Visi – July 2019

NO

12

PORTRAIT

THABISO GCWENSA (@THABISODBN)

PHOTOS

LESEGO MALOKA

WORDS

CELESTE JACOBS

COMMON

THREAD

A hobby fuelled by self-expression lead Pone Creatives’

founder and creative director Lesego Maloka on an

explorative journey into the unknown.

FAST FACT

JACQUARD WEAVING IS NAMED AFTER JOSEPH-

MARIE CHARLES JACQUARD, WHO INVENTED THE

LOOM BY THIS NAME IN THE EARLY 1800S.

esego Maloka’s vibrant
textile brand began as
an experiment when she
covered a notebook with
fabric. In 2016, she started her textile
design studio, doing digital printing
on fabric, before pursuing jacquard
weaving. Since then, Pone Creatives
has grown into a home furnishing
manufacturing business with a work­
force of 300 weavers, planners and
finishers based at a mill in Cape Town.
“I’ve always loved vibrant, cheer­
ful colours,” says Lesego about her
signature style. “Most of the stories we
tell through our work resonate with
identity, which we design and illustrate
into a textile pattern. Our latest range,
called Boikgantsho, expresses my

childhood.” Boikgantsho means “to be

proud” in Setswana.

Lesego was raised in a home

surrounded by patterns, colours and

textures. Her late grand mother, who

was a knitter and seamstress, was

an inspiration, and Lesego remains

inspired by her mother’s collection of

beautiful linen.

Pone Creatives ’ motifs celebrate

the Ndebele culture, and the use of

colourful lines are a nod to Venda

heritage. Tsonga culture, too, is

interwoven in the bold, vibrant hues to

add to the overall electric and strongly

African spirit of the range. “I’m paying

homage to cultures that are close to my

heart and illustrating my pride through

this collection,” says Lesego.

She and her team are currently

experimenting with fabric finishes and

working on a homeware range.

Follow Pone Creatives on Instagram

to see what’s new, and browse and buy

textiles on the website.

@pone_creatives

ponecreatives.com

L

LEFT Lesego Maloka, sitting in an armchair

upholstered in a Pone Creatives fabric

called Umati.

visi.co.za JUNE/JULY 2019 148

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