Fashion connects the world – Although, Thebe Magugu and Pierpaolo Piccioli are from completely different continents and cultures, they share the same values and ideas of fashion being a form of self-expression.
Thebe Magugu and Pierpaolo Piccioli were the chosen designers for the second chapter of Vogue’s dress-swap initiative; where two designers are tasked with reimagining and transforming each others designs. Thebe Magugu was tasked with reinterpreting Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Valentino haute couture garment which was once worn by Tracee Ellis Ross to 2018 Emmy Awards.
At his Johannesburg studio, Magugu was amazed by the beauty of Piccioli’s full-bloom fuchsia-pink ball gown when it arrived. When the redesigning process began, Magugu couln’t hide his enthusiasm on idea of reimagining another designers work which speaks to conversations that surround the fashion industry shifting towards sustainable fashion. “Instead of making new things let’s look at what we already have and try and up-cycle and reinterpret and change that”, Magugu said.
Magugu completely transformed Piccioli’s creative work from a haute couture to what he does best which is ready-to-wear pieces. Magugu deconstruct the garment into a “very elevated trench coat and with the left over fabric” he created “a very wide leg pair of pants with a very generous cuff on it and a matching shirt. In as much as Magugu transformed the haute couture garment into something that resembles his ready-to-wear identity. Magugu insisted on keeping the original elements of the dress; “the zips, the corsetry, the construction, the tule “. He jokingly said that he felt that if he had unpicked the pleats he would “just get struck by lighting”. Instead, he transform those pleats into beautiful armholes that are reminiscent of the Victorian era. Mugugu used “the petticoat’s crin to create a hieratic hat” which he compares “to a Nefertiti headdress”. “There are a few lessons that I can take from Pierpaolo’s career and work: his dedication to women, and celebrating them; and the idea of family—that’s the same thing with me” said Magugu.
What started as frustration of being in South Africa, grew into appreciation. Magugu told Vogue that “cultural and geographic context is almost the pillar that supports my brand. I’m a storyteller—I use clothes as a way to share my own thoughts, my own histories, and my Sotho heritage—to preserve certain stories that run the risk of being forgotten. If it wasn’t for the opportunity to tell who I am and teach people about where I’m from, I really wouldn’t be enjoying what I’m doing”.
In Rome, a classic contemporary Thebe Magugu’s almond-green pantsuit inspired by this Sotho heritage arrived. Piccioli said, “I love the idea of reinterpreting. I even more love the idea of creating a moment between two identities, two cultures”. When Magugu’s creative work arrived, it was accompanied with a letter from Magugu with words that Piccioli described as moving. Magugu shared that he’s Sotho and that “blankets form a very big part of our culture”. With that in mind, Piccioli said, “so I wanted to alight this fabric, but also, his culture”.
Piccioli did the very opposite of what Magugu did. He took Magugu’s ready-to-wear design and transform it into something that is of his nature which is haute couture. He told Vogue that he wanted to create something that was a connection between Magugu’s identity and his own. The blanket motif was transformed into embroidery onto cashmere. Piccioli’s aim was “to give value to this fabric by incorporating it into a cape—a symbol of the Italian Madonna, of Renaissance culture. The beauty of Rome is about its layered feeling—Pasolini and Baroque angels together”.
