MASANGO’s top celebrity clients for Durban July 2024 include Mawhoo, Lameiz Holworthy, Mohale Motaung, Babalwa M, Phuthi Khomo, Nikko Toogood, Alicia Shonisani and Doro Mongy.
Besides dressing himself for the first time at the Hollywoodbets Durban July, which he is very excited about, designer extraordinaire of MASANGO by Siphosihle takes centre stage at this year's biggest horse racing event, the Durban July, where he is dressing some of South Africa's top celebrities and influencers from hitmaker Mawhoo who has taken the Amapiano genre by storm, acclaimed DJ Lameiz Holworthy and celebrated media personality Phuthi Khomo amongst others.
MASANGO, who is always pushing the envelope in terms of construction, detail and interpretation says when a number of the a-list celebrities and influencers reached out a month ago ahead of the Durban July, to discuss the design ideas for their collaboration, he started playing around with the idea of getting washed up on the beach and got inspired by the shapes and motions of the water as it covers the rocks and recedes back into the ocean.
For Siphosihle, creative director of MASANGO, the theme Ride The Wave is quite interesting as he is referencing childhood favourite cartoons like the little mermaid, exploring new fabric manipulation techniques and playing with gradient embellishments to emulate the scattering and refraction of light in the ocean.
Phuthi Khomo who has remain consistent over the years with her fashion sense on the red carpet expressed that her look inspiration came from the ocean's waves and the idea of flowing with the tide, and her idea is to look like a mermaid that has just washed up on shore, walking among the people. “We were inspired by things that come from the ocean and get washed up on shore by the waves, like pearls and shinny treasures. I wanted an outfit that exudes confidence, elegance, and movement.” Said Phuthi Khomo.
Top influencer & entrepreneur, Doro Mongy says she absolutely loves the theme and explains that she understood it as a commentary on the current political climate. “The tide is changing, bringing about new and exciting things for the country. Waves are unpredictable, and it's encouraging us to come along and take part in the change.” Says Doro Mongy
She further explains that for this look she was inspired by the vigour of waves thrashing against a rocky shore. How they envelope and caress the rocks, shape and mould them and smoothen them out. “I thought "mh wouldn't it be interesting to play with fabric that hugs and shapes my body.” She concluded.
Siphosihle also expressed how him and his team enjoyed working on all the garments and were also excited about the challenge that Mawhoo & Lameiz Holworthy who gave them full creative direction for their looks with Mawhoo who said Masango must go all out with something unique and interesting, trusting MASANGO’s creative process.
Lameiz Holworthy who has been constantly one of those to look out for at some of the red carpet events, says she was extremely excited about the theme for the Durban July. She says since she thought people were going to gravitate towards the blues and the greens of the oceans to look like the ocean and even the grays and whites (the pearls of the ocean). For her, at the top of her head, together with MASANGO, were thinking at the same time, they were in love with the idea, and we were thinking the little mermaid and being a modern mermaid.
“We were caught between being the actual little mermaid or our own spin on Ursula, who is also the little mermaid. They paint her as being this wicked witch. Our twist on it is how beautiful and regal and just stunning Ursula wanted to be. In essence, she envied the little mermaid. She just wanted to be beautiful. She says.
“I guess this is Ursula’s time now through me. I'm hoping that for any other women of any shape, any size, who has felt like she is the Ursula in their movie, in that any other women who look at other women and yearn to be as pretty or as confident and I hope that this look inspires you and shows that you can, and you are.” Explains the DJ.
She strongly believes that, regardless of what you have and who you are and regardless of how big you are, just find the right designer, like how I found Sihle MASANGO, who understands her body and understands her as a person and is able to make her feel like a goddess every time he dresses her.
