-
About
Palesa Mokubung
“Mantsho” is a Sesotho name meaning “A Beautiful Complexion” a clothing label that was
established by Palesa Mokubung in 2004. Palesa holds a Bacherlor of Arts Degree in Fashion Design, she’s an entrepreneur, an award winner and a fashion visionary “who has a rare quality to design from the heart” said Lucilla Booyzen the founder of SA Fashion Week.Palesa zooms in on African materials and cleverly transforms them into modern and edgy designs incorporating fine silks and woven fabrics to end up with a 100% Mantsho garment. A true Mantsho garment can be identified buy it’s confident and effortless silhouette, structure and quirkyness. These three elements work well to describe Mokubungs knowledge of her craft. Shape is a big character of her design ethos she believes it stores a womans confidence.
The Johannesburg based designer hails from Kroonstad in the Orange Free State. She was raised by a single mom along with her equally talented brother who is responsible for creating the Mantsho Logo. Palesas career started when she walked into a boutique in Rosebank Johannesburg and the owner asked her where she got her outfit from and Palesa said ‘’I made it”. The boutique was called Stoned Cherrie, Yes the revolutionary fashion brand that came out of SA in year 2000. Mokubung started working at Stoned Cherrie immediately, primarily as a designer. She worked long enough to gather experience and knowledge to start her brain child Mantsho.
Under the management and creative leadership of Palesa, Mantsho has gone on to travel to countries such as Greece, India, New York, Jamaica, Nigeria, Botswana, Senegal showcasing its designs. Mantsho has since attracted a big following amongst woman who want to stand out from the crowd and consider themselves as style leaders amongst their circle, women who a driven,classy and charismatic.
-
Stockists
Mantsho Lifestyle Store
27 Boxes
4th Avenue
MelvilleHouse of Elegance
Durban
083 699 5124
[email protected]Bootism
Phello - Vanderbijlpark
Raw Addiction
JHB CBD
Tshediso - 073 847 2575
[email protected]Gestuz - Umtata
Machere fashion House
JHB - 011 234 4402
-
About
Continues
Mantshos accolades range from creating woven fabrics with giant fabric weavers called Tie Weavers,being nominated for a number of awards to being named the ‘The African Trend Dictator’ by one of SA’s top publications. However Mokubungs biggest accomplishment came when she completed her BA Degree in Fashion Design 2014 and finally winning a Fashion and Innovation Award at the Mbokoko Women in the Arts Awards also in 2014, awards founded by Carol Bouwer. This experience has given her a higher appreciation for her craft and advanced her technical and theoretical knowledge of her ever changing industry.
In person, Palesa can be described as confident and a straight talker with high standards. Never compromises who she is and stands by her work. Many have described her as having the ultimate cool factor but she denies it. She prefers to think of herself as a creative hard working and an entrepreneur, who has went on to pursue anew venture, opening her very own Mantsho Lifestyle Store at 27 Boxes in Melville, where clients can now get ready to wear Mantsho signature garments as well an extension line of homeware pieces, that comprises of cushions, ottomans and culinary, all of which are some of the things that capture the essence of Mantsho.
TV APPEARANCES
She’s had just as much broadcast coverage as she’s had print. Her television appearances include
Top Billing,
3-Talk with Noeleen Maholwana Sangqu,
MTV Base,
20 Something,
Motswako:
Trace Your Roots, The Cut where Palesa was a served as a Judge and the SABC Africa Channel which airs on DSTV and numerous others.Mantsho was a part of the Designers at Edgars initiative and selected by Edgars as part of their retailer’s Local Designer initiative. Mantsho worked and stayed with Edagars as a Designer for the three contracted years.
M!
