SAFW POST COVID
The opening up of lockdown levels towards the latter part of 2021, allowed SA Fashion Week to inject much-needed designer visibility with the introduction of its first hybrid presentation format fusing digital broadcasting with pared-down eventing.
Exclusive and intimate live events spotlighted the collections of 28 designers to targeted audiences between 28 – 30 October. This was followed by a digital broadcast of the collections to a broader audience, including international media, designer clients, and local and global followers of fashion on 4 November.
Searingly hard as conditions were for all in the fashion industry, the old truism that the tough get going when the going gets tough proved true once again. Designers who adapted to the new normal by finding a balance between working remotely as well as in studio, by upskilling a smaller but smarter and more quality-focused workforce, built a resilience which saw their trade soar.
They also plumbed the depth of their emotional capacity under difficult circumstances, to capitalise on opportunities to collaborate with other role players in the industry like Wool and Mohair SA and with like-minded brands. Sthembiso Mchunu, the founder of The Watermelon Social Club is an excellent example of this can-do spirit. In collaboration with Cross Trainer he developed The Heritage Collection for their private XT label. It is sure to impact hugely on South African basketball culture and style on and off the court.
The numbers of the collective designer community have been whittled down significantly over the past year. The inner core of survivors will undoubtedly form the nucleus of South Africa’s fashion future.
SLOW FASHION IS GAINING MOMENTUM FAST – TRANS-SEASONALITY AND COMPOSTABLE IS THE NOW
South Africa’s fashion industry is intrinsically linked to the major swing at the influential top end of the fashion pyramid towards a sustainable fashion ethos. Less but better and clean and compostable are the new principles that inform the development of smaller, trans-seasonal collections and the usage of biodegradable fabrics such as organically produced cotton, wool, linen, or hemp.
