09 Jul 2025

Multi-award-winning fashion artist, Tsholo Dikobe is championing Botswana’s creative fashion industry while immersing herself in New York City’s dynamic cultural and artistic landscape.

Best known for her 2014 Innovative Designer of the Year Award win in London, Dikobe turned heads with her groundbreaking transformation of Mogagolwane, Botswana’s traditional blanket, into contemporary fashion. The collection celebrated heritage with boldness and originality, earning her international acclaim.

Now serving as a cultural creative director, she continues to merge traditional African aesthetics with modern design across various platforms, including film, editorial, and performance, crafting compelling narratives that reimagine African identity on a global scale.

“It has been a personal mission of mine to amplify the reach of African fashion narratives on the international stage as I tour various continents,” said Dikobe, who is currently based in New York City, a city she calls the “portal of all things fashion.”

Having spent five months in the United States’ fashion capital, Dikobe is actively engaging with global fashion leaders and learning from some of the industry’s best. Among her highlights was attending an exhibition and masterclass in Legacy, Vision, and Couture hosted by UBS House of Craft at the prestigious Dior Atelier.

“I thought I knew what fashion and couture were, until Dior’s own ateliers revealed the true essence of couture through education, construction, history, and storytelling.  What I know now? A treasure.”

Dikobe has also rubbed shoulders with iconic names in the fashion and entertainment world, including Michael Kors, Ruth Carter (two-time Emmy-winning costume designer of Black Panther), Heidi Klum, and celebrity stylists such as Law Roach, June Ambrose, and Harrison Ford’s long-time image consultant.

“These encounters have been invaluable. They have inspired me to elevate my craft and broaden my creative vision for African aesthetics on the global stage. When I walk the streets of New York, people often stop to compliment my look and ask where they can get what I’m wearing. That tells me African fashion is resonating.”

For Dikobe, these moments go beyond style, they reflected a growing curiosity about Botswana and its creative potential. 

“Most people don’t know where Botswana is, let alone the depth of its cultural richness. That’s what I am working to change.”

She added that her journey was about building bridges, connecting continents, honouring her roots, and challenging boundaries of what African fashion can be. 

“Stay tuned,” she said with a smile. The story is only getting richer.” ENDS