His journeys work in symbiotic rhythm with his creative process. Lagos lives vividly in his mind — “the chaos, the maximalism, the respect for tradition, the disregard for weather when styling”.
Each destination becomes a sensory scrapbook of memories, textures, scents and visuals that find their way into his sketches and fabric selections.
“I collect little sensory details — like the way light hit a wall in Porto, or the smell of street food in Lagos,” he says.
In this way, Nambu is more than a collection and becomes a form of travel writing, told not through prose but through silhouettes and stitching. The pieces flow. They invite you to look closer, to follow their undercurrents.
Yet, for all its polish, the brand’s journey hasn’t always been smooth. “Creativity alone won’t carry you,” Mnisi says. “You need strategy, a strong team, and a thick skin. Resilience is everything.”
That blend of resourcefulness, rootedness and vision has allowed the brand not only to survive South Africa’s economic tides but to thrive across continents.
Going to the river with Rich Mnisi
Rich Mnisi’s latest collection, Nambu, is a meditation on time, texture and travel
As fashion continues to grapple with questions of sustainability, storytelling and self-expression, South African designer Rich Mnisi responds with grace and an unmistakable sense of rhythm.
His latest collection, Nambu, is a visual meditation on time, memory and motion. Referencing the isiThonga word for river, Nambu is both metaphor and map, charting the evolution of Mnisi’s decade-old brand alongside the global currents shaping his design language.
“Nambu felt deeply personal,” Mnisi says. “It was honestly a river. There were calm moments and then wild, emotional rapids. It forced me to pause and reflect on everything we’ve been through as a brand and as a team.”
That emotional pull courses through the collection’s fluid tailoring, its softened colour palette and its recurring motifs of water and movement. From flags that pay homage to Mnisi’s personal and national history to reimagined silhouettes from earlier collections, Nambu is a living archive, a love letter to 10 years of building the Republic of Rich Mnisi.
The idea for the collection came to him at home, in bed, in a rare moment of stillness. It’s a calm that contrasts with the richness of movement that defines the work. The three countries referenced — South Africa, Nigeria, and Guatemala — act as cultural co-ordinates in Mnisi’s creative geography.
“South Africa is home, my roots, my language, my identity. Nigeria gave me boldness and flamboyance. And Guatemala? The textures, the weaving, the craft, it tapped into my love for detail,” he explains.
For Mnisi, travel is not an indulgence, it’s essential. “Every trip becomes a source of new energy and curiosity. It resets me,” he says.
A visit to Cairo sparked the idea for one of the brand’s upcoming collectible rugs, part of Mnisi’s continuing expansion into interior design.
“I remember walking through a market in Cairo and seeing these wildly intricate rugs. That moment reminded me of home.”
His journeys work in symbiotic rhythm with his creative process. Lagos lives vividly in his mind — “the chaos, the maximalism, the respect for tradition, the disregard for weather when styling”.
Each destination becomes a sensory scrapbook of memories, textures, scents and visuals that find their way into his sketches and fabric selections.
“I collect little sensory details — like the way light hit a wall in Porto, or the smell of street food in Lagos,” he says.
In this way, Nambu is more than a collection and becomes a form of travel writing, told not through prose but through silhouettes and stitching. The pieces flow. They invite you to look closer, to follow their undercurrents.
Yet, for all its polish, the brand’s journey hasn’t always been smooth. “Creativity alone won’t carry you,” Mnisi says. “You need strategy, a strong team, and a thick skin. Resilience is everything.”
That blend of resourcefulness, rootedness and vision has allowed the brand not only to survive South Africa’s economic tides but to thrive across continents.
Still, Mnisi is far from done. His dreams for the next decade are as expansive as the rivers that inspired Nambu. He envisions a brand that pushes boundaries across disciplines, from furniture and lifestyle into more collaborations and geographies.
He dreams of one day showcasing Nambu in Egypt, floating the collection down a literal river: “There’s something about water meeting heritage there that mirrors what Nambu stands for.”
And when it comes to packing for these journeys, he admits with a smile that he never travels light: “Even if I’m going hiking, I’m hiking in a look.”
In Nambu, Mnisi offers more than clothing — he offers connection. Between continents. Between past and future. Between designer and audience. And, like any good journey, it leaves you changed.
From the May edition of Wanted, 2025
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