South African fashion powerhouse Gert-Johan Coetzee has once again raised the bar for red carpet glamour, designing a show-stopping custom gown for actress and executive producer Nomzamo Mbatha. The occasion? The premiere of Shaka iLembe Season 2—a cultural phenomenon in its own right.
The gown, a breathtaking homage to African heritage, strength, and beauty, is nothing short of couture brilliance. Entirely handmade, it took more than 260 hours of painstaking craftsmanship to complete. The design features over 10,000 hand-stitched beads and more than 1,000 cowrie shells, each detail cascading down Mbatha’s silhouette like a tribute to both tradition and femininity.
But this was never meant to be just a dress. “This look is a love letter to our heritage,” Coetzee shared. “It honours the past while boldly standing in the present.”
And that it does. The gown is a moving expression of African royalty and storytelling. It speaks to the power of the Zulu nation, the grace of African queens, and the richness of indigenous artistry. Mbatha wore it with fierce pride, transforming the red carpet into a runway of culture, strength, and identity.
With its sculpted silhouette, the gown wraps around Nomzamo like modern armour—fierce and elegant, rooted in history yet resoundingly now. The beadwork and cowrie shells don’t just embellish—they tell a story. One of resilience, beauty, and the deep ancestral legacy of Mzansi.
“It was important to me that this gown didn’t just sparkle—it had to speak,” Coetzee explained. “Every cowrie shell, every bead was placed with purpose. It reflects the complexity, brilliance, and soul of our people.”
The look quickly made waves across social media, hailed as one of the standout fashion moments of the year. More than a gown, it became a statement: of African excellence, of storytelling through fashion, and of the creative might rooted in our continent.
This wasn’t just couture. It was culture. A legacy stitched into every thread—reminding the world that when African fashion meets purpose, it doesn’t just shine. It reigns.
