The South African Fashion Week (SAFW)’s will showcase the Spring Summer 23 Collections at the Mall of Africa from 20 – 22 April 2023.
Now in its 26th year, the SS23 showcase will host 11 shows over three days and show 39 collections.
The 2022 winner of the search, Thando Ntuli, will close the show with her Isikhathi /Time SS23 Munkus collection.
Our favorite showcases to look out for include Art Club & Friends, Boyde, Fuata Moyo, Lwavante-Garde, Mantsho, Refuse Clothing, Thula Sindi, Viviers Studio, Ephymol, and Thando Ntuli’s Munkus.
Listed in 2013 by Forbes magazine as one of Africa’s best young entrepreneurs, Thula Sindi, owner of the renowned Africa Rise retail collective for South African designers, returns to SAFW where he debuted his first range in 2005. He will launch his From a selection” – a visitation of the past, elevated, revisited collection – a tribute to the customers who support the Africa Rise designers.
Jacques van der Watt’s exploration of three-dimensional clothing as he unveils what he calls “a love letter to the exaggerated silhouettes of his Classic Couture Collections of the past” for iconic brand, Black Coffee SS23 as well as the tailored craftsmanship of SAFW stalwart, Hangwani Nengovhela’s Rubicon brand, and the fashion-forward Essie SS23 collection, will complete the OPPO Collections line-up.
The third edition of Fashion Bridges – I Ponti della Moda, the collaboration between the Italian embassy and its partners Polimoda Firenze, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana, in collaboration with South African Fashion Week, will introduce the new collections of Italian designer, Federico Cina, a finalist in the 2022 LVMH Prize for young fashion designers, and South African, Lezanne Viviers, who debuted her Viviers Studio signature at Milan Fashion Week earlier this year.
All the designers showing collections at South African Fashion Week this season, including Federico Cina, will also meet fashion institutes, trade associations, media and companies to exchange experiences, knowledge and creative styles.
Four signatures – geographically separated but united in their passion for sustainable fashion-making – Cape Town-based Research Unit, Pretoria-based Isabel de Villiers and Bam Collective, and Belhauzen originally from Johannesburg, complete the second day programme.
SAFW’s commitment to the organic development of the local design industry by developing and introducing new creative talents to the market, is evidenced in the line-up of the five menswear signatures comprising respective Scouting Menswear winners Boyde by Samkelo Boyde Xaba, in 2020 and Refuse Clothing in 2022, as well as 2022 finalist Gugu by Gugu and family-based collective, Fuata Moyo.
Helen Gibbs unveils the clean and uncluttered, season-less and earth-friendly Helon Melon 2023 collection in a double bill with creative hub, Artclub and Friends.
In a celebration of local fashion heritage, Vanya Mangaliso joins forces with one of SAFW’s best loved menswear designers, Ephraim Molingoana, to respectively unveil the Sun Goddess and Ephymol 2023 collections.
A first ever collaboration between the Mozambique and South African Fashion Weeks wraps up SS23 with a grand finale showcasing of Mozambican signatures Chibaia, Mabenna and Cuccla, accompanied by four top Mozambican models, Rachel Mbiza, Chantel Tomo, Rússel António and Ivanildo Lourenço.
According to director Lucilla Booyzen, the return of fashion chain Mr Price, as the headline sponsor of the New Talent Search, marks another exciting development. Traditionally the opening show of the new season as well as one of the most watched events for its proven track record for early detection of the top emerging creatives, this year’s entrants were again challenged to demonstrate their talent for print development as well as their unreserved commitment to a sustainable fashion future.
The 2023 Mr Price New Talent Search, will introduce the following designers and their labels:
• Mmathabo Silika: Silika
• Kuhle Phumzile Zondo: E_Mania
• Caileigh Davis: Silver Magpie
• Athenkosi Takuta: Artae
• Lwandle Duma: Lwavant-Garde
• Oyama Gonintebe
• Juanie Van Wyk: Juanie
• Cyla Gonsolves: Cyla Gonsolves
• Sifiso Kunene: Messrsbasswood
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