Mingo Lamberti

WORDS: Remy Raitt

Illustrator Brad Hodgskiss is wearing a 30 Rock-inspired trucker cap with the words “karate sluts” silk-screened in black. Brad is in the silk-screening business himself, but humorous phrases don’t usually feature in his work. Fresh illustrations do.

Under his label, Mingo Lamberti, Brad produces, commissions and sells some of South Africa’s most original pieces of everyday design. Best known for their exciting T-shirt and sweatshirt illustrations, Mingo Lamberti also broke into the soft furnishings market this year when Brad collaborated with his fiancée, Simone Rayner aka Pearly Yon on a range of teacup-inspired scatter cushions.

Launched at the Design Indaba, The Teacup Collection was inspired by antique teacup designs that were translated into more contemporary patterns. And, like all of Mingo Lamberti’s fare, only a limited number of each is available.

For almost four years, Mingo Lamberti has been producing limited edition T-shirts that embrace originality and exclusivity. “I found that unique designs were hard to come by, people are all doing the same stuff. I wanted to do something fresh with no distinct style,” says Brad.

Brad realised that this was what he wanted to do while he was working in client services for an advertising agency. “The best part of my job there was working with the designers. I used to annoy them with questions about design and then a friend gave me Freehand (a design program) and I started playing around and teaching myself.”

A business idea struck and through a potent combination of self-professed naivety and pure determination, Mingo Lamberti was born. Named after his grandfather, Brad says the namesake not only offers some heritage to the brand but also ensures that, out of respect, Mingo Lamberti always produces the best possible products.

With each range the brand releases, Brad decides on a theme and approaches certain designers to interpret that theme in a unique way. Mingo Lamberti prides itself on original illustrations, so designers are encouraged to not only think outside the box but basically to forget that the box ever existed. Well-known local illustrators like Kronk and international names like Australian Beast Man have designed graphics for the brand. But don’t expect the words “Mingo Lamberti” scrawled in large type over the threads. Brad’s not into that.

To date, Mingo Lamberti has produced shirts and sweaters under the themes Phobia, Good vs. Evil, Sci-fi, Made in China, Death, Grandpa, Electric, Far Far Away and Nature. They’ve also collaborated on a number of projects ranging from surfboard design to illustrations for local indie/electronica band, The Beams.

Brad worked closely with a pattern maker to produce the T-shirts and sweaters onto which the illustrations are silk-screened. The fact that Brad usually dons a Mingo Lamberti himself should be reason enough to trust the product.

Unfortunately the brand focuses on menswear only, as Brad found that women’s shirts tend to be more focused on fit and fashionability rather then hot illustration and a well-cut T-shirt.

Currently Mingo Lamberti has plans to branch out further into home furnishings and Brad says that coffee mugs and quilts are next on the agenda. So, ladies, no need to fret – even if you can’t cover up in a Mingo Lamberti shirt, you’ll soon be able to snuggle up under one of their quilts…

And for the gents wanting to get their hands on a shirt or two, check out the Mingo Lamberti site for online shopping and stockists in your area.

More information: 082 320 3211, www.mingolamberti.com, brad@mingolamberti.com