PPC Imaginarium Awards 2015 Fashion Category Winner / Bokang Lehabe

Bokang Lehabe, winner of PPC Imaginarium Awards’ Fashion category, is a young creative originally from the rural village of Ganyesa in the North West. He left his home to go study in Cape Town and recently graduated with a B.A Degree in Fashion Design from Fedisa.

Lehabe’s three pieces, entitled “The Beast We Call Fashion” use concrete to convey a subtle African aesthetic. “My work is all about how fashion consumes people and how we end up becoming it,” he says.

Bokang Lehabe specifically made all the pieces tight fitting to emphasise the female form. “The beast”, as Lehabe calls it, appears as a pair of wire horns and a synthetic animal-skin skirt, which are worn around the midriff on two of the pieces.

Judges loved Bokang Lehabe’s entry for its interesting contrast of materials. Soft fabric and lace are offset by the brutality of poured concrete. The inclusion of a notably African identity within each garment was also very well received.