South African designer Glorinah Khutso Mabaso is celebrating culture through contemporary patterns, blending African heritage with international collaborations, including a special commission for the French Institute of South Africa’s 30th anniversary.
South Africa (23 September 2025) – Glorinah Khutso Mabaso is a talented pattern designer whose passion for sharing African heritage and culture with the world is a joy to behold. Sitting down to speak to the designer about her accomplishments, we found out how she merges history with purpose to celebrate pan-African stories.
For Glorinah, it started with her studies as an Interior Designer. When she realised she wasn’t being exposed to ancient African architecture, she began consuming all the content she could find related to ancient civilisations and tribes. Her desire to preserve and honour this rich history became the leading force behind her journey to becoming a pattern designer.
“After consuming the most beautiful, sacred and intriguing content, I decided to find a medium that I could use to preserve culture and heritage. Then I decided to explore textile design because patterns are a way of life in Africa.”
From there, she delved into the technical side of patterns and started researching as much about ancestral traditions as she could find. Her research includes reading books, speaking to people from the specific tribes and, where possible, reaching out to the monarchs to tap into the untold history.
“I then interpret this information into coded symbols to create the contemporary composition. Colour is extremely important in both fashion and interior design and the manner in which you apply it can transform the entire aesthetic and can heighten the ambience.”
Beyond the artistic side, Glorinah had committed herself to turning her passion into a business. She took every mentorship opportunity she could find to enhance her business acumen. She studied hard, entered competitions, and before long, success started brewing. Her business, Renaissance Design, was born from her passion to celebrate heritage and culture.
In 2020, Glorinah submitted an entry for the Trenery Print Competition and her experience there changed everything. She was able to pivot from an interior focus and include fashion as a big part of her growing business.
“The Trenery competition became my first extension into the fashion industry. I had never even thought of my patterns on garments so the design team gave me glimpse into the back end of how the Trenery brand designs and some of their production processes.
The biggest eye-opener was when I received an opportunity to complete 4 textile design short-courses at Central St Martins and at the London College of Fashion (University of Arts London) which encompassed homeware, interior and fashion design.”
Opportunity started knocking. Glorinah took part in Création Africa, a French–South African programme for creative entrepreneurs. Renaissance Design was one of twelve laureates selected for incubation and seed funding.
Through exposure to the programme, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) approached Glorinah, inviting her to share her collaboration with The House of Fabrosanz, showcasing two inspiring collections in honour of Bastille Day. She was able to showcase her work to a room filled with international and local ministers, diplomats and supporters of the Arts.
The collections showcased modern silhouettes while still honouring vibrant but meaningful patterns. Through the Création Africa programme, Glorinah was able to grow as an entrepreneur and transform Renaissance Design into a company that could successfully pitch ideas within the corporate space.
“It sharpened my strategic thinking and confidence and to top it off, the trip to Paris was a great experience too. The funding that was awarded to Renaissance Design is a huge milestone and will assist to begin the journey of creating cohesive collections.”
Now, in celebration of her success and 30 incredible years of the French Institute of South Africa, an honorary pattern is in the works. Through this cultural exchange, Glorinah is using her talent to develop a ‘France in South Africa’ pattern for the French network in South Africa.
“I’m so excited and grateful for this opportunity especially after the journey I have had with IFAS and the French Embassy through Creation Africa. Now they are my client!”
As for the inspiration for the pattern, Glorinah shares some of her insights.
“The France in South Africa pattern draws its inspiration from the recognisable indigenous Nguni and Pedi motifs. These are usually displayed on the exteriors of walls and floors in the form of strong lines and geometrics drawn or painted by women.
Simplistic coded elements such as the address and the refined letters “F.R’ for France and ‘S.A’ South Africa have been woven into design to blend in the geometrics. The essence of a nation is the most important thing that people remember hence the application of iconic French national colours red, blue and white to compliment the pattern perfectly whilst displaying an authentic S.A and an iconic French cultural integration.”
As for what comes next, Glorinah is grateful to have had all the opportunities from IFAS; they have propelled her forward into a space that is filled with possibilities. She is excited to see how her art translates more into the corporate space and plans to put all her skills, both artistic and business-related, to the test.
As for young designers looking for their big break, Glorinah has some insights here, too. She shares that while every journey is different, young designers should tap into the creatives around them, research competitors, network as much as possible and enter competitions. Seek out mentorship, develop your business acumen and above all, be intentional.
After all, her motto is “Life is too short to play small”.
This interview is part of a special partnership between the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and Good Things Guy, celebrating 30 years of cultural co-creation. Since 1995, IFAS, the cultural agency of the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, has supported artistic and creative exchange across disciplines from visual arts to gaming.
To mark its 30th anniversary in 2025, IFAS and Good Things Guy are sharing the stories of South African creatives whose journeys have been shaped by French–South African cooperation, highlighting three decades of connection, creativity, and shared achievement. You can read them all here.
Sources: GTG Interview
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