A stylish union of Suns

Afro-fashion heavyweights Sun Goddess’s partnership with Sun International was written in the stars.

A serendipitous meeting with Sun City Resort General Manager Brett Hoppé on a Talk Radio 702 entrepreneurial segment in 2021 quickly led to a business discussion, after the long-serving Sun International stalwart professed his desire to see The Palace staff outfitted in uniforms that reflected the rich heritage and authentic narrative of the North West.

Hoppé invited husband-and-wife team Vanya and Thando Mangaliso, who head up the label, to experience the legendary resort, getting a feel for the incredible decor and detailing. The visit set off an exhaustive year-long research and design process, punctuated with consultations to ensure that Sun Goddess were hitting the mark. However, as Vanya explains, inspiration took care of itself.  

Kerzner’s legacy

“We’re great admirers of Sol Kerzner’s work and are inspired by how Sun International preserves culture at its various properties. Sun City is many foreign visitors’ sole memory of South Africa and there’s nothing quite like The Palace out there. Sun International is privileged to have staff that have been with the company since day one,” she says, adding that the distinctive steward uniforms of Emirates and Singapore airlines also provided some direction.

Launched to coincide with The Palace’s 30th birthday celebrations, beaming staff members now don exquisitely crafted new uniforms. The research-based label took its cues from the local Tswana culture and the architectural patterns and mosaics from the various spaces of the hotel, such as the Olympic-sized swimming pool area. Motifs of the Big 5 feature prominently on the blouses and shirts of reception staff, with names emblazoned in Tswana.

“We chose to use blue, which is integral to Tswana culture, and specific tribal patterns. With so many cues, the research wasn’t too difficult. We tried to match the design direction with the practical elements by speaking to people on the ground. Rather than merely giving staff something new to wear, we wanted to give them something they could be proud of and that would interest guests. They don’t have problems talking about the uniforms because they are representative of the local culture,” says Vanya.

Founded in 2001, the revolutionary fashion brand has come a long way from its heady early days, when Vanya and Thando sold skirts out of a VW Beetle boot. Sun Goddess now has a strong online presence to go with an upmarket outlet in Sandton City’s exclusive Nelson Mandela Square. The brand has featured in a string of high-end fashion shows, everywhere from London and Washington DC to Stockholm and Singapore. But it was a commission to dress the world-renowned Mzansi Youth Choir and Ndlovu Choir of America’s Got Talent fame that gave the Mangalisos insight into creating durable, easily maintained clothing that would form the foundation of their project for The Palace.

In truth, Sun Goddess’s association with Sun International goes back far beyond The Palace proposal. Thando, the grandson of Chief Pilane of Moruleng in the North West, remembers being handed complimentary show tickets as a child by Kerzner personally, and Vanya, who hails from the Eastern Cape, has fond memories of holidaying at Wild Coast Sun. In 2008, Sun Goddess raised the roof with its Eternal Hope, Abundant Light collection at Positive Rocks, a Sun International charity initiative headlined by American R&B sensation Kelly Rowland.

Communication through couture

The couple have an extensive background in business and global exposure – Thando studied in Paris and interned in the Champagne region of France – and this acumen, along with a guiding principle of communicating and preserving heritage through fashion have been key to their success. 

“It’s all about preserving heritage and centering on the communication aspect of clothing. The messaging and meaning behind traditional attire really appeal to us. From a business standpoint, we love the multifaceted fashion industry – it’s not just about selling clothes, there’s everything from the initial design to cutting, pressing and adding finer details. We want to take local traditions and turn them into global sensations,” says Vanya.

Want to incorporate a little African authenticity into your personal style? Vanya advises beginning your style evolution with an accessory. “Begin by working in an accessory – it could be something like a bow-tie or handkerchief – and then keep adding to your ensemble. That way, you’ll evolve, creating your own unique style by building on what you already have,” she explains.

The two Suns are set to deepen their business relationship in the near future, with the brand set to become a permanent fixture at The Palace. A store – designed by the team responsible for producing the hotel’s iconic 8m-tall hand-carved doors – is scheduled for 2023, delivering an exciting new “retail entertainment” concept offering treasured and stylish mementos of their time at the World Within a City.