Q&A: Mantsho x H&M: Making fashion history

last year, Palesa Mokubung, founder and creative director of the local fashion label Mantsho, received a call that would change the trajectory of her business. Swedish giant retailer H&M wanted to partner with Mantsho to release a collection celebrating the elegance and vibrancy of Africa, with modern edgy designs created for the stylish confident woman – exactly what Mantsho is premised on. It would be the clothing retailer’s first-ever collaboration with an African designer.

While a brand collaboration of this magnitude was not an easy decision to make, Mokubung decided to go for it. She felt that she had a lot to learn from a 72-year-old, billion-dollar retail house with 4 958 stores (as of February 2019) across the globe.