As Londeka Buthelezi-Ndaba founder of Malondie prepares to unveil her Spring/Summer 2026 collection, she shares her inspiring journey and the lessons learned along the way.
Luxury fashion designer Londeka Buthelezi-Ndaba has transformed Malondie into one of South Africa's most sought-after contemporary fashion labels. But behind the polished silhouettes and growing success is a journey built on resilience, business acumen and an unwavering belief in her vision.
Ahead of unveiling Malondie's Spring/Summer 2026 (SS26) collection during Women's Month in partnership with Vaseline Cera Glow, Buthelezi-Ndaba sat down with IOL to reflect on the realities of building a fashion business, the childhood memory that ignited her love for design and why creativity alone is never enough to build a lasting brand.
While the upcoming collection promises an immersive luxury fashion experience celebrating beauty, confidence and self-expression, Buthelezi-Ndaba says the journey to this moment has been anything but easy.
"Behind every collection are countless decisions around business, resilience and perseverance. You quickly realise that success isn't built overnight, and there are moments where you have to keep believing in your vision long before everyone else sees it," she said.
