It seems that the more successful Maxhosa by Laduma gets, the louder the complaints about his ‘high’ price points get.
Maxhosa ‘high’ prices under the spotlight once again
We have been here before. Maxhosa, founded by Laduma Ngxokolo is a high-end clothing brand that has made its mark internationally.
In Ngxokolo’s own words, the Xhosa-inspired knitwear was founded for the sole purpose of exposing the rich patterns used in traditional garments.
At the very core, the desire was to “explore knitwear design solutions that would be suitable for amakrwala (Xhosa initiates).”
We would have to take a closer look at the business’ financial records to understand why, from an accounting perspective, Maxhosa competes with international designers like Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
However, Ngxokolo’s immensely impressive growth and business acumen cannot be overlooked.
In a span of eight years — and there are other key figures who have contributed to this level of success that must be recognised — Ngxokolo has moulded Maxhosa into a collector’s piece.
Beyonce most certainly owns a garm or two. Other international megastars do too, a testament of the craftsmanship of the design.
Social media is divided on ‘support local’ narrative
However, this logical reasoning for why Maxhosa prices its products at ‘high-end’ status was not accepted by many.
At the height of Beyonce’s Adidas Ivy Park viral trend, a tweep lamented on how locals were so quick to pounce on a brand endorsed by a megastar and less supportive of local designers, like Ngxokolo.
This simple observation which, by all accounts, is fallacious in its intent, caused divisions online.
Some people felt that Maxhosa was deserving of the high price points he charges and that his status was on par with international competitors like Louis Vuitton.
Others felt that Ngxokolo could not have the same expectations as a mid-LSM brand like Adidas, whose price points are accessible to the man market.
In the end, businesses exist to serve their own targeted markets.
If your affordability allows you to purchase a R3 000 Ivy Park Adidas sneaker but not Maxhosa’s R16 000 shawl, then it’s a huge indication that maybe you are not Ngxokolo’s target market.
