ENTER THE LAB EPISODE 12: LUBABALO NKOBO
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“ENTER THE LAB” is the content series where we showcase the talented, innovative and expressive individuals within our community.
The aim is to connect with the person in front of the camera beyond just the imagery. The approach is both grand, portraying their personalities/uniqueness in a monumental style, while maintaining a personal element, revealing a side of them that viewers have never seen before.
Born and raised in Khayelitsha, Lubabalo’s love for fashion was stitched into his everyday life. “Where I come from, looking good is part of an everyday thing,” he says. “Dressing up isn’t reserved for special occasions — it’s a way of expressing pride, personality, and presence.” That early exposure shaped a perspective that continues to guide his creative process today.
Now a stylist, designer, and creative consultant, Lubabalo is building something meaningful in Cape Town’s fashion landscape.
Some people don’t just wear clothes — they speak through them.
Opening the Pot Plant Club store on Bree, one of the most popular streets in Cape Town, a milestone in his career. A concept store that showcases local talent from across South Africa. It is more than just a shop, it’s a community space — one that celebrates creativity, individualism, and cultural expression. It’s a space where Lubabalo’s influence is felt in every detail, and where his belief in the power of fashion is made visible.
From managing PPC in the heart of the city to watching his close friends run one of Cape Town’s best deli & listening bars, Lubabalo is living the vision they spilled over in late night conversations, way back when.
He’s also taken that vision beyond borders — traveling the world to do what he loves, bringing his uniquely South African perspective to global spaces. Recently, Lubabalo touched down in Dubai, Amsterdam, and most meaningfully, Belgium — the birthplace of many of the designers who first inspired him. “Belgium was a blessing,” he says. “That’s where the designers I look up to come from. Being there felt like coming full circle.”
From managing PPC in the heart of the city to watching his close friends run one of Cape Town’s best deli & listening bars, Lubabalo is living the vision they spilled over in late night conversations, way back when.
He’s also taken that vision beyond borders — traveling the world to do what he loves, bringing his uniquely South African perspective to global spaces. Recently, Lubabalo touched down in Dubai, Amsterdam, and most meaningfully, Belgium — the birthplace of many of the designers who first inspired him. “Belgium was a blessing,” he says. “That’s where the designers I look up to come from. Being there felt like coming full circle.”
“It’s not about brands, it’s about instinct.
It’s about how people interact with clothing when no one’s watching.”
Lubabalo’s style is observant and rooted in the real. His biggest inspiration? The people he sees every day — morning walkers, commuters, vendors — people who throw on clothes based on the weather, what they own, and how they feel. That raw, everyday interaction with fashion is something he honours and studies — merging it with references from stylists, digital archives, magazines, and most importantly, the group chats he shares with friends.
We champion voices that shift the culture — and Lubabalo is one of them. He’s part of a new wave that doesn’t just follow trends but questions them, redefines them, and reshapes them with purpose. He’s a reminder that the roots of fashion don’t start on runways — they start in the streets, in community, in friendships, and in the courage to do things your own way.
We champion voices that shift the culture — and Lubabalo is one of them. He’s part of a new wave that doesn’t just follow trends but questions them, redefines them, and reshapes them with purpose. He’s a reminder that the roots of fashion don’t start on runways — they start in the streets, in community, in friendships, and in the courage to do things your own way.
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