Thebe Magugu designs Orlando Pirates kit to mixed reactions

Mamelodi Sundowns might be affectionately known as Bafana ba style (boys with style) but Orlando Pirates took the term to another level as the club tasked fashion designer Thebe Magugu with designing their kit for the upcoming season.

Contemporary artist Magugu shared the news with his followers on social media, displaying the home and away kit which is adorned with the Buccaneers’ skull and bones. “A collaboration to honour a legacy and unrelenting pursuit of success,” said Adidas through their social media.

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The collaboration is between the Magugu brand, Orlando Pirates and Adidas. The German sports brand has been Pirates’ technical sponsor since 1997, while they began working with Magugu last year through the Finding Beauty collaboration.

The 29-year-old fashion designer has worked with the likes of Dior and AZ Factory. He was one of the A-listers at Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton fashion show last month. He also recently launched his second instalment of his Heritage Series where he decided to explore childbearing rituals and beliefs, through the eyes of nine South African ethic groups. The project was done in an exclusive collaboration with British Vogue.

Magugu didn’t respond to attempts by The Citizen to get his comment.

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Fan reaction

The initial reaction from Pirates fans wasn’t so welcoming towards the new designs, with some even questioning Magugu’s credibility.

One tweet suggested that the German brand doesn’t bring it’s A-game when designing kits for local clubs, unlike when they do work for other teams such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, who they also sponsor.

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Another tweet compared Magugu to Rasta, the artist who famously portrays deceased celebrities at their memorial or funeral services. It suggested the Pirates kit was butchered just like Rasta’s portraits.

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Some were honest enough to say they don’t quite like the design, but were more benign and constructive in their reactions.

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