Lethabo Woods Wins Big

Lethabo Woods, whose real name is Thabo Malete from Kutlwanong in Odendaalsrus, but now based in Bloemfontein, proudly represented the Free State province at a recent prestigious event. He was awarded the GQ Best Dressed Creative of the Year, making him possibly the first influencer from the Free State to ever achieve a GQ Award.

The GQ South Africa Best Dressed Awards are significant annual fashion and lifestyle events hosted by GQ South Africa, celebrating style, creativity, and cultural influence within the country. This year's awards were held at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg.

“It means a lot for me to win, especially as a young creative coming from the Free State. We never see ourselves being recognized by such influential figures in the fashion industry, but I’m glad my work got recognized and celebrated by GQ,” Lethabo expressed.

He shared that growing up, he would watch the GQ Awards on Selimathunzi and critique people’s outfits from the comfort of his mom’s couch. Now, years later, he finds himself on the receiving end of an award.

This win is a dream come true for him. He never imagined that such recognition would come his way, but he is thrilled that his passion for fashion paved the way for this achievement.

“This is not just a personal milestone, but a massive win for the entire Free State creative community. It proves that world-class talent and style thrive right here in our province,” he remarked.

Lethabo Woods is not only a model and fashion influencer but also a digital content creator, and now he proudly bears the title of a GQ Award winner for Best Dressed Young Creative of 2026.

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