Mount Nelson Unveils The New Thebe Magugu Suite and Concept Store Celebrating the South African Designer

Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town, has launched a landmark collaboration with renowned South African designer Thebe Magugu, marking his first venture into luxury hospitality design.

Celebrating ten years of his fashion house, the partnership debuts the Thebe Magugu Suite – an immersive, two-storey Afro-modernist retreat set along the hotel’s iconic Palm Avenue – blending African heritage with English influences to bring Magugu’s creative vision to life.

The Thebe Magugu Suite – Afro-Modernism Meets Luxury Hospitality

In collaboration with StudioLandt, Thebe Magugu designed the Afro-modernist suite around shared rituals of gathering, dining, and rest to deepen guests’ sense of place.

The lower level features a lounge and dining area with a discreet wet bar, highlighted by sculptural, locally crafted details. Cultural references shape the space, from a bespoke pendant inspired by the Basotho hat to handcrafted chairs echoing traditional pottery, while panoramic wallpaper traces South African landscapes. Rich greens, indigos, and ochres blend with terrazzo, stone, and timber for a refined yet warm aesthetic.

Upstairs, a king-size bedroom with bespoke textiles and a balcony overlooking Lion’s Head offers a private retreat, complemented by a marble bathroom with a soaking tub and brass accents.

Rotating artworks curated by Magugu and contemporary African art specialist Julia Buchanan turn the suite into a living archive of South African creativity. Exclusive touches – including a bespoke gown and slippers, Rituals by Thebe Magugu bath amenities, Basotho fabric pouches, and custom teas created with Mount Nelson’s tea sommelier Craig Cupido – complete the immersive experience, celebrating heritage, healing, and storytelling through design.

The Magugu House, Cape Town – Concept Store and Cultural Space

Adjoining the suite, MAGUGU HOUSE CAPE TOWN will open to the public as a concept store and cultural hub celebrating African fashion, art, and creative exchange. Created by Thebe Magugu in collaboration with StudioLandt, the space will function as both a gallery and showroom, presenting limited-edition collections, archival pieces, art, photography, books, and objects, with rotating quarterly exhibitions.

Its inaugural exhibition, By Our Own Hands, presented with Southern Guild, will feature works by Zanele Muholi and Zizipho Poswa alongside Magugu’s ritual-driven approach to fashion. The exhibition explores making as a form of healing, resistance, and cultural authorship, and runs until the end of April.

MAGUGU HOUSE will also host monthly film screenings, salon-style talks, and cultural events, beginning with a preview of Sonder, a documentary by Thuthuka Sibisi. Together, the initiative positions Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town, as a vibrant meeting point for local and global creative communities.

Mount Nelson’s Commitment To Thoughtful Luxury and Cape Town Art

The launch of the Thebe Magugu Suite and Magugu House, Cape Town, builds on Mount Nelson’s ongoing partnership with Thebe Magugu through its annual CONFECTIONS x COLLECTIONS Pan-African fashion initiative – evolving a once-ephemeral runway showcase into a permanent, immersive expression of fashion as space and legacy. The collaboration reflects the hotel’s vision of luxury as thoughtful, locally rooted, and culturally purposeful.

Curated cultural access extends beyond the hotel to leading art institutions, including Southern Guild, Norval Foundation, and Zeitz MOCAA, alongside personalised offerings such as private training and dining at Amura by Ángel León – creating a stay deeply connected to the city’s creative spirit.