The Arrows at Sa Fashion Week

Equally the country celebrates 27 years of democracy on Freedom Twenty-four hours, nosotros take a wait at its rich and diverse fashion industry and the brands that have defined it over the years.

Apr 27, 2021

The 90s were a meaning era in the history of South Africa. Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990, apartheid was abolished, and the land held its showtime democratic elections on 27 April 1994, which led to its first Black president, Nelson Mandela. And with that freedom came new opportunities. Miss World was held in the country in 1994, Elle magazine launched a local edition in 1996, and supermodel and philanthropist Naomi Campbell held a Versace for Africa Style Show in Aid of Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in 1998.

At the time, style was largely dominated by international brands and trends from Europe until South African Fashion Week was launched to develop a designer-led manufacture. Founded by Lucilla Booyzen subsequently years of working every bit a model and producing fashion shows in both Europe and Southward Africa, South African Fashion Calendar week launched with 17 designers in 1997, ushering in a new era for a country looking to redefine its identity. Earlier and so, designers had largely worked and sold their garments from their studios or small boutiques. "There were a handful of designers in Johannesburg, Durban, and Greatcoat Town and they all had bespoke clients," Boozyen tells Industrie Africa.

Clive Rundle FW'09 Photo: via @safashionweek

Loxion Kulca SS'x. Photo via @safashionweek

Stoned Cherrie FW'11. Photo: Courtesy of SA Fashion Calendar week.

With 11 official languages and diverse tribes, there'due south no single fashion that tin can purely define South African way, it'south a mix of references of cultural heritage driven by both modernity and aboriginal traditions. That kickoff showcase at SA Fashion Week presented collections from designers such every bit Clive Rundle, David West, and Julian whose all-white collections reflected new beginnings of both the fashion industry and the political climate. The fashion here was defined past avant-garde designs, minimalist in structure, with clean lines and some references to local culture and realities like the patchwork institute in Black miners' clothes who mended their worn-out garments in diverse fabrics swatches.

Early designers such as Amanda Laird Cherry and Marianne Fassler were motivated past tribal influences and nature from animal prints to Zulu civilisation, and Shweshwe fabric, a dyed cotton material with intricate geometric patterns. Usually worn past Black women throughout history, as maid uniforms, the Shweshwe fabric was given a new context in designer fashion equally a luxurious textile.

Withal, while other designers were looking into wax prints and ethnic dress, David Tlale and Thula Sindi were championing modern romanticism and luxurious clothing driven by the cosmopolitan tastes of the decade. This style was mirrored by dramatic gowns, feminine cuts, and sensual looks that appealed to affluent local and global tastes. Elsewhere, Roman Handt and De Mil were refreshing menswear with gender blurring designs of sculptural pieces exploring new shapes and forms in exciting and unusual fabrics such as high tech materials used in soundproofing and hybrid pieces of skirts and dresses for the erstwhile and elegant black lace with intricate blossom motifs and cut-outs and flowing mesh gowns, layered and cut to perfection, subverting both gender and organized religion for the latter.

David Tlale SS'21. Photo: Courtesy of Thebe Magugu

Thebe Magugu FW'eighteen Photo: Courtesy of SA Mode Week

Coutts Drove. Photo: Courtesy of Lukhanyo Mdingi

Today, South Africa'due south young designers are collectively telling their stories in new ways, often rejecting stereotypical ideas of what local fashion should wait like. Their cross-cultural experiences, assured approach, and modern designs accept been embraced globally and represent a new generation, eager to own and share their stories with the world. Thebe Magugu and Sindiso Khumalo are driven past political storytelling that delves into history while Lukhanyo Mdingi is motivated by witting and timeless design, using exceptional fabrics like homegrown mohair. "On a global calibration our designers are incredibly talented," chief executive of PR firm Imprint Luxury and Mode Revolution South Africa coordinator, Cyril Naicker, tells Industrie Africa. "Technology has changed and it's given [local] designers incredible opportunities to design stuff with unique things," he continues.

Other local designers redefining the 'South African artful' include genderless label Rich Mnisi whose designs borrow from the vivid colors of his Vatsonga heritage and design duo MmusoMaxwell, with their refreshed tailoring for women, that drapes and wraps the body in panels and pleats. With the world unifying to amplify voices of minorities around the globe, S Africa, with its level of talent, high-level craftsmanship, rich history, and the spotlight brought by designers such equally Thebe Magugu and Sindiso Khumalo, the time to come of fashion looks brilliant.

In the spirit of Freedom day, shop our S African labels.