In an industry historically obsessed with European couture and imported prestige, a new guard of South African designers is daring to redefine what luxury looks like and where it begins. Founded with a mission that is as deeply personal as it is political, GUGUBYGUGU aimed at making clothes and telling stories. Stories of reclaiming space, of celebrating identity, and of grounding luxury in the landscapes and legacies that birthed it. At the heart of this story lies one of South Africa’s best-kept secrets: mohair the lustrous, resilient fibre sourced from the Angora goat, bred in abundance in the Eastern Cape.
Globally revered and worn by the likes of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Loewe, and Prada, mohair has long been one of the fashion world’s most coveted materials. And yet, while South Africa leads the world in mohair production, contributing more than 50% of the global supply, the origins of this “diamond fibre” are often erased once it enters luxury markets abroad. What is branded as “exclusive” overseas, begins life on African soil often without due credit or economic benefit returning to its source.
"It is a call to action, a reclaiming of narrative, and a bold declaration that African excellence doesn’t need to be validated abroad to be real."
GUGUBYGUGU’s newest campaign, GUGU THE GOAT, seeks to change that. Shot on a Black-owned mohair farm nestled in the Eastern Cape, the beating heart of the global mohair trade the campaign is a poetic homecoming. It returns the spotlight to where it belongs: the land, the farmers, and the fibre that make true luxury possible. It honours the Angora goat not just as an animal, but as a symbol of overlooked power a quiet icon whose value has been long extracted, but never fully celebrated at home.
For GUGUBYGUGU, GUGU THE GOAT is more than a campaign. It is a call to action, a reclaiming of narrative, and a bold declaration that African excellence doesn’t need to be validated abroad to be real. By weaving locally sourced mohair into genderless, expressive, and boundary-breaking silhouettes, the brand is turning what was once raw export into wearable stories stories of resistance, pride, and identity.
Since its founding, GUGUBYGUGU has carved its own lane. From walking runways at Paris and New York Fashion Weeks, to being crowned Best Young Designer at Africa Fashion Up, and receiving mentorship from Balenciaga and HEC the brand is not waiting for a seat at the table. It is building its own.
Rooted in cultural heritage and elevated by contemporary design, GUGUBYGUGU’s commitment to natural luxury fibres like mohair and wool is more than aesthetic. It’s ethical. Every piece whether a knitted sweater, a hand-spun jacket, or a freeform pant is made with materials that are grown, spun, and woven in South Africa, keeping value in the communities that produce them and spotlighting the sustainability and richness of African textile traditions.
