The country’s premier showcase of top local design, South African Fashion Week (SAFW) hosted its most sustainable green season yet since adopting a clean fashion ethos in 2019. The event, which took place at its official home, the Mall of Africa, from 18 – 20 April 2024, saw collections marked by timeless design, innovative modification of locally produced, sustainable fabric, and an emphasis on quality over quantity.
“Seventy-three percent of designers who participated in SAFW Spring/Summer 2024 were committed to responsible fashion production in line with our vision for a non-toxic industry,” says director Lucilla Booyzen.
Mother of Gau | Eunice Driver
According to Booyzen local support from powerful retailerssuch as Mr Price, SAFW’s Retail Partner, as well as SAFW’s visionary sponsors such as MR PRICE, MALL OF AFRICA,CRUZ VODKA, ISUZU, and L’OREAL, is critical to bolster this positive development.
“Their financial contribution as well as a deep grasp of how to leverage and align their brands with the soft power of fashion, have allowed designers to develop a growing understanding of the demands of running a sustainable business as creative entrepreneurs. From our side, we offer support by hosting sale activations linked to our SAFW Pop-Up Shop to eliminate the cost of carrying dead stock.”
On show two at this season’s event, were the 2023 winners of SA Fashion Week’s Face of Fashion model search, femalemodel, Lushe Wilkins, and male model, Keenan Chetty. First introduced in 2018, the Face of Fashion allows prospective young models to break into the fashion industry because ofthe visibility afforded by this high–profile platform, says Booyzen.
As is the tradition, the SAFW summer season opens with the much–anticipated Mr Price New Talent Search. This launch pad of so many industry success stories including Lukhanyo Mdingi, MMuso Maxwell, Jacques Bam, Fikile Sokhulu, Sipho Mbuto, Arto Eksteen, and Munkus, will this year see2023 winner, Cyla Gonsalves, introduce her first full collection. This season, young designer Jessica-Ann was crowned the victor following a modish showcase. She will be releasing a limited edition capsule collection with MR Price later this year.
The MR PRICE New Talent Search Collections will concluded with the MR PRICE DOLLHOUSE COLLECTION.
“After last year’s stellar showcase of local design talent, we are so excited to be returning to the runway at SA Fashion Week.
This season’s finalists demonstrated a new & fresh perspective within womenswear and we can’t wait for audiences to see them at large this April.”. – Kevin Smit, Managing Director, Mr Price.
SAFW’s longest–standing partner, CRUZ Vodka, consistently comes to the party with its high–octane, CRUZ launch party packed with influencers, celebrities, actors, and actresses, as well as The Cruz Collective show, which this year sees the welcome return of Fikile Sokhulu, exciting newcomer, Imprint, and Michael Ludwig, a New Talent Search finalist in2021.
“Cruz was born from the spirit of New York, so we rally behind the pursuit of success. Success is about the journey, the small wins, the big wins, and the luxury experiences. Experiences are character–defining and fashion is a daily experience that Cruz is committed to exploring with our SS24 Cruz Collective. Come and experience the pinnacle of luxury with Cruz Vodka, a vodka meticulously crafted for those who seek the extraordinary. #MakeItAnywhere,” says Maisha Mamabolo, Cruz Vodka Brand Manager.
The Bam Collective, Sipho Mbuto, and award-winning designer, businesswoman, and cultural ambassador, Thabo Makhetha, a household name in fashion, concluded the day.
Industry icon, Jacques van der Watt of Black Coffee opens the three-signature ISUZU Luxury Collections showed on the second day with a masterful tribute to the multiple ways in which pleating may be used to create intricate creations with a commanding presence. His collection was followed by collections from Franc Elis and Thando Ntuli, the 2022 New Talent Search winner, exploring women’s fashion narratives in South Africa in her new season for her Munkus label.
“ISUZU Motors South Africa is proud to bring together our dedication to style and comfort with the vibrant energy of the fashion industry with yet another collaboration with SA Fashion Week for the SS 24 season. As champions of innovation and excellence, ISUZU recognises the parallel values of craftsmanship and creativity in both automotive engineering and fashion design. This partnership is an exciting synergy, allowing us to support and celebrate the ingenuity of South African designers, while also showcasing our shared dedication to sustainability and purposeful progress,” says Ziphindiwe Ngcobo, Department Executive: Marketing at ISUZU Motors South Africa.
The fourth edition of the exciting Fashion Bridges – I Ponti della Moda collaborative project with the Italian Embassy in South Africa, will showcase South African designer, LezanneViviers’ earth-conscious, VIVIERS Collection, and a young Italian designer. Viviers completed a mentorship programme with Polimoda Fashion School in Florence in 2023.
Leemisa Tsolo, Head of Asset and Property Management – Retail at Attacq Limited, owners of the Mall of Africa says that they are thrilled to collaborate with SA Fashion Week as they recognise the growing designer among their consumers to embrace a modern, distinctly African fashion ethos.
Cape Town-based designer, Helen Gibbs’s 2024 Helon Melon collection will reflect a palette of gentle colours as a reminder that softness is all we need to remember as we change seasons.
She is joined by SAFW stalwarts and industry darlings,menswear designer, Ephraim Molinguana of Ephymol and Hangwani Nengovhela of the Rubicon womenswear label, both epitomising tailored craftsmanship and effortless style.
A flourishing finale closes the second day with leading beauty house, L’Oréal Paris, bringing a stellar cast of thirtycelebrities to the SAFW runway for the country’s first “Walk Your Worth” tribute to women’s empowerment with a collection by Birgit Gibbs of Biji la Maison de Couture.
“As a feminine and feminist brand, we continue to champion women’s empowerment, and are thrilled to have women of this calibre grace the L’Oréal Paris runway”, says Burkhard Pieroth, President of Sub-Saharan Africa for L’Oréal Paris.
The final day opens with a vibrant group of womenswear entrepreneurs. They are Cape Town–based swim and resort wear label, Beach Cult, as well as Isabel de Villiers, and Lesley Witter of Heart and Heritage, who also heads up thecollaborative local designer retail space, Convoy.
According to Booyzen, SAFW believes regional and intercontinental collaborations, such as the Fashion Bridges project with the Italian embassy as well as the designer exchange with Mozambique Fashion Week, are critical in working towards a responsible fashion industry.
“These ventures allow us to share skills and insights, open unexplored business opportunities, and ultimately, to extend the sphere of our respective creative visions for a clean fashion future beyond our familiar borders,” she says.
The three Mozambiquan designers that will participate at SAFW this season are Sania Bacar who will show withGugubyGugu, Ezokheto, and E_Mania as well as Shaazia Adam and Omar Adelino who will join South Africa’s Leon Von Solms, and Sun Goddess for the grand finale.
“The future of fashion in Africa hinges on the identification and generation of opportunities for emerging talents who transform their creativity into unique forms of expression, acting as catalysts for a new way of viewing the world and influencing its development. The bridge we are building between MFW and SAFW stands as proof of the capacity and ingenuity these two platforms display toward crafting a new method and a new vision for showcasing Africa to the world,” says Mozambique Fashion Week Chief Executive Vasco Rocha.
‘Carlton Hair prides itself on quality, professionalism, and sustainability. Partnering with SAFW is a perfect synergy as we feel they focus on the same attributes. We also both strongly believe in education and development. Being involved with SAFW allows us the opportunity to be inspired by upcoming beauty, clothing, and hair trends,” Cindy Gorman