Maki, daughter of Nelson Mandela: “Fashion is more powerful than words”

Although it is simplistic to describe it in words, Nelson Mandela he was – and still is – a legendary political and human figure, whose struggles and values ​​never cease to echo over the decades. An incredible story that his family continues to tell and celebrate… too through fashion: on the occasion of the Torino Fashion Week in fact, at Palazzo Madama from 15 to 21 November, the fashion collection signed by House of Mandela, a lifestyle company founded by the daughter of the Nobel Prize, Maki Mandela.

The selection of streetwear garments that will parade in the shadow of the Mole Antonelliana is entitled The Struggle Series, and pays homage to Nelson Mandela in a powerful way, through the namesake series of drawings created by the former South African President: the Turin fashion week is in fact now one of the nerve centers of emerging creativity, and also for this edition it will give space to new talents of fashion. Although, as in 2020, the fashion week will take place in mode digital, the numbers of the last edition bode well, with a registration of over 2 million views.
A perfect combination of art, fashion and culture which since 2016 continues to trace and support the future of creatives, offering the world a unique preview of new projects to know, including that of House of Mandela: the first evening of November 15th will be dedicated to the Maki Mandela brand, presented by Carmen Abdullh Muhammad, founder of Al Nisa Designs. For the occasion we had the pleasure of speaking, from fashion to her father’s legacy, with Maki Mandela: woman, activist for women’s emancipation, businesswoman and more.

Your experience speaks of economics, development, female leadership and more: where does the passion for fashion come from, and how did it intersect with these areas?
«The passion for fashion comes from my daughter Tukwini. She is the one who designed the collection, found the suppliers, organized the models, the videos and the shooting – she is very passionate about working with local artisans and goes out of her way to find them. He truly believes there is so much talent and creativity in South Africa and Africa and wants to bring it to the world in a very creative and innovative way, and his dream is to set up his own business in South Africa, working with local artisans and suppliers to bring our fabrics to life. and designs inspired by the cultures, traditions, landscapes and colors of Africa. A cooperative that will host artisans and seamstresses who will have a share and earn decent salaries, so that they can be financially independent and contribute positively to the economy. My daughter and I have an entrepreneurial spirit and we got it from my mother, Evelyn. When my parents’ marriage ended, my mother wanted to find a way to support herself and her family, deciding to move to the Eastern Cape, where she developed a retail business: she taught all her grandchildren about Value of hard work, and often made them work in the shop even during the school holidays. The concept of female emancipation for me is something that cannot be learned from home, and I have continued to teach it to my children ».

What do you expect from this participation in Turin Fashion Week, a fervent center for emerging creatives?
«I know well that ours House of Mandela it has a story to tell, and I believe it will resonate with everyone during Turin Fashion Week. I think the influence of lineage and inheritance applies to every family: everyone has a family member who, in some way, has changed the trajectory of their family. We are telling the story of a core of people who have gone through enormous challenges, but who ultimately still believe in love, compassion for others and fighting for the common good. A story that, in this case, is told through the sense of fashion, with which we want to express how multifaceted African fashion is. It’s not just about the beautiful African prints, but about unique design pieces that anyone in the world would like to wear. Claudio Azzolini and his formidable team have created an extraordinary platform to allow every emerging creative to show the world their talent and creativity ».