Gugu Peteni has gained international recognition after receiving Africa Fashion Up’s Young Designer award for her GUGUBYGUGU Spring Summer 25 collection.

The emerging African designer, who was born and raised in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, launched her new collection at Africa Fashion Up on 24 June in Paris. Titled ‘Echoes of Self’, the collection is a reflection of dual identity, integrating both Gugu’s personal experiences and her African heritage. For the global stage, Gugu’s design concept becomes luxury streetwear while simultaneously championing sustainability through her use of a natural fibre blend of mohair and merino wool.

Africa Fashion Up is an annual event that takes place in the heart of Paris with the aim of spotlighting young African fashion designers who are shaping the 21st century. Rich Mnisi won Best Designer at the same event. The winners of the Africa Fashion Up are supported by a six-month mentorship program. The focus of Gugu’s mentorship is brand positioning, understanding the European market, maximising opportunities in Europe, and growing her sustainability. “We want to maximise our opportunities so that when we enter the European market, we enter to stay and grow within that market,” says Gugu.

Inspiration behind ‘Echoes of Self’

The SS25 collection stems from her reflections on dual identities that many Africans navigate while also drawing from her personal experiences of post-apartheid South Africa. For example, Gugu reflects on the duality of the vernacular pronunciation of her name and the English pronunciation. This influences her perspective of identity, eliciting multiple personas depending on the environment she is in. In ‘Westernised’ spaces, the pronunciation of her name is often “Googo”, but when she goes back to her hometown, the pronunciation is “Gugu”. “It was the idea that we encompass dual identities and multiple personas, and our environment and situations shape which of those personas emerge,” she says.

The design process and techniques

This concept was translated by using light, fluffy mohair knits contrasted with a harsher, innovative 3D fabric that moves with the wearer. The graphic design patterns and imagery of two-tone body figures personify the idea of dual identities. A graphic “Gugugugugugugugu” features on a woollen knit, alluding to differences in the pronunciation of her name in different spaces. “The figures represent our dual identities, working with each other while competing with each other”, Gugu says. Another graphic shows a woman with different parts of her facial features dragged through the work. Gugu says that this represents all our consciousnesses interacting with each other as we become one.

Balancing luxury streetwear and African heritage

Gugu is African, so the infusion of Afrocentric elements translates authentically regardless of whether the design concept is explicitly African or not. There is a seamless fusion of luxury streetwear and African heritage in Gugu’s designs. Gugu’s love for baggy and oversized fits gives her collection a streetwear feel. “We didn’t restrict our silhouettes and shapes, which is the essence of street,” Gugu says.

Sustainability at its core

Sustainability is a core part of Gugu’s design ethos, influenced by her early childhood experiences and university studies. “Growing up, my mom was extremely eco-conscious. We had recycling bins. We never over-consumed, and my mom mended our clothes. Sustainability was a lifestyle not an abstract concept,” she says.  After graduating from Nelson Mandela University with an honours degree in fashion and textile design, she worked at Mohair South Africa for three and a half years as an in-house designer and retail manager. During her work at Mohair South Africa, Gugu gained a greater understanding of sustainability, leveraging the beauty of mohair across almost all her designs.

The incorporation of mohair into her designs stems from the malleability and versatility of the material. The fibre is breathable and can be shaped through felting, crocheting or digitisation. Not only are the benefits of mohair bountiful, but it is also a luxury fibre that is sustainably and locally sourced from Gugu’s hometown, Gqeberha.

Gugu collaborated with local brands, Wrapt Knitwear and e.g jewellery for this collection. Wrapt Knitwear, based in Johannesburg, domestically knits all their garments with the finest silk of mohair and the most beautiful wools. e.g. jewellery, based in Pretoria, makes edgy, handcrafted architectural accessories. Gugu says that the collaboration with these local brands instils the idea of ‘slow manufacturing’ and ‘conscious creation’ into the collection as it directly contrasts with the dominant model of fast-paced production and consumption of fashion.

Gugu’s mission to elevate handcrafted African fashion on the global stage is shown through her commitment to commercialising her designs and bringing them into the luxury market. Gugu associates craft with quality and high-end value, challenging the boundaries of the luxury space and authenticating African craft and heritage.

Credits

• Creative director: @GUGUBYGUGU
• Consulting firm: @leosznconsulting
• Sponsors: @mohairsouthafrica
• Artisan: @wraptknitwear
• Shoes: @europaart @preview_designer_collection 
• Jewellery: @e.g.jewellery 

Photos

• Feature image: Gugu Peteni with her Young Designer Africa Fashion Up 2024 award in Paris
• Images supplied by Africa Fashion Up / Kamson via @leosznconsulting