Maphorisa is the Gucci King he thinks he is - here’s a look at his drip

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DJ Maphorisa continues to flex his Gucci drip for the whole TL to see, showing off his collection to fans ahead of a trip to Kenya.

The star was out to impress when he dressed for his visit up north and was obviously feeling himself enough to shoot a video for the ’gram.

“It’s a Gucci day. Ready to rock Kenya,” he wrote, showing off his shirt, belt and accessories.

Eddie Murphy is “Coming 2 America” in some standout African designs

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In a scene from Coming 2 America, the much-anticipated sequel to the 1988 cult classic, Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem paces about his palatial home, wondering what to do about his recently-discovered son. He wears a colorful, patterned knitted vest, lending the king of the fictional African country Zamunda an assured look, despite his worried demeanor.

Murphy’s vest is one of the first items South African designer Laduma Ngxokolo ever showed to the world. He created it in 2010, as part of the launch of his label Maxhosa. Ngxokolo’s designs have roots in the fashion of young Xhosa men in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province—he started out creating pieces for initiates as something stylish and functional to wear when they left their hallowed initiation ceremony. A decade later, Ngxokolo’s designs are a main feature of the wardrobe of Coming 2 America, out today on Amazon Prime.

Although it’s set in a fictional African country, the film has relied on real designers to allow for better representation of the continent on screen. Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter enlisted Ngxokolo to join her team and help create the looks for Murphy’s return to America, along with almost 40 other designers, ranging from India to Nigeria.

In collaborating with Nxgokolo, Carter has added an element of authenticity to a film with a pretty fantastical storyline. She’s done it before: Carter earned her Oscar for dressing the inhabitants of another fictional African country, Wakanda, in Black Panther.

Carter inherited the reins of costume design for the movie from Deborah Nadoolman Landis. The award-winning designer behind films such as Blues Brothers and Raiders of the Lost Ark designed all the costumes for the original film herself.

Directed by Nadoolman’s husband, John Landis, the outfits for Coming to America mashed everyday styles from Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, and Senegal, with European influences, like the aesthetics of 1950s Dior, to create a deliberately over-the-top effect. The outfits are a big part of the film’s enduring appeal, and earned Nadoolman an Oscar nomination in 1989. Carter, who is friends with Nadoolman, has described the look created for the original film as “iconic,” but says she’s going a step forward this time.

“Hats off to Deborah for coming up with the original plan,” Carter has said. “But things have evolved. Looking back, they kind of had an imperialistic idea of royalty. It was a blend of English and African royalty.”

Carter’s choice of direction for the new film’s costumes don’t just reflect contemporary norms. They’re an illustration of the changing perceptions of African fashion on screen. By tapping into the work of designers like Ngxokolo, she is accessing the global success of African fashion, which gives the film an edge over its prequel.

As an example, in the first film, the character of King Joffe, played by James Earl Jones, enters a barbershop wearing the taxidermied head of a lion draped across his chest. In Coming 2 America, a respectfully sized lion, rendered in gold, rests on the shoulder Murphy, now king. It’s a reflection of the understated elegance a brand like Maxhosa seeks to define, and reflects less of the “curio” side of African fashion.

Carter first reached out to Nxgokolo in mid-2019, he recalls. “She said, ‘I think your approach to pioneering the African aesthetic is so unique and different. I want to do something with you, I will call you when I’m ready.’” By then, Nxgokolo had built Maxhosa Africa into a brand beloved by South African and international celebrities. Alicia Keys and Beyonce were fans, and his designs had been displayed in the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

A month later Carter called Nxgokolo back, asking him to help kit out the Prince Akeem’s royal court.

Nxgokolo tells Quartz that the team began with some of his existing designs, including the 2010 vest. It was one of the first five items Nxgokolo created for his label, born out of a university thesis project using knitwear to showcase Xhosa beadwork patterns and symbolism.

Quantrell D. Colbert/2020 Paramount Pictures South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha has a break-out role in Coming 2 America as Mirembe, the love interest of King Akeem’s son.

A majority of the other items featured in the film—about 100 or so pieces, including waistcoats, kufis (brimless caps), and tunics—were “designed with Ruth from scratch,” Nxgokolo says. “They then paired the looks with the actors, from the dancers to the house staff,” as well as fellow South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha, who has a break-out role in the film as Mirembe, the love interest of King Akeem’s son. “The ideas of the first film were the predictable ideas that the world has of African fashion,” says Nxgokolo. “This one has more innovation.”

Innovation has driven Nxgokolo’s work from the start, and is what he credits for his ability to cater for a specific demographic in South Africa and reach a wider audience at the same time. Maxhosa staged its virtual Spring/Summer 2021 collection at New York Fashion Week (the brand’s third NYFW collection) in September last year. Despite a season dampened by the pandemic, the brand managed to create a buzz with a YouTube video showing the collection. More than half of the 300,000 people who watched the video were from the US, Ngxokolo says.

The US makes up Maxhosa Africa’s second biggest market—in part due to his digital media savvy, and a boost he got after being listed by Beyonce in her Black Parade guide to Black-owned businesses last year. But Nxgokolo is still very much focussed on growth in Africa, and is working to position Maxhosa as a luxury brand, and on using fashion to help uplift the economy. Last year, he opened his second flagship store in Cape Town’s upmarket Victoria Wharf shopping centre. Gucci and Mont Blanc are neighbors. While their physical stores were impacted by the pandemic, Maxhosa online sales exploded, and he has doubled his staff to deal with the influx of orders.

Nxgokolo has also been working with DJ Black Coffee and artist Nelson Makomo, both South African, to open an academy for budding creatives. Should Murphy ever return to Zamunda again, there will be plenty more regal African designs for him to wear.

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Kai, most commonly known as a member of K-pop boy group EXO, is regularly popularized for his fashion and it shows. The South Korean artist and model’s name blew up on Twitter on February 21 after teaming up with Gucci for a special collection dubbed in his name ‘Kai Capsule Collection’.

Last week, Esquire Korea announced three magazine covers for their upcoming March 2021 Issue, which is joined by Gucci and features the K-pop idol. For the issue, they entitled the cover with ‘KAI’s Signal’ to highlight the impact that he’s had on fashion and his global popularity.

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EXO’s KAI cover on Esquire Korea March 2021 issue (esquire.korea/ Instagram)

Esquire Korea shared the three covers for the March Issue for the first time last week with this statement: “The Face of Esquire March Issue is Kai. As Gucci’s Global Ambassador, he amazingly pulled off the Gucci Epilogue Collection and the Special Collection that will be soon released. Meet KAI’s irreplaceable charm through the photoshoots of the March Issue and his interview. Also, please look forward to the Fashion Film and Behind the Scene clips that will be released in order starting next week.”

In covers B and C, Kai can be seen showcasing the luxury brand Gucci with a hoodie, bag, and more in bear prints. Kai is also known to be fond of bears and one of his nicknames by fans is Nini Bear. Check out the covers below:

As one of the most famous fashion magazines in South Korea, Esquire Korea also recently promoted Kai for a special October 2020 issue, titled “MAN at HIS BEST,” according to Allkpop. Gucci joined them for that issue as well as Kai showcased the Gucci Fall/Winter Menswear collection in three magazine covers. Kai is the first Korean celebrity to collaborate with Gucci and get a collection in his own name.

Fan share support

“#KAIxGUCCI” has begun heavily trending on Twitter as fans are going wild for KAI’s new fashion collab. “From being the Korean Ambassador on 2018 to Global Ambassador on 2019 to FW19, SS20 Eyewear Campaign Model on 2019-2020 to Kai Capsule Collection this 2021. We’re so proud of our Gucci King. #KAIxGUCCI,” said a fan while another wrote, “Kai is deemed as Gucci’s first Korean Global Ambassador. Now, he is also the first Korean to have his own capsule or collection in Gucci. These legacies show how powerful he is not only in the music but in the fashion industry as well! #KAIxGUCCI.”

One fan said, “He’s the main event and he knows it #KAIxGUCCI.” Another fan spoke of the collection, saying, “And the fact that it’s full of bears makes it so cute. I’m so happy for him. It’s the Kim Kai signature. “WAIT they put big ass bears all over Seoul before his collection launch! They really love him #KAIxGUCCI,” shared another fan.

From being the Korean Ambassador on 2018 to Global Ambassador on 2019 to FW19, SS20 Eyewear Campaign Model on 2019-2020 to Kai Capsule Collection this 2021. We’re so proud of our Gucci King.💛🐻 #KAIxGUCCI pic.twitter.com/1R4yK8oj65 — Team Jongin Philippines (@teamjongin) February 22, 2021

Kai is deemed as Gucci’s first Korean Global Ambassador. Now, he is also the first Korean to have his own capsule or collection in Gucci. These legacies show how powerful he is not only in the music but in the fashion industry as well! #KAIxGUCCI ✨ pic.twitter.com/fmbIRT6aej — pam (@oshstation) February 22, 2021

“this is the first time Gucci has launched a Korean celebrity and collection”

And the fact that it’s full of bears makes it so cute 😭 I’m so happy for him. It’s the Kim Kai signature. #KAIxGUCCI pic.twitter.com/ThoTX56udF — city¹² (@fromexofandom) February 22, 2021

He’s the main event and he knows it #KAIxGUCCI pic.twitter.com/eGjt5yh0Qv — ˣ GucciKai (@cherizkdlin) February 22, 2021

WAIT they put big ass bears all over Seoul before his collection launch! They really love him 😭 #KAIxGUCCI pic.twitter.com/AAtCc3v8Or — ia (@sekaii88) February 22, 2021

they literally have been parading this giant bear around Seoul #KAIxGUCCI pic.twitter.com/UxZ1Ekn8Nm — rou 开 (@kji2) February 22, 2021

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