Costume designer Kgomotso Dipholo is no stranger to crafting looks for iconic South African characters. From the dangerous streets of Refilwe in The River to recent seaside soap Gqeberha: The Empire.

The telenovela follows the empire of affluent moneymaker Luzuko Mxenge (played by Mbulelo Grootboom) and his wives. One of the matriarchs is played by Zandile Msutwana of The Queen fame. Her character finds herself in a pickle when she colludes with Luzuko’s best friend Msimelelo (Anele Matoti) to kill him.

For Dipholo, it was important to capture the spirit of the eponymous city through its characters to help differentiate them from the Johannesburg-based TV programmes we all watch.

Watching the people of the city, she was able to pick up the unique styles of the coastal area that helped her bring them to life.