Maxhosa by Laduma gives us the Royal Treatment on Coming to America 2 Movie
Laduma Ngxokolo, the founder of the internationally renowned knitwear brand Maxhosa, showcased some of his luxury designs on the Coming to America 2 film trailer. This week, the film’s trailer was released after 33 years since it first debuted on the big screen. Local fans couldn’t be more proud. Many fans expressed their joy on Twitter at how stunning the designs were, while others gave praise on Maxhosa’s international currency.
Ngxokolo is no stranger to the spotlight though. He debuted his spring-summer collections at New York Fashion Week over the past two years and has had his clothing endorsed by celebrities like Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Beyonce and Raphael Saadiq. Even so, when Academy Award-winning costume designer, Ruth E. Carter, approached Ngxokolo to collaborate with him on some Maxhosa pieces for the sequel to the iconic film, the South African designer could not help but express his joy. “My team and I enjoyed every minute of working on this project,” said Ngxokolo on his Instagram.
In the film’s trailer, viewers will spot Eddie Murphy donning Ngxokolo’s signature, elaborately-printed vest cardigan as well as South African actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, wearing a fitted cocktail dress in striking traditional prints. Ngxokolo’s growing popularity and the release of Coming to America’s sequel come at a time when themes of wealth in Africa, African regality and desires of a connection to the African continent are a common occurrence in the black popular imagination. The movie, in particular, fits perfectly within the recent successes of black-royal-themed films like Black Panther and Black is King.
Ngxokolo’s involvement with Coming to America 2 seems ideal for a South African luxury brand like his. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the designer spoke about his brand’s connection with royalty and what it meant. “The statement to me is that royalty doesn’t have to be attached to the monarchy or royal blood,” he said. “It’s saying that every African person, every black person, is a king and a queen, and they should look at themselves in that way and never diminish themselves among society; they must look at themselves more optimistically through clothes because that is the first impression before you even open your mouth, people see what you wear. That is how we should represent ourselves.”