MZANSI’S TV series Shaka Ilembe, which captivated audiences in 2023, continues to make waves on the global stage.
The Septimius Awards were held from 19 to 20 August at Tuschinski in Amsterdam.
The series earned multiple awards and nominations at the prestigious international awards ceremony, with a noticeable victory for its historically authentic costume design.
Sheli Masondo, the visionary costume designer behind the series, accepted the Septimius Award for Best Costume Design.
Reflecting on the honour, Sheli said: “It was an incredible feeling to be recognised on an international platform and in a category alongside other talented costume designers. I didn’t expect to win, but I’m deeply grateful that we can tell our stories in our own language, showcasing our authentic traditional attire.”
The Septimius Awards celebrate global talent and innovative ideas in film and television, with categories organised by the continent to ensure diverse representation.
Sheli dedicated over a year to researching the 1700s and 1800s to ensure historical accuracy in costume design. I visited museums in KZN, scoured archives, and consulted with historians to get the period’s look just right,” she explained.
Her research led her to artisans who still craft traditional Zulu costumes, such as the Mbata, a chest guard made from animal skin worn exclusively by the Zulu royal family.
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Shaka Ilembe consumes designer Sheli Masondo at the Septimius Awards.
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One of Sheli’s most valuable discoveries was an elder who continued to make the King’s headdress using ancient techniques, taking up to three months to complete each piece.
“It was fascinating to see how these craftsmen shaped feathers to flow differently from when a bird is flying,” Masondo shared. “I passed this knowledge on to our team of crafters.”
As a fashion school graduate, Masondo was particularly impressed by the intricate techniques used to pleat goat hide leather into skirts worn by married women of the time.
“The skirts consist of up to 500 pieces, each carefully crafted with precision,” she noted. The stitching was traditionally done with animal fibre, using a sharpened bone as a needle.
Creating the costumes for Shaka Ilembe was a spiritual experience for Sheli.
“I drew inspiration from nature, walking through empty fields, observing birds, trees, and the textures of leaves. It felt like stepping into my ancestors’ shoes,” she said.