweaters and oversize scarf silhouettes. The tailoring was also an element to note this was an exceedingly well-made collection. The fashion and fresh design outlook is seen in the refinement. The balance of jackets, trousers, to a white cotton Djellaba look helped bring to light Mdingi’s interests and storytelling about the diversity of the African continent. It was a wonderful well-edited and well-presented introduction to Lukhanyo Mdingi a designer making beautiful accessible and intelligent clothing.
#LukhanyoMdingi #SouthAfricanFashionDesigner #MensFashion #NYFWMens #NYFW #Fall2019Men #menswear #MensFashionWeek #global
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Patrick Michael Hughes is a fashion and decorative arts historian. He writes about fashion culture past and present making connections to New York, London and Copenhagen's fashion weeks with an eye toward men's fashion. He joined IRK Magazine as a fashion men's editor during winter of 2017.
He is often cited as a historical source for numerous pieces appearing in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, LVMH, Conde Nast, Highsnobiety and others. His fashion career includes years as a fashion reporter/producer of branded content for the New York local news in the hyper digital sector. Patrick's love of travel and terrain enabled him to becoming an experienced cross-country equestrian intensively riding in a number of locations in South America Scandinavia,The United Kingdom and Germany. However, he is not currently riding, but rather speaking internationally to designers, product development teams, marketing teams and ascending designers in the US, Europe and China.
Following his BA in the History of Art from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York he later completed graduate studios in exhibition design in New York. it was with the nudge and a conversation in regard to a design assignment interviewing Richard Martin curator of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art he was encouraged to consider shifting his focus to the decorative arts with a concentration in fashion history and curation.
Patrick completed graduate studies 17th and 18th century French Royal interiors and decoration and 18th century French fashion culture at Musée Les Arts Decoratifs-Musée de Louvre in Paris. Upon his return to New York along with other classes and independent studies in American fashion he earned his MA in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from the Parsons/Cooper Hewitt Design Museum program in New York. His final specialist focus was in 19th century English fashion and interiors with distinction in 20th century American fashion history and design.
Currently, he is an Associate Teaching Professor at Parsons School of Design leading fashion history lecture-studios within the School of Art and Design History and Theory,
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