Over the past week SA Fashion Week (SAFW) staged the Autumn/Winter 23 Collections at Mall of Africa, its home of the past three years, in October. Twenty-seven designers including Art club and Friends, Amanda Laird Cherry, Rubicon, MUNKUS, The Bam Collective and Maxhosa launched their new collections on the runway from Thursday 20th October to Saturday 22nd October and forty exhibited at the Trade Show on the 23rd and 24th October in the Crystal Court.
According to director, Lucilla Booyzen, this year marked 41 seasons since the inception of SAFW in 1997. “We remain committed to the business of fashion, of marketing and supporting our designer entrepreneurs, creatively and commercially, and most importantly, to provide a platform which gives the visibility required to access the local, and global, fashion industry.”
According to Booyzen many of the distinctive tropes that have emerged within the local fashion culture – a fascination with re-imagining our unique cultural references in a modern way, a commitment to slow and sustainable fashion, gender and body inclusivity – are increasingly coalescing into a vibrant ethos with immense marketability. The commercial support received by trendsetting brands such as mobile phone Oppo, Cruz Vodka and Mall of Africa, with the vision to associate with this emerging fashion identity, is critical to maintain momentum.
Leemisa Tsolo, head of Asset and Property Management – Retail of Attacq Limited, the owners of Mall of Africa, believes the association with the SAFW is one of the reasons why young South Africans have selected it as the Coolest Mall for five consecutive years in the Sunday Times Generation Next Awards.
Exhibitors
Day One: The Cruz Collective (introducing Micheal Ludwig Studio’s),Art Club and Friends, Fikile Zamagcino Sokhulu, DROMe, Amanda Laird Cherry, Rubicon,
Day Two: MUNKUS, Ntando XV, Black Coffee, Helon Melon, The Bam Collective, Belhauzen, Erre, Essie.
Day Three: MAXHOSA, Rebirth SA, CZENE. 24, Abantu, Refuse Clothing brand, GUGUBYGUGU, Foy Bear, Ipantsula, PLJ x The Breed, Vanklan, Franc Elis, Ephymol, Loxion Kulca.
