OUR STORY

Our mission is to showcase the natural beauty, comfort, and longevity of rare noble fibres through limited collections that are timeless classics.

We are deeply committed to finding more sustainable and ethical ways to source and create our collections while honouring the Molteno name which has for centuries sought to pioneer new ways and discover new frontiers.

We invite you to join us and begin your own journey of discovery.

WORLD-CLASS QUALITY IN EVERY GARMENT

MADE FROM
PREMIUM WOOL

South African wool has, over many years, earned a global reputation for quality, uniformity, softness, and other important features such as fibre length and fineness.

ZERO
Synthetics

We only use natural fibres in our clothing. This is essential for both the customer’s comfort and the preservation of our planet.

Crafted
by Artisans

Our clothing manufacturer has a strong quality ethos, ensuring that each item is perfect and made to last.

A Celebration
of Expertise

Our high-quality materials are largely thanks to our farmers’ immense experience, skills, and passion which has been passed down through generations

Exclusive
Luxury

Selene Molteno stands out among global brands as it exclusively produces luxury knitwear from noble South African fibres.

The woman behind the brand

Selene Molteno left South Africa with her mother at the age of 8 to start a new life in Europe. Yet with every return visit to her father – a wildlife helicopter pilot – her love for the bush and vast open spaces grew. Like so many in the lockdown years, Selene took a moment to reflect after 10 long years in the banking industry, in search of a life with greater meaning and purpose. So she quit her job and took a trip to her homeland.

While she set off with the intention to discover and reconnect with the beauty of the country, the artisans, and sourcing quality materials, some of her discoveries were rather unexpected. Unbeknown to her at the outset, Selene’s great, great grandfather, Sir John Charles Molteno was the first large scale Merino wool farmer in South Africa. A true adventurer, pioneer and strong-willed entrepreneur, he later became the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, with the town of Molteno in the Great Karoo named after him.

Further discovery revealed that while Sir John Charles Molteno boarded a ship from England, the Molteno family name turned out to be an ancient Italian name dating back over 2000 years, originating from the town of Molteno, Italy, some 30 miles north of Milan.

As destiny would have it, Selene has instinctively woven together an invisible circle spanning several centuries – knitting together her near family’s love of the land in Africa, with the ancient Molteno name in Italy. A journey best expressed in the brand tagline “Woven into Being”

“My hope is that every Selene Molteno garment provides the wearer with a true sense of comfort knowing it comes from a place of authenticity and care that will last a lifetime.”

Selene Molteno
Shopping Bag 0
Instagram Linkedin