A dress worthy of a gallery

Fusing tradition and couture, Gert-Johan Coetzee's dress for Nomzamo Mbatha redefines African royalty

- Lesego Chepape

The moment Nomzamo Mbatha stepped onto the red carpet at the Shaka iLembe season 2 premiere, time paused. Cameras clicked, audiences gasped and fashion lovers across the country leaned in closer.

What she wore wasn't just a dress, it was a declaration. Bold, regal and layered in symbolism, the creation by South African designer Gert-Johan Coetzee was history retold in stitches, shells and silhouette.

“I was very excited to make this dress,” Coetzee says, his voice alive with passion.

“I love doing work that carries meaning, and the story of Shaka Zulu is not just important, it’s empowering, especially for South Africans.”

Mbatha, who portrays the Queen Mother in the epic historical drama, gave Coetzee full creative freedom to bring his vision to life. What emerged from his studio was an exquisite piece rooted in traditional Zulu culture, adorned with African symbology and elevated by futuristic craftsmanship.

Coetzee calls his signature style “African baroque with a modern twist” — a fusion of ornate drama and indigenous storytelling.

The term “baroque” conjures images of 16th-century grandeur: voluminous skirts, rich embroidery, lace collars and opulence. At first glance, pairing this with Zulu heritage might seem contradictory. But that’s exactly where Coetzee thrives.

“That is who I am as a designer,” he explains. “My style is African baroque. The dress is quite traditional, and very Zulu. It has a lot of beadwork, but it also has a lot of meaning.”

At the heart of the dress is the cowrie shell, a symbol embedded in African cosmology.

“The beading is full of cowrie shells,” Coetzee says. “Being African, we know that cowries signify abundance, wealth and spiritual protection. So, the whole dress is literally raining with cowries.”

It’s not just embellishment for visual effect, it’s cultural code, woven into fabric.