South African fashion designer and LVMH Prize winner Thebe Magugu is set to bring his distinctive Afro-modernist vision to one of Cape Town’s most iconic properties. This December, Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, will unveil the Thebe Magugu Suite, alongside Magugu House Cape Town, a curated retail and cultural destination.

The collaboration, the first of its kind for both Magugu and Belmond, will see an entire historic wing of the hotel redesigned. The two-storey Thebe Magugu Suite will feature a striking lobby, lounge and dining space tailored for intimate gatherings, complete with a cocktail cabinet. A king-size bedroom dressed in patterned fabrics will open onto a balcony overlooking the hotel’s gardens, while the upper terrace will frame views of Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and the Mount Nelson’s palm-lined entrance.

Alongside the suite, Magugu House Cape Town will open on 10 November as a boutique and cultural hub co-created with StudioLandt. The space will showcase limited-edition items, archival garments and accessories from the designer’s collections, refreshed seasonally. It will also host salon-style events, screenings and exhibitions, and feature books and objects celebrating African design, literature and craftsmanship.

Magugu, whose work has appeared at Paris Fashion Week and in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is recognised for exploring African identity through contemporary fashion. His international profile was cemented after winning the LVMH Prize, one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades for emerging talent.

The partnership stems from the Mount Nelson’s Confections x Collections programme, a Pan-African fashion initiative curated by sustainability platform Twyg. First launched in 2022, it has featured a roster of celebrated designers, with Magugu as its inaugural participant. This long-standing relationship has now evolved into a permanent collaboration.

The Thebe Magugu Suite will join Belmond’s Signature Suites and Villas collection, with bookings opening in December 2025. Magugu House Cape Town, meanwhile, will be accessible to both hotel guests and the wider public.

The venture not only highlights Cape Town’s growing reputation as a creative capital but also provides Magugu with a permanent platform in his home country. The move could inspire further collaborations between luxury hospitality brands and fashion designers, as hotels seek to differentiate themselves through cultural experiences.