Kicking off on the 22nd of April, South African Fashion Week (SAFW) remains the only dedicated B2B marketing platform for fashion designers in South Africa.
During its strategic pause, SAFW delivered two targeted digital campaigns, including a key October rollout that extended designer collections through curated content and sustained engagement. The campaign achieved strong visibility, with an average AVE of approximately R1.27 million per designer.
The week opens beyond the runway at Cirk, on the 22nd of April, Gert-Johan Coetzee presents Behind The Crimson Door – A dynamic, never-before-seen theatrical fusion of couture, aerial performance and storytelling.
On 23 April, Helen Gibbs opens the day at VRTUOSUS with her distinctive Helon Melon collection – sustainable, fully traceable, and rooted in the ethos: “Follow the Journey, Know the Source.”
This is followed by a two-designer show – Jacques van der Watt’s, Black Coffee off-grid collection exploring the tension between order and imperfection. “Perfect order is impossible – beauty lies in the distortion.”
Concluding this exhilarating day, Shaldon Kopman of Naked Ape delivers a powerful message: “One day at a time – see it, feel it, delight in it, celebrate it, and share its warmth.”
Day two opens with a three-designer show, leading with Zamaswazi – a menswear collection whose journey with SAFW since 2016 has been one of quiet determination and evolution; a designer who has “stitched his own path, one thread at a time.”
Next is Irene Makhavhu Designs – a retail success story where “every piece is crafted with intent and worn to be unforgettable.”
To close the first Collections on the second day Ephymol delivers an unapologetic and fearless perspective on fashion – “fake clothes… fake you. Real fashion, real you.”
Let the bubbles roll in.
THE COLLECTION BY J.C. LE ROUX brings the new, the sensuous and the directional together. Robyn Agulhas of sinCHUI represents the new – a SAFW Scouting Menswear winner shaping a confident and contemporary menswear voice.
Followed by Something Good Studio bringing Romaria to the global stage, designed between Johannesburg and Porto, with considered knitwear and home textiles made in South Africa using natural fibres.
This second day ends with Craig Jacobs’s Fundudzi label – a beautifully considered circular collection, “There is nothing new under the sun” – and indeed, nothing is new except the design itself.
The opening collection on the final day, brings The House that Olé built. “The art of dressing well originates in the mind, translates into your speech and is demonstrated in what you do” is the bold statement House of Olé brings this season. His Africa-inspired wearable art comes to life in a powerful presentation.
At the close of the SS26 lineup, they celebrate the young talent so often underestimated.
The Scouting Menswear Competition finalists, alongside the 2024 winner, Undefined Outdoor Clothing, will be presented.
Anunes: Contemporary tailoring with a sharp urban perspective.
Emelia D: Modern menswear exploring texture, structure and identity.
Victori: Clean silhouettes and contemporary masculinity.
On Duty Jeans: Denim-driven design rooted in functionality and everyday wear.
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