From major luxury fashion houses passing down brands from generation to generation, and grandmothers passing on handicraft skills to mothers allowing their cupboards to be raided, mother figures are a strong influence in fashion. This Mother’s Day, we’re paying tribute to the person who was often the first style icon in our lives: our mother.
We chatted with local designers – who either collaborate with, draw inspiration from their mothers or are mothers themselves – about the inextricable bond between mothering and making.
Fuata Moyo
A family Mbiola portrait. Antoinette Kapinga Mbiola is seated surrounded by her children Tshimaga, Augy, Kashika, Martine, Tchitchi, Lusee and Kabambi
Creativity runs in the genes of the Mbiola family – four of the siblings have teamed up to form the clothing brand Fuata Moyo, meaning ‘follow the heart’ in Swahili. Each sibling is an artist in their own right, bringing individual talents for photography, fashion design, styling, graphic design and creative directing to the table. Fuata Moyo offers solace from overconsumption culture, producing thoughtfully made, creative pieces, destined to become future heirlooms.
Their mother Antoinette Kapinga Mbiola was married with her first child by18 years old. By the time she was 30, she and her husband had seven children, and at 37 she became a widow. “She has gone through a lot and overcome numerous obstacles to raise us,” says her son and one quarter of Fuata Moyo, Kabambi Mbiola. “She’s not just our mom; she’s the root of our existence, our role model, and one of our biggest motivations is to make her proud.”
As children, the siblings watched their parents work together, instilling a natural flair for collaboration and putting family at the centre of their art. Fuata Moyo regularly hosts events where they create a platform for discussions and creative sessions along with artists.
Their mother owns a catering company Chakula Yetu—Swahili for ’our food’. “Our mom works with us on the events side of things,” says Kabambi. “We give people the authentic Congolese food experience.”
Antoinette Kapinga Mbiola is in the back row, second from left. Her mother is seated in the front
The family’s next events will be hosted on Youth Day and Heritage Day, where you can taste delicious African tapas while enjoying creative chats, art and live music.
Follow the Fuata Moyo movement here.
Me&B
Kelly Gibberd and Betina Swart are the mother-daugther creative and business duo behind of Me&B
Me&B is renowned for its inclusive clothing, designed to transcend limitations of size and age—an attitude inspired by the mother-daughter bond of co-owners Kelly Gibberd and Betina Swart. “My mom always told me how stunning I looked. If I wore hot pants, she would tell me my legs look great, and never said ‘You shouldn’t go out like that,’” says Kelly.
“I don’t think fashion should have any restrictions—you should wear what makes you feel good and have the option to do that.”
The two work closely, so connected that they describe their bond as like having ‘one brain’. “It’s quite a radical phenomenon that we are so on the same page,” says Kelly. “Our ability to visualise is our biggest strength as this helps with quick decision making.”
At Me & B HQ, the duo aim to foster an office culture that makes employees feel like part of their family. “I love going into the office; working is a part of our family identity now.”
With Kelly as the Head of Brand and Betina as Head of Design, Me & B creates garments that are playful, creative and stylish, made for all body types and ages. “Ensuring fashion is ageless is important because the older I get the more I realise our brains stop ageing at a certain point,” says Kelly.
“My mom says she still feels 20-something in her heart, and I do too! Fashion should be about fun and give you the option to express that feeling we all have inside.”
Shop, browse and read more about Me&B here.
MUNKUS
A MUNKUS dressed that features creative director Thando Ntuli’s mother
Most of Thando Ntuli’s collections have a reference to her grandmother, her mother or herself, whether in the silhouettes, the prints or personal references only known to her. Her deep connection to the maternal figures in her life is evident in her work, from her AW23 MUNKUS show Umama Wami (‘My Mother’) to the sense of self-confidence she aims to imbue in her customers, inspired by the attitudes of her mother and aunts.
”I don’t look like my mother but I’m a photocopy of my grandmother,” says Thando of the woman she first took style notes from. Her grandmother’s sophisticated fashion sense favours clean lines, crisp blazers and well-ironed pleats, while her mother prefers prints, colour and new styles. “She made me want to experiment in terms of fabric textures, in terms of prints, and her style is very loud and proud,” says Thando. The meeting of these two inspirations is evident in the MUNKUS brand which marries tailored lines with distinctive prints and textures.
“My great-grandmother used to make sure that her skirt was exactly a certain length, so she would cut every single skirt to that because she knew it was her length, which was crazy. But she loved to be beautiful, she loved to sway her hips. She gave me the feminine side, the woman side.”
Thando’s personal wardrobe is full of special items from the women in her family. When her great-grandmother passed away, her belongings and clothing were laid out for the immediate family to choose special items from, as per cultural tradition. “I got to keep a lot of her doeks, her headwear and beautiful coats and jerseys.”
Some pieces were obtained differently: “I steal so much clothing from my family that I should be ashamed, but I’m not,” she jokes. “I have a family that has so many beautiful items and luckily they kept them, and I just happened to find them and make them my own. Whether that was with their permission or not, I’m not sure, but luckily I got to keep them.”
You can learn more about this award-winning brand here.
Beagle + Basset
Genna Shrosbree and her mother Carol are a creative team
Genna Shrosbree of Beagle + Basset credits her mother, Carol, for influencing both her personal style and who she is as a creator. “She’s taught me how to find ways to keep the juices flowing, even when completely uninspired,” says Genna. “She always has a box of tricks whenever we go on holiday like painting or pottery.”
A range of one-off ceramics created by Genna and her mother were recently added to the Beagle + Bassets offering of botanically dyed clothing and bed linens. The two live on opposite ends of the country but collaborate from afar: “Mom creates and I create, and then we find a way to come together.”
Their pieces are natural and muted in tone but with whimsical and slightly off-beat silhouettes. When working they use ancient techniques, passed on from generation to generation. “Mom has a much better way of working with traditional elements and giving them a contemporary life, whereas I get quite lost in researching ancient methods and trying to honour them as they were many years ago,” says Genna.
“I think as a combination we ground one another deeply and couldn’t be more grateful to be able to have such a special common path.”
A cornerstone of their creative bond is experimental play. “I’m so lucky to have a mom who lights my creative flame and joins me on my crazy antics,” says Genna. Whether it’s digging up clay from an old dam, harvesting dog hair to be incorporated into felted panels or foraging for elements to bundle dye with, the mother-daughter team love trying new things side-by-side.
“Whatever it may be, mom is there, learning together and from one another.”
You can find out more about Beagle + Basset on their website.
A Beagle + Basset clay sculpture
- The feature image of this article features Genna Shrosbree’s family
