Mount Nelson and Thebe Magugu open new suite

Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town has opened the Thebe Magugu Suite and Magugu House Cape Town as part of a collaboration with South African Fashion Designer Thebe Magugu.

The Thebe Magugu Suite 

The two-storey Thebe Magugu Suite is located along the hotel’s Palm Avenue. It marks Magugu’s debut in luxury hospitality design and coincides with the 10-year anniversary of his fashion house.

Bedroom of the Thebe Magugu Suite.
The living room and dining space of the Thebe Magugu Suite.

“This project has allowed me to explore how fashion can live beyond the body, extending into space and atmosphere. After two years of planning and production, the level of care is evident in the narrative layering, emotional backbone and craftsmanship throughout. The result is a delicate balance between English grandeur and African sensuality,” said Magugu.

The suite includes a lounge and dining area with a wet bar, a king-size bedroom with a private balcony overlooking Lion’s Head and a marble-clad bathroom with freestanding bath. Design elements include bespoke furniture, locally crafted details, hand-sketched panoramic wallpaper and rotating artworks curated by Magugu in collaboration with contemporary African art specialist Julia Buchanan. Guests also receive a bespoke gown and slippers, Rituals by Thebe Magugu bath amenities, Basotho fabric pouches and custom tea blends developed with Mount Nelson’s tea sommelier Craig Cupido.

Bathroom within the Thebe Magugu Suite.
The Thebe Magugu Suite balcony.

Magugu House Cape Town

Adjoining the suite, Magugu House Cape Town has opened to the public as a concept store and cultural space. It presents fashion, archival garments, art, photography, books and objects with exhibitions rotating quarterly.

Magugu House Cape Town.
Magugu House Cape Town.

The first exhibition, By Our Own Hands, is presented in partnership with Southern Guild and features works by Zanele Muholi and Zizipho Poswa alongside Magugu’s fashion practice. It runs until the end of April.

Open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday, Magugu House will also host monthly film screenings, salon-style conversations and cultural events. The programme opens with a preview of Sonder, a documentary directed by multidisciplinary artist Thuthuka Sibisi.

Fashion designer Thebe Magugu within Magugu House Cape Town.
Magugu House Cape Town courtyard.

“Mount Nelson has always been a place where culture lives and evolves,” said Patrick Fisher, Mount Nelson GM. “This collaboration with Thebe Magugu allows us to go deeper to create spaces that are not only beautiful but purposeful and rooted in place.”