African Surf Brand Mami Wata Launches in the U.S.

Mami Wata, the African surf lifestyle brand cofounded by sports commentator and television host Selema Masekela, officially launches in the U.S. this October.

The genderless ready-to-wear brand designs and produces its offering in Africa using raw materials like spun cotton from Zimbabwe and Malawi. The brand references other countries in the continent like Morocco through motifs such as surfing zebras and bananas, nodding to the country’s righthand wave called Banana Point. In addition, Mami Wata means “Mama Water” or “Mother Ocean” from West African pidgin.

Cape Town-born Masekela, who is known for his sports reporting days at ESPN and NBC covering the NBA, X Games and the Olympics, published a coffee table-style book, Afrosurf, this year celebrating African street and surf culture and works with African surf therapy organization Waves for Change.