Africa-Press – Botswana. After a transformative Mr Price internship last year, a first creative journey to Brazil and opening the Synergy concept store, Glotto is now poised to redefine African fashion at the Paris Fashion Week in September.
After a whirlwind year of mentorship and bold designs, homegrown fashion brand Glotto is ready to step onto the European stage.
With an ethos rooted in sustainability, cultural preservation and fearless creativity, the fashion house founded by Mboko Basiami has already stirred up waves in Brazil and earned ink in Rolling Stone. Basiami now has her eyes set on France for unveiling Glotto’s newest collection at Paris Fashion Week in September.
Her turning point came during her internship with retail giant Mr Price where she absorbed the intricacies of fusing fashion with cultural storytelling, inclusivity and eco-consciousness. She evolved Glotto into a brand that champions African heritage while embracing global relevance.
Brazilian breakthrough
This evolution took flight in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where Glotto collaborated with local visual creatives to craft a striking visual campaign. “Set against the pulse of Santa Teresa, Glotto Gids wore Classic Glotto staples, a dialogue of texture, colour and memory,” Basiami beamed in an interview.
Basiami pitched her vision to the Africa Impact Initiative, affiliated with the University of Toronto. Her proposal?
A sustainable luxury brand interweaving indigenous practices like cotton and hemp farming, and using natural prints inspired by Botswana’s flora. She won. “Botswana has the heritage and raw materials” she said. “We’re sitting on innovation gold and we just need the land.”
Paris Awaits: The Tjilalu Collection
Thanks to mentorship from the Creation Botswana programme, in partnership with the French Embassy in Botswana, Glotto is now preparing for Paris Fashion Week. The debut collection, Tjilalu, draws from the sacred ‘Hosanna’ dance – rich in symbolism, spirit, and motion.
With flowing silhouettes, beadwork and powerful textures, the three piece collection captures the soulful intensity of the rain-making ritual of BaKalanga.
“This collection reflects my desire to preserve and reinterpret traditional customs through contemporary fashion, blending the spiritual energy of my roots with modern aesthetics, as well as the unique individuality that I possess as a Motswana designer,” Basiami said.
Synergy
Glotto has also launched Synergy, a concept store co-founded with jewellery brand KWA that is located at the scenic House of Joss in Broadhurst. The space is more than retail but an experience.
“After years of parallel paths, me and the founder of KWA, LegakwanaLeo Makgekgenene, united to fuse culture and creativity in the same space,” Basiami shared.
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