WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

The Foschini x RICH MNISI limited-edition capsule collection is a multi-generational ode to memory and culture, as the retail chain celebrates its centenary and the South African designer marks 10 years.

“As Foschini celebrates 100 years, collaborating with Rich Mnisi at his 10-year milestone creates a natural synergy,” says Robyn Wenlock, Foschini Managing Director, Ladies Fashion & Beauty Stack. “Together, we honour women, connect heritage to the future, and reaffirm our commitment to making exceptional design accessible to all South Africans.”

“Women have always been my starting point,” adds Rich Mnisi. “This collection is a love letter to them, to the resilience woven into their wardrobes. And when I think of the legacy of dressing women for 100 years and 10 years for us, I just think of how inspiring the silent resilience and power that women hold and how generational it is. I also think of my mother.”

For the designer, the creative process began with feeling rather than form. “The first reference I pulled when designing the Foschini auction collection was definitely the feeling of nostalgia,” he explains. “I thought of just my grandmother walking in Sophiatown. I thought of pleats, blouses, silks – just a very chilled elevated look with a lot of print. That whole aesthetic and vibe really did influence a lot of the collection.”

The Foschini x RICH MNISI Capsule Collection

The limited-edition capsule reimagines Rich Mnisi’s most iconic design signatures as versatile pieces for the contemporary woman:

• Signature dresses that merge archival influence with modern silhouettes.
• Tailored separates and soft knits bringing luxury into everyday life.
• Statement prints and wrap silhouettes inspired by family gatherings, first dances, and quiet acts of resilience
• Accessories as final flourishes – subtle yet powerful tributes to intention.

Each piece carries RICH MNISI’s recognisable bold prints and sculptural approach, now accessible through Foschini’s reach and price point.

The Foschini x RICH MNISI capsule collection launches in selected Foschini stores and online on Bash.com on 9 October 2025. shop.richmnisi.com | bash.com/foschini

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Rich Mnisi’s new solo exhibition, Dzuvula (Shedding Skin), now showing at Southern Guild, expands on the notion of duality first seen in the designer’s debut collection, Nyoka.

In his latest work, Rich Mnisi explores the relationship between the mundane and the magical, the matriarchal and magisterial – themes that have emanated from the artist’s embrace of fluidity as a guiding philosophy and aesthetic approach.

The snake is once again a central character, with the undulating arcs of its movement distorting and disrupting borders and edges. While Nyoka tried to capture the frictions and tensions of life and creation, Dzuvula expands on this concept and draws parallels between the snake’s dual nature and our own conflicting human nature.

“We are at once faithful and faithless, bound and free,” he notes. “Sustaining existence within life’s many tensions defines the human experience. Dzuvula turns the acceptance of this immutable truth into a sensory journey. Every piece reflects the result of growing into oneself – risk and vulnerability, strain and ease – through a vocabulary of forms, patinas, patterns and textures.”

A polished bronze table, titled Mbhoni (Witness), with its bulging surface, is held up on a serpentine limb that both embraces and impales it. A pair of sculptural bronze and sheepskin seats, Ripfumelo I and Ripfumelo II, embody the dualities of fear and discomfort.

In Vutlhari II (Wisdom), a bronze chandelier, the serpent contorts over and into itself in a manner best described as swirling, consuming wisdom handed down by our forebears. In this edition of the chandelier – a collaboration between Rich Mnisi and designer Charles Haupt that debuted in Nyoka – the shades have been printed with an intricate snakeskin pattern.

Dzuvula also makes reference to Bumba, the Bushongo mythological god who created life by vomiting up elements of the natural world. Shiluva (Flower), a rug skillfully woven from hand-spun Tibetan wool and silk by the adept hands of artisans at Paco Rugs, depicts the primordial soup of Bumba’s regurgitation of life. Nyoka II, a curved console which first appeared in Mnisi’s 2021 solo show, features a storage cavity concealed by richly patterned beading inspired by Mnisi’s 2022 Mafamba Yexe fashion collection.

Dzuvula speaks to the things that quietly encroach in between. This new body of work is the spark created by that friction: the animation of life. Light bounces off the reflective surfaces, creating a multitude of shapes from the teasing apart of one. 

Rich Mnisi’s solo exhibition Dzuvula (Shedding Skin) is showing at Southern Guild until 18 April 2024.

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Southern Guild presents Inkundla at Design Miami 2022 – a collection of 16 handcrafted objects existing in the material plane but born of the spiritual one, featuring the likes of ceramicists Zizipho Poswa, Andile Dyalvane, and Madoda Fani; artists Nandipha Mnthambo, Porky Hefer, and Rich Mnisi; sculptor Stanislaw Trzebinski and design duo Dokter and Misses.

Inkundla derives from the Xhosa word for the entrance to a homestead’s cattle enclosure; it is a place of community, the sacred and mundane, where ideas and gripes are exchanged. The handmade objects – distinct in their materiality and form, bound by their exploration of spiritual themes and the intent of hand – visually and functionally narrate the everyday lifeworlds of objects. That is, things imbued with symbolism that elevate the everyday towards the divine.

Highlights include:

Ceramic and bronze sculptures, uBuhle boKhokho, by Zizipho Poswa that are colossal in scale and intricacy and draw inspiration from the way African women express and celebrate themselves through hair.

Andile Dyalvane’s three ceramic forms pay homage to the grounding power of nature and, specifically, the large nests of sociable weaver birds the artist spent time studying on recent travels to the plains of the Karoo desert and the Northern Cape of South Africa.

Dokter and Misses’ new hand-painted LALA Limo server brings geometric planes into conversation with an arresting energy. It is a design commemoration of the birth of the duo’s first child and speaks of tension and potential, science and nature, trauma and joy.

Rich Mnisi’s Nyoka (Snake) console and Vutlhari (Wisdom) chandelier command a tense sensuality in the booth and drew on his family history, African mythology and the duality of fear and beauty.

• The complete list of artists include:
• Adam Birch
• Andile Dyalvane
• Charles Haupt
• Cheick Diallo
• Chuma Maweni
• Conrad Hicks
• Dokter and Misses
• Galia Gluckman
• Justine Mahoney
• Madoda Fani
• Nandipha Mntambo
• NØDE
• Porky Hefer
• Rich Mnisi
• Rodney Band
• Zizipho Poswa

Design Miami will be held from 30 November to 4 December 2022. For more information, visit designmiami.com.

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Local renowned fashion designer Rich Mnisi has released Homeland II, the second instalment of his streetwear collaboration with adidas.

The first collection (read about it here) was released earlier in 2022 and was available internationally in fashion capitals including London, Paris, Dubai and New York. Celebrating Tsonga heritage, the new range is an extension of the initial iteration. 

The new Homeland Collection features a line-up of female-focused streetwear pieces that celebrate love, romance and beauty with a bright and energetic rose print. The collection includes unique and beautiful pieces that reflect Mnisi’s influences and experiences.

Led by local models Lindiwe Dim, Lisa Fumagalli and Noma Mokoni, the collection embodies an African urban edge that fuses contemporary streetwear with glimmers of traditional flavour. 

READ MORE: Design Journey: Rich Mnisi

Expect classic apparel pieces and iconic Adidas footwear embellished with Rich’s bold signature designs. To keep relevant and sustainable, 9 out of 10 pieces are created in part with recycled materials.

For more information, visit adidas.co.za.

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Rich Mnisi’s eponymous brand has become an icon of South African contemporary culture. The LISOF graduate pushes the boundaries of fashion, and is now taking the same approach to furniture.

2016: UNTHINKING

Unthinking was my first collection, debuting the year after RICH MNISI was founded. It was a representation of things I grew up seeing in township culture that were minimised or not acknowledged, especially queer identity. It encouraged “unthinking” and accepting reality. I don’t usually speak about the matters that are close to me – I rather do it visually, with triggers that help people see things in a different light.

2018: COCA-COLA COLLAB

The RICH MNISI Coke Threds capsule collection was a collaboration with Coca-Cola geared towards a younger generation. As much as my aesthetic is youthful, the silhouettes I go for are quite mature: pleated skirts and tailored jackets. I almost didn’t fit the demographic because I wasn’t designing hoodies and T-shirts… But the collection sold out! It was a beautiful study because it revealed that people like to style themselves, and they like to have an opportunity to mix different aesthetics. It’s fashion; it’s meant to be explored.

2018: SOUTHERN GUILD BEGINNINGS

When I designed Nwa-Mulamula’s Chaise and Nwa-Mulamula’s Tears for Southern Guild, it was to pay tribute to my great-grandmother Nwa-Mulamula, a woman I never knew but whose story I grew up hearing and wanted to honour. These pieces later went with Southern Guild to Salon Art + Design in New York and PAD London. Furniture design had been a long-term goal for me – but Southern Guild fast-tracked that by 10 years! Because the gallery leans towards unconventional pieces, it has been amazing to go into a world where I shouldn’t make anything conventional. It’s an extension of my fashion brand.

2019: LABOLA

Once I started exploring the idea of Nwa-Mulamula in my designs, she became my artistic muse, guiding me from season to season as I imagined her in different scenarios. My Lobola collection came from me daydreaming about her lobola ceremony, and what it would have been like.

2021: KU HAHAMA

The Ku Hahama collection was inspired by a dream my mother had of a snake, which reminded me of the mythological god Bumba, who created the planet by vomiting stars, animals and humans. My entire family has a massive fear of snakes, so my mother’s dream was filled with terror – but she was also mesmerised by the beauty of the snake. There was a similarity in this to the pain Bumba went through to birth creation. It’s the duality that informed Ku Hahama.

2021: NYOKA

Nyoka is my first solo show with Southern Guild. The title means “snake” in Xitsonga, and these furniture pieces are an extension of the ideas behind Ku Hahama. I am so proud of this collection, which was created through so much conversation, collaboration, craftsmanship, labour and humility. It’s been a fun and insightful journey to witness my designs transform into perfect pieces of art through the work of sculptors, bead artists, rug weavers, industrial designers, foundry workers and more.

2022: ADIDAS COLLAB

The collection pays homage to my Tsonga roots, focusing on identity and the spirit of cultural pride. The range consists of clashing, brightly coloured pieces featuring abstract patterns and animal prints that nod to my heritage.

Looking for more on local design? Read about Haldane Martin’s design journey over the last 20 years.

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South African fashion designer Rich Mnisi has joined forces with international streetwear and sports label adidas in a new line that is inspired by local heritage.

The collection pays homage to Rich’s Tsonga roots, focusing on identity and the spirit of cultural pride. The range consists of clashing, brightly coloured pieces featuring abstract patterns and animal prints that nod to Mnisi’s heritage.

Comprised of 12 pieces, the wear is adaptable for a performance-based lifestyle but also adapts to an urban street style. The bold clothing includes pieces created for swimming, running, cycling and training. 

Fusing style, colour and function, the collection is completed with a series of iconic footwear adorned with Rich’s signature prints. Each piece can be worn as a collective or works as a stand-alone statement item.

The range is also sustainable, with hero pieces being made in part with recycled materials and Parley Ocean Plastic, minimising the impact of ocean pollution.

“I am immensely proud to present this collection in collaboration with adidas, an iconic brand that I grew up seeing on People of Colour that were rewriting the arts,” explains Rich Mnisi. “It has been a pleasure to bring my designs to classic pieces. We have created a bright, unique collection that reflects my love for the idea of community and heritage, individuality, and self-expression. Our aim was to create pieces that support life on and off the sports field.”

The adidas x Rich Mnisi collection will be available from 25th February 2022 at adidas.co.za and adidas Originals and Performance stores, with prices ranging from R379 to R3599.

Looking for more on local design? Take a look at Rich Mnisi’s previous capsule collection with Karabo Poppy.

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Karabo Poppy Moletsane combines her design skills with an aesthetic that celebrates Africa – then, now and in the future. In her work, timelessness and futurism merge to form globally recognised, locally inspired collaborations.

2017 – BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE MURAL

I was commissioned by the University of California, in Berkeley, to collaborate with the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive on this Afrofuturist mural, which is 21m by 7m. It’s a portrait series of South Africans who embody a contemporary South African aesthetic, looking at where our country has been and where it is headed, as well as how a hybridisation of tradition and future thought will inform our growth. Celebrating this on the walls of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive was a memorable experience. There were plenty of “firsts” on this project: it was my first overseas commission, the first mural of this size that I created, and my first visit to the US.

2019 – NIKE X KARABO POPPY AIR FORCE 1

In creating this collection of three Air Force 1 designs, I was inspired by the diverse visual aesthetic of parts of Africa, both contemporary and traditional. Our aesthetic has a long, rich heritage rooted in constant innovation – something that every African carries with them. It’s in the everyday, seemingly mundane events that this aesthetic is at its most beautiful to me. Through Nike By You, people could customise my designs too, so this became more than just a collaboration. Each design made use of a completely new technique on the Air Force 1, from raised embroidery to embroidered patches over the swoosh. This sold-out collection has been seen on the feet of LeBron James, Off set, Rhapsody and Conceited.

2019 – COCA COLA

This collaboration showcased where I believe kindness starts – and I believe it begins by celebrating diversity. As a young black woman living in South Africa, I (together with the rest of the country) have been tasked with finding harmony after conflict. Reaching this goal has relied on all of us showing kindness to one another by celebrating our diversity. Part of this project was the creation of a “Kindness Starts with Celebrating Diversity” billboard in Times Square, New York.

2020 – AFROPUNK

Early in 2020, I created an illustration inspired by the West African Adinkra symbol, Kwatakye Atiko – said to be a special hairstyle of Kwatakye, a war captain of old Asante – for Afropunk. It represents bravery and fearlessness, and is given as an earned title to any brave son of an Akan community. The piece is about being unapologetic, having a sense of self and owning who you are, especially when that becomes life-threatening and requires an enormous amount of courage. This illustration serves to honour and celebrate those who are showing up as they truly are, and encourage a sense of owning your identity no matter what.

2020 – RICH MNISI X KARABO POPPY

The Running Errands capsule collection combines different styles intersecting multiple identities, indicating movement, energy and constant growth – just as complex as our country, with its diverse people and cultures puzzle-pieced together.

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Mirroring the organic shapes found in nature, these pieces bring a comforting element to any space – an ideal contrast to bold and angular contemporary designs.

1. Fantasia Mirror By Dokter and Misses: Named after the fantasy land in the film The Neverending Story, this sculptural mirror tests the limits of balance.

2. Lily Patinated Bowls By Conrad Hicks For Southern Guild: These unique, hand-forged copper bowls are made using traditional blacksmiths’ methods.

3. Slab Live Edge Dining Table By Egg Designs: Each Slab table created by Durban-based Egg Designs comes with a one-of-a-kind African mahogany top and solid cast iron legs.

4. Blob Lamp By Dokter and Misses: Introduce a playful accent with a Blob light – a witty, sculptural desk lamp that originated from a doodle.

5. Nwa-Mulamula By Rich Mnisi For Southern Guild: This striking chaise longue is inspired by the form and presence of artist and fashion designer Rich Mnisi’s late great-grandmother.

6. Bahla Chair By Bofred: Forming part of the BASK collection, the sculptural Bahla chair is made of solid ash wood, and stained with a black natural oil.

7. Full Moon Armchair By Murrmurr: The design of this chair was inspired by the full moon. Various fabric options are available – or can be specified or supplied.

8. Hourglass Glasses By Dokter and Misses: Handmade by expert glassblowers at Ngwenya Glass in Eswatini using recycled glass, these covetable vessels are all reversible.

9. Mensam Meridium (Glowing Dining Table) From The “In The Absence Of Light” Series By Stanislaw Trzebinski For Southern Guild: This bronze and walnut table literally shines – or, more accurately, glows in the dark – courtesy of its pigmented epoxy finish.

10. Sunnyside Mirror By Dokter and Misses: This wall mirror combines a structured grid with an amorphous shape.

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Multidisciplinary South African brand RICH MNISI and illustrator and street artist Karabo Poppy Moletsane have collaborated on a brand-new capsule collection, available online now.

The new unisex collection, entitled Running Errands, combines RICH MNISI’s designs with Karabo’s signature illustrations. Described on Instagram as “our first errand-wear capsule collection, which combines different artistic styles intersecting multiple identities just as complex as our country with diverse people and cultures puzzled together.”

The collection, made in South Africa, features a hooded sweatshirt, cropped joggers, a bucket hat, T-shirt and the Venomous eWallet bag.

Browse and shop the collection at shop.richmnisi.com.

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The nominees for 2020’s Most Beautiful Object in South Africa have been announced.

Forming part of the Design Indaba Festival programme, Most Beautiful Object in South Africa is made up of 10 objects / projects, each nominated by a local industry leader and personality, from artists and performers to fashion designers and film directors.

The winner will be announced at the Design Indaba Festival, running from 26 – 28 February 2020, in Cape Town. Last year, the award went to Houtlander for the design duo’s Interdependence Bench II.

You can vote online for your favourite at designindaba.com. The objects will also be on view at Nightscape, a ticketed after-hours event that is open to the public and forms part of the Festival.

Below, in no particular order are the list of nominees and nominators:

• ‘Zenande’ from Zizipho Poswa’s Magodi series, a ceramic sculpture inspired by traditional African hairstyles (nominated by creative director and GQ’s Best Dressed Man 2018, Seth Shezi)

Image credit: Hayden Phipps

• The hanging Soroban installation at FYN restaurant, a design collaboration between Tristan du Plessis and Christof Karl, inspired by the Japanese abacus (nominated by urban strategist and founder and director of Our Future Cities, Rashiq Fataar)

• Thebe Magugu’s Dawning installation, launched at Somerset House during London Fashion Week, designed to represent South Africa and its Constitution (nominated by performer and creative director of ArteBOTANICA, Manthe Ribane)

• Rich Mnisi’s Nwa-Mulamula Chaise, a tribute to the designer’s late great-grandmother (nominated by fashion designer Lukhanyo Mdingi)

Image credit: Hayden Phipps

• Photographs from Tiaan Nagel’s 19/20 “Remember Who You Are” campaign, inspired by a piece of writing by Ntokozo Mbokazi (nominated by South African-born actress Jodi Balfour)

• A plaster version of William Kentridge’s bronze Open sculpture, which forms part of the current sculpture exhibition at the Norval Foundation (nominated by CEO of the Norval Foundation and former Director of Institutional Development and External Affairs at Zeitz MOCAA, Elana Brundyn)

• Robinson the raffia dog by local brand Chommies, designed to display Chommies’ hand-crafted designs (nominated by House and Leisure editor Charl Edwards)

• The “Delicate Bracelet” by Izandla Zethu African Jewellery. This hand-made design, made from recycled corrugated iron, aims to inspire young people to use their skills to combat unemployment amongst the youth (nominated by artist and activist Blessing Ngobeni)

• Self-portrait by Trevor Stuurman. “The image shows a creative king, someone who represents the progress African artists have made on the world stage,” says film director Sunu Gonera, who nominated the image.

• Githan Coopoo’s sculpted earrings, hand-made jewellery that crosses the boundaries between fashion and art (nominated by textile designer and ethical manufacturer Sindiso Khumalo)

Vote for your favourite at designindaba.com and find out more about Design Indaba 2020 at conference.designindaba.com.

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