A mohair and wool felted cape by South African designer Ruth McNaughton has attracted recognition both at home and abroad. Bruce Paterson reports.
Ruth McNaughton, a former Mohair South Africa (Mohair SA) bursary student, is gaining increasing attention both in her home country of South Africa and overseas.
The designer recently showcased her latest collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and was selected as an Emerging Creative designer at last year’s Design Indaba Festival, an annual event held in Cape Town that showcases African fashion design. A mohair and wool felted cape designed by McNaughton was shown on the Mohair SA stand at the event. The piece was also selected in the top ten of the annual Most Beautiful Object in South Africa (MBOISA) award, which is organised by Design Indaba.
The mohair and wool felted cape was created to demonstrate the beauty and purity of using only natural and local resources in a truly sustainable way. Creating traditional felt uses fewer resources than the production of any other textile. To create this felt, only water and soap are used to assist a hand movement to agitate the fibres into a matted fabric.
Wool and mohair are natural fibres abundant in the Eastern Cape. Wool felt is strong but dull and matte in appearance, while kid mohair adds lightness and a luxurious lustre to the felt. Inspired by the nomadic use of felt for protection, the cape encapsulates the body. This form, as well as the specific focus on felt, was inspired by tradition and the story behind the object, offering an alternative to mass produced fashion.
Lindsay Humphreys, the Mohair SA head of marketing, said: “The Mohair SA team are so proud to be working with Ruth and we are ecstatic that a young creative designer is finding ways to work with mohair like no one else has. This really represents the versatility of this locally produced fibre and we cannot wait to see what else Ruth has up her sleeve!”
Commenting on the MBOISA award, Design Indaba said: “Each year the country engages with the question of what constitutes beauty. While some may consider beauty an aspect of taste and others know it on sight, beauty becomes far more profound than a visual sensation when design attributes such as social significance, economic impact, usability, sustainability and even humour are thrown into the mix.”
McNaughton is currently completing an internship at the Mohair SA head office in Port Elizabeth and is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in the highly competitive and ever-changing fashion industry.