Fashion Designer Thebe Magugu Shapes a Captivating Suite at Belmond’s Cape Town Resort
A freestanding villa at Mount Nelson celebrates South African art and craft with custom furniture, lighting, and decorative accents
Of the many buildings painted seashell pink in Cape Town, South Africa, Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel, stands apart. Originally rendered in that color in 1918 to symbolize peace and joy, it boasts a legacy that stretches back to 1899 and is filled with an astonishing array of distinguished clientele—from John Lennon and David Bowie to Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama.
Now the property continues its narrative with the Thebe Magugu Suite, a two-floor villa on the hotel’s scenic Palm Avenue. The celebrated fashion designer distills his singular style, which marries African sensuality with English grandeur, to form this chic space. “The intention was that even if a guest never stepped beyond the suite itself, they would still encounter a beautifully laid out summary of South Africa’s creative DNA,” says 2020 Galerie Creative Mind Magugu, the first African designer to win the coveted LVMH Prize. “It was about offering context rather than spectacle and allowing guests to move through key references that define who we are culturally, aesthetically, and emotionally.”
Working alongside Cape Town design firm StudioLandt, Magugu infused the one-bedroom, one-bath interior with deep, earthy tones, striking textural moments, and transfixing embellishments, such as a sinuous wood detail that divides the living and dining areas. Commissioned works by artists representing the African diaspora, such as Mmangaliso Nzuza, Lulama Wolf, and Zandile Tshabalala, enliven the residential-style setting. Furniture, lighting, and decorative accents take sartorial cues from Magugu’s collections—for example, a forest green sofa with runway-worthy pleating. In the dining room, a plush cotton rug the designer conjured with an allover pattern of rhebok hoofprints offers a graphic nod.
“I’m especially proud of the objects I designed, particularly a light pendant inspired by the mokorotlo, a conical hat that the Basotho people wear as part of their traditional garb,” he says. “Both the hat and the pendant take their original shape from Mount Qiloane, a mountain in Lesotho, which is a symbol of pride for the Sotho people.”
Pattern, texture, color, and handwork are on full display throughout the unique accommodation; however, Magugu’s contribution to Mount Nelson extends beyond these walls. The villa’s debut coincides with the opening of Magugu House Cape Town, a concept store and gallery that will offer limited edition and archival apparel and curated assortments of African art and design, as well as host salon-style programming such as readings, performances, and exhibitions, including the inaugural show “A Frugal Beauty,” featuring works by Southern Guild artists Zanele Muholi and Zizipho Poswa.
“The store is not just about product, and the gallery is not just about viewing,” says Magugu. “They are places of exchange, whether of ideas, stories, or community. For guests of the suite, of the hotel, or visiting Magugu House, I want them to feel like this space gives them an overarching snapshot of South Africa’s rich cultural, artistic, and fashion scene.” A scene that is all the richer thanks to his contributions.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2026 Summer Issue under the headline “Tailored Stay.” Subscribe to the magazine.