This article serves as another poignant example as to why I find our emerging contemporary local fashion scene so fascinating — a diverse pool of young designers who successfully manage to channel their personal life narratives into inspiration for their garments.
Founded by three misfits, Mphikeleli, Thandekile and Mthunzi, Ixsnay is a creative collaboration which has culminated into an exciting luxury-focused and lifestyle-centred brand.
“Ix-nay is pig-Latin meaning rejection/[neglect]. Since we all related to this through the absenteeism of our fathers/parents, we decided to join forces and set out to create an outlet and voice to transcend and translate our past, which was heavily characterised by a sense of [neglect].”
This is exactly what struck a massive and personal chord of relatability for myself, and I’m sure many other kids out there searching for acceptance through community.
Ixsnay places great emphasis on customisation, producing tailored custom-made garments for their audience. This design sentiment is carried through in their latest collection, Utility, made-up of a mixture of utilitarian garments.
The brand’s outlook is circular and sustainable, with preference for slower methods of fashion production as opposed to a faster — and less considered — output. The capsule collection dropped on Ixsnay’s website which went live last month.
I caught up — virtually — with the Ixsnay team to find out more about their brand’s history, its design ethos, their most recent capsule collection, future plans in the works and so much more!
Photograph by Luke Ncube
Photograph by Luke Ncube
Would you mind introducing Ixsnay to us and including a short description of how the fashion brand came to fruition?
Ixsnay: Ixsnay is a clothing and lifestyle brand manifested through the creativity, dreams and hard work of Mphikeleli Dingiswayo Mthethwa, Thandekile Rwexwana & Mthunzi Ntlebi.
We are a brand that sits at the centre of culture — designing with our consumer as the central focus.
What is the name’s backstory, what does Ixsnay mean?
Ixsnay: After Mphikeleli pitched the idea of the brand, we needed a name that would relate/resemble the brand [founders]. While going through the process of coming up with the name, Kanye West and Jay Z’s album, Watch The Throne, was playing in the background and the song “Who Gon’ Stop Me” came on.
Ix-nay is pig-Latin meaning rejection/[neglect]. Since we all related to this through the absenteeism of our fathers/parents, we decided to join forces and set out to create an outlet and voice to transcend and translate our past, which was heavily characterised by a sense of [neglect].
How important is the process of collaboration to your overall design process?
Ixsnay: When it comes to design, all heads sit down and collaborate in a sense. We developed the brand through creativity and passion with the intention of translating our past and entrenching our life experiences.
Not only into our clothing, but more importantly into the very fabric of the brand and its relationship with those who wear it.
Photograph by Luke Ncube
Photograph by Luke Ncube
The overall aesthetic of Ixsnay reminds me of contemporary tech-based luxury streetwear brands like Reese Cooper — a utilitarian prioritisation of form as well as function. How would you describe Ixsnay’s design aesthetic?
Ixsnay: We aim to redefine the landscape of culture, and we believe that delivering luxury-focused, tailored, custom-made garments for our audience is a crucial step to achieving that goal. Through Ixsnay, the consumer is elevated in their tastes, expression and lifestyle.
Last month, you dropped the latest Ixsnay Utility capsule collection on your website — please talk us through how the process was for you?
Ixsnay: The Utility Collection was created solely for those that love to live on the edge and is to be worn in the wilderness. Designed to be convenient during times of exploration.
Utility garments make life easier for the consumer as they assist you in carrying less bags by making use of the utility pockets each capsule has.
As an emerging high-end streetwear brand, what has been your biggest achievement thus far?
Ixsnay: Honestly, it was cutting the middleman out and giving our consumers access to shopping our collections at their own conveniences. No more rushing to shops or retailers who sell Ixsnay and no more days of being stuck in traffic to try and get your hands on an Ixsnay garment.
I would say that it was also being scouted for SA Menswear Week to showcase our designs and brand story there.
What are your plans for the remainder of 2021?
Ixsnay: Right now we have a few roll-out plans for the brand, such as social media campaigns, pop-up tours and just driving people to interact with our website more. [We are also looking for a femme designer] to help curate for our consumers with [femme sensibilities].
Photograph by Luke Ncube
Photograph by Mphikeleli Dingiswayo Mthethwa
Photograph by Mphikeleli Dingiswayo Mthethwa
Photograph by Luke Ncube
