South African design duo Quiteria and George on building a style legacy

Quiteria & George that aims to tell a story through their garments and inspire change and innovation through their designs. The brand which was established in 2013 is co-owned and managed by Quiteria Kekana and George Malelu who work together on conceptualising and then executing each design.

Kekana and Malelu met in 2010 when Kekana was the ambassador at Mpumalanga Fashion Week and Malelu was showcasing his collection. They met, clicked and the magic was born and as they say, the rest is history.

The duo is also known for dressing the A-list celebrities’ at all major red carpet events in South Africa. They are currently working with Boity Thulo, Lerato Kganyago, Thando Thabethe, Dineo Moeketsi, Terry Pheto just to name a few.

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According to their website:

is a proudly South African brand that aims to tell a story and inspire change and innovation through their designs. With Africa at the epicenter of inspiration within the industry, this gives Quiteria & George the creative edge over its competitors. In their creative stance, they have managed to design couture garments of moving architectures, structured silhouette, and even graphic and intricate handwork elements on each of their unique designs.

For the dynamic duo, Africa is at the epicentre of their inspiration as it gives them the creative edge over their competitors. Q&G aims to be a well-known global brand that is accessible in all major fashion cities.

The duo have showcased their work at Arise Fashion week, African Fashion International’s Joburg, Cape Town, and Mpumalanga Fashion Weeks, Durban Fashion Fair, Vodacom Durban July, Young Designer Initiative (2009), The Royal Basotho Family, Miss South Africa pageant, as well as Miss World pageant in London, Ordos and China.

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About the creative directors

Quiteria Kekana was born and bred in aa town called Blood Rive near Polokwane in Limpopo. During his formative years, he was educated at Ernest Primary School and after secondary school he furthered his education at Pretoria Technikon now called Tshwane University of Technology.

Quiteria was was lured into the fashion industry when he discovered the freedom to express himself with fabric - which is ever evolving. This discovery fuelled his determination to pursue a career as a designer and inspire the youth of his hometown to explore the arts as a career choice.

Quiteria lives by the motto: “Stay true to yourself”, because the only thing that sets people apart and make them outstanding is their uniqness, different lived experiences, and how they intepret the world.

George Malelu was born and bred in Maseru, Lesotho. He attended Islamic primary School and Methodist High School before pursuing his tertiary education at the National University of Lesotho. While there, he discovered his passion for fashion and decided to apply to study at Studio 5 School of Fashion in Johannesburg.

After learning everything he needed, George decided he was ready for the industry and dared to pursue his career as a designer. His life motto which is a passage from the book of Job in the Bible: “I learned to take the good with the bad. So in every situation, I harbour faith that better times are coming,” inspired him to be persistent.

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Quiteria & George Interview

What makes Quiteria & George so special and unique?

We stand out because we are a duo and there are not many brands that are started and run by two people. This is great because there are two pairs of eyes to everything we do. And we both contribute different ideas and angles to our creations.

We also pride ourselves in designing garments of moving architectures, structured silhouettes as well as graphic and intricate handwork elements on each unique design.Together we are mostlyinspired by the content within Africa its different people, pop culture, religion traditions, trends as well as its resources.

What type of woman do you design for?

We design for women of all shapes and sizes. A women's body is amazing to work with, as it is artistic. Our creations just accentuate it.

How do the both of you collaborate during the design process?

We both contribute to the creative process. We discuss the ideas and themes, and then we start constructing the fabrics we want before we start making a garment. It's a team effort.

What’s the most challenging part of being a design duo?

Well, there isn't much as most things become easier because you are not alone through good and bad. But, one of the challenges could be that decisions cannot be taken without the consent of the other.

How do you resolve creative differences?

We resolve these by consulting the rest of the team or employees. We have great support from the people we work with.

What is the end goal for the Q&G brand?

There is no end goal - we want continued brand growth. We are building a legacy, so that even long after we are gone, the brand and its essence lives on and continues to inspire generations to come.

If you could dress any celebrity, the world over, who would it be and why?

There are two celebrities we would love to dress, Beyonce and Rihanna. Both of these women are game changers in the entertainment industry. They are beautiful and inspire many women from all walks of life, they are Queens, and of course we are fans.