Written by Renaè Mangena
Okay, I’ll admit it, I may be slightly biased writing this because I’m a huge fan of Mpumi Nhlapo and everything she creates. But what she’s built with GADAT House is nothing short of remarkable. It’s a brand born from memory, love, community, and deep storytelling, stitched together one intentional, story-rich garment at a time. As the creative director and designer, Mpumi’s work is personal. It’s rooted in the Vaal, where she was named, first in a dream, then by her gran walking past the Mpumelelo Clinic. It’s in the empty bottle exchanges for cool drinks, the borrowed sugar turned celebrations, and the neighbours who helped raise her.
In our conversation, Mpumi opened up about the spiritual roots of her practice, the uphill journey of building a sustainable fashion brand from scratch, and how every thread she stitches is a tribute, to her mother, to the community that shaped her, and to the dreamers who dare to create even when the odds are stacked against them. GADAT is a love letter. To Vaal. To girlhood. To survival. To purpose. And above all, to dreaming out loud.
"I design clothes and tell stories and I do it by the grace of God. For real."
What do you do, how do you do it, and what grounds your practice?
I design clothes and tell stories and I do it by the grace of God. For real.
Your work is narrative-driven. There’s such a strong emphasis on storytelling. Why is that important for you? And how do you think that’s impacted the way the brand has grown and found its place in the contemporary space?
Storytelling matters to me because of my mom. She has this incredible ability to make people feel welcomed, like, if you come over, she’ll tell jokes, she’ll tell stories. The same ones, sometimes, but you’ll laugh every time. I memorised some of her stories because I heard them so often. But I saw how they made people feel seen and unguarded. That’s a superpower. If you can tell stories, you can make people feel safe, inspired you can spark change. The brand is fundamentally a love letter to my mom, so her personality lives in its foundation.
How do you go about constructing these stories? Is it theme-based, or more intuitive? Do the garments come first, or the story?
I love this question, no one ever asks it! I’m an intuitive storyteller. I feel like stories find me. I’m always observing, always seeking inspiration. I’ll daydream, watch films, and let a story form in my mind then I start dressing those characters. The story always comes first, and then the garments follow. I’m also an only child, so I’ve always kept myself entertained that way. It’s natural for me to imagine whole worlds and then bring them to life through clothing.
Exactly. That’s why presentation is so important for me. The garments and the story coexist. I can’t separate them. That’s why something like a traditional look book doesn’t really work for me; if it doesn’t serve the story, it just doesn’t fit.
You once mentioned your brand aims to unite communities through fashion, which I found really powerful. What have been some collaborations or initiatives that felt successful in doing that?
One that stands out is a recent project I did in my hometown. It was such a full-circle moment, working directly with people from my community, paying them, supporting them. That project reminded me fashion doesn’t have to just be about SA Fashion Week or the elite spaces. It can also be a form of development.
Fashion is so lucrative and influential, so why not use it to build communities, provide platforms, and support storytellers who lack resources? I didn’t come from money, so I’ll always fight for people like me who didn’t either.
The sustainability of it all, financially. The brand officially launched in 2020, so it’s been five years. What’s that journey been like?
Honestly? I’ve only found my footing in the last year. So when people say, “You started in 2020,” I say yes but also not really. The journey’s been hard. The fashion industry is not built for Black women. It’s not built for poor people. It’s designed to keep us out. I was physically located far from Joburg, where everything happens. Just getting to the right spaces took money I didn’t have. I don’t have a trust fund. There were months when I had to choose between buying food and buying fabric. And when you make a mistake, say a tailor ruins your 1000-rand fabric, it can set you back three months.
But Woolworths changed the game for me. Not just mentorship, but actual money. You can’t dream without funding. Now I’m thinking more sustainably like how do I build a business that can pay people fairly and still survive?
And what’s the vision moving forward?
I want a proper studio space, a full in-house production line, even our own textiles. South Africa used to have a thriving textile industry, but it collapsed under cheaper imports. I want to bring that back, locally and sustainably. Also, I want to be recognized as a storyteller beyond fashion to create fashion films so detailed they win Oscars. And of course, I want to make money. Enough so I’m not constantly begging brands for small budgets just to do a screening.
Let’s talk about ethical fashion. Your brand clearly challenges fast fashion, through craftsmanship, intentional design, and ready-to-wear that lasts. How are you making that work?
My approach has always been to make only what we need and only as much as we’ll actually sell. I don’t want overproduction. I want people to be patient, knowing they’re buying a garment made to last, made thoughtfully. We’ve been refining the wrap skirt since 2020. And sure, someone might say “people are over that,” but I believe in timelessness. I want people to wear shirts until the color fades, not because they’re chasing trends. It’s slower, yes, and riskier, because fabrics sell out, but it feels right. It’s how I want to run the brand.
You’re balancing creativity and business, which can be demanding. How have you managed that?
Only recently have I started to feel like a CEO. Before, I was just creative. But now I understand the weight of every decision. What’s helped is realizing it’s okay to say “no” even to great ideas if they don’t serve the brand.I used to jump on every opportunity, but that meant spending money on things that didn’t align. Now, every yes must benefit Good Good Good. That’s what I’m looking out for.
Looking back at the start of this journey, what personal growth moments have shaped how you now understand yourself and your brand?
Getting older. I used to chase validation, but now I’m confident in what I’m building even if the recognition comes later. I’ve also been through therapy, which helped me understand how my mind works. I used to obsess over things without tools to manage those thoughts. Therapy gave me those tools. Now I work with my brain instead of against it. I’m secure, clear, and I believe in what I’m doing.
"I feel like stories find me. I’m always observing, always seeking inspiration."
