BOYDE

Where Architecture Meets Fashion

Man-Owned | $50-$100+ | In-Store | International Shipping | Johannesburg, South Africa

Samkelo Boyde Xaba(Founder)

Behind The Brand

Before fashion, Boyde studied architecture, a discipline that taught him to see beauty in balance, precision, and restraint. Those lessons didn’t stay in the studio; they became the blueprint for his namesake brand, BOYDE, founded in 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Every collection draws from a rich intersection of African history, social commentary, and design philosophy, translating deep ideas into wearable art.

In Deterritorialisation, Boyde explored the tension between displacement and belonging, drawing inspiration from the architecture of apartheid-era hostels. The garments are sharply tailored and have an industrial tone. His more recent Afrosartorialism collection looked inward, celebrating the Swenka subculture, a post-apartheid movement of men who dressed in their finest suits to reclaim dignity, expression, and pride.

BOYDE’s commitment to local production and sustainable materials, including merino wool and mohair sourced within South Africa, reflects a belief that luxury should serve both people and place.

Over time, the brand has become a voice in the global fashion conversation. Boyde’s work challenges what “African fashion” is supposed to look like. It’s neither bound by Western standards nor confined to cultural tropes. It’s thoughtful. Architectural. Poetic.

Today, BOYDE stands as one of South Africa’s most distinctive fashion houses, a brand that builds garments the way its founder once built models: piece by piece, line by line.