Discard Theory | Thebe Magugu | Fashion in Motion | V&A

Fashion in Motion is a series of live fashion shows at the V&A featuring leading fashion designers from across the world. The first African designer to receive the LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize and winner of the International Fashion Showcase 2019, Thebe Magugu combines traditional African silhouettes with western styles and graphics. To create the looks in his collection titled 'Discard Theory', Magugu visited Dunusa – a well-known site in Johannesburg for secondhand clothes discarded by Europe and America. Addressing the impact of secondhand clothes on the African continent's identity politics, he puts his own spin on what he describes as the 'trickle-down' hierarchical view of the fashion industry. Taking materials and inspiration from the piles of clothing in Dunusa, Magugu has reworked discarded items into experimental pieces, effectively pushing them back into a luxury space. Watch as Magugu's runway looks pair silhouettes that don't relate – elegant pleated skirts with bomber jackets, abstract print motifs with regal lines – creating tension to keep the eyes engaged. Discover more: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/fashion-in-motion-thebe-magugu More about Fashion in Motion: https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fashion-in-motion