Above all, the fashion designer Thebe Magugu is a storyteller. Each season, he zeroes in on a story—either personal or belonging to his native South Africa, or to the larger African continent—and constructs a sartorial narrative around it. For spring 2022, the social unrest in South Africa inspired him to seek lightness. “I wanted to turn inward, at what keeps me very optimistic—and that was my family,” he told Sarah Mower. At the time, he produced a series of tailored separates in geometric wax prints that featured portraits of his various family members when they were children. “That collection sold very well, and a lot of people bought the shirt that had members of my family on it,” he explained on a recent Zoom. “And then I got to thinking that it’d be so special for people to have their own shirts where they’re able to memorialize their own ancestors, or friends, or anyone who’s had an impact on their lives, whether it’s their blood family or chosen family.”
And so, beginning today and until October 22, the designer is launching the Thebe Magugu Custom Heirloom Shirt, which allows anyone to get a version of Magugu’s popular top emblazoned with their own loved one. “Wax prints are often customized for only royalty and presidents,” Magugu explained. “I like the idea of making this an experience everyone can have access to, giving them the autonomy to turn focus on their own stories, histories, and backgrounds.” The shirts will be made in South Africa and Europe, and will ship later in the year—in time for the holidays. “I imagine that there’s going to be people who are going to make those shirts as a gift to someone,” he added. It was certainly the first thing my mom said when I showed her an image of my shirt with a picture of my grandmother as a young girl. “We need to get one for all of us,” she texted, alluding to her and her brothers.
For the Vogue editors lucky enough to take an early part in the project, the idea of wearing a shirt emblazoned with the image of a special loved one spoke not only to a desire to pay homage, but also to how we use clothes as a way to manifest who we are. “As an archivist, the concept of time and memory are constant preoccupations, and this project addresses them, using cloth as a way to hold emotion and love,” said Laird Borrelli-Persson. For Chioma Nnadi, the shirt presented a way to preserve a history that was literally lost—many of her family’s photos were destroyed during the Nigerian-Biafran war of the 1960s. “My dad attempted to have one of the deteriorated photos copied and reprinted, but the retouching job was so terrible—he was unrecognizable,” she explained. “Thankfully a friend of mine came to the rescue and professionally restored the photo and we were able to have a good laugh about the bad copy.” A portrait of her dad as a teenager adorns her shirt.
For others, the shirt also bridges the distance from family members. “My mom went to her 60th high school reunion this summer and wore this photo as a pin to identify her to her classmates,” Nicole Phelps recalls. “But there’s no forgetting my mom. She is the warmest, friendliest woman in any room.” Meanwhile, Jose Criales-Unzueta had “stolen” a photo of his mom as a young girl when he left his native Bolivia. “I considered getting it as a tattoo, but I never found the right artist or style. I love the idea of wearing it on a shirt, and I love thinking of this as an heirloom I can pass down.” While Irene Kim’s mom is not as far away (she lives in New Jersey), the absence is felt all the same. “During fashion month, it’s almost impossible to call my mom or visit her with my work schedule, so having her on my shirt will be a nice way to keep her close to me during those busy times,” she said.
It’s the exact reason why Magugu has undertaken this project, despite its tricky technical aspects and its legal implications. (“Someone is going to put up a picture of Lady Gaga and we’re going to be stuck with a copyright infringement suit,” he added, not-not joking.) “I’m so excited for this to come out,” Magugu said. “It’s a complete leap of faith. I don’t know if it’s going to be 100 people, 800 people—but I think this is really one of the legacy projects that will come out of the brand.” He wants everyone to be able to revel in the power of love. “It’s sort of like a charm. Being adorned by those who gave you strength, I think is a really powerful thing.”
