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Botho by Lesiba Mabitsela Studio and King Debs

by | Jul 22, 2022

“Botho” is a SeSotho phrase that roughly translates to “the act of carrying the required level of respect for the other.” Or, in short, treating the other with respect.

With the concept of Botho in mind, this project looks into how fashion design, including related technological knowledge systems (modern, ancient, indigenous, analogue, or digital), whether from Western civilisations or the global South, can be treated as equal.

This collaboration between Lesiba Mabitsela Studio and visual/digital artist KingDebs seeks to illustrate this possibility by attempting to add a more conscious, human-spirit-centric, approach to a highly mechanical, solutions-based, world view towards sustainability in the fashion industry.

We look to achieve this predominantly through combining selected philosophies from around the world such as the Japanese concept of Má, Eastern beliefs in reincarnation, and the idea of Botho, together with Augmented Reality technology to highlight the benefits of drapery within the design of garments, and the zero-waste cutting techniques employed within the practice of Lesiba Mabitsela Studio.

by Lesiba Mabitsela Studio and King Debs

Format: Augmented Reality

You can watch this prototype on Twyg’s YouTube channel. 

CREDITS

Co-creators | Lesiba Mabitsela Studio and King Debs

The Design Futures Lab is a creative economy project, hosted by Electric South, Twyg, and Crossover Labs and supported by the British Council #SouthernAfricaArts. The Design Futures Lab was held in March 2022 and this is one of nine prototypes completed in June 2022.

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