Gavin Rajah goes unisex with Pick n Pay Clothing

In his ninth collection for Pick n Pay, Gavin Rajah is bringing his designs to life in another ready-to-wear drop. The latest designs will be transeasonal themed and focuses unisex knitwear.

Describing it as “a study in relaxed living”, Rajah’s new collection features a relaxed silhouette and refined craftsmanship, creating versatile pieces designed to be worn beyond one single season.

We find out more about the new drop from the designer.

The collection is a major departure from your usual flowy, feminine silhouette. What was the process of creating these looks, and was there any inspiration behind ensuring it would be a success?

The collection’s restrained palette, collegiate striping, relaxed tailoring and gender-fluid styling create a coherent wardrobe rather than a series of disconnected fashion pieces.

I did not see the collection as a rejection of the femininity associated with my work, but rather as an expansion of my design language. I wanted to explore softness through knitwear, proportion and ease rather than through draping or overtly romantic silhouettes.

We looked at the visual codes of collegiate and athletic clothing and refined them through a quieter, more sophisticated lens. Because the collection is unisex, the design process was less about designing for a conventional male or female body and more about understanding proportion, movement and attitude. Each piece needed to feel desirable on different people without losing its character.

Run us through the fabrics you focused on throughout the collection and how they play a role in ensuring it remains stylish yet affordable.

Knitwear is the foundation of the collection, so the quality of the yarn, the density of the knit and the way each garment feels against the body were extremely important. We worked with carefully selected yarn blends and knitted constructions that offer softness, structure and durability while remaining accessible to the Pick n Pay Clothing customer.

The sense of luxury comes from the handle of the fabric and the precision of the finishing. Details such as contrast piping, striped ribbing, knitted collars, substantial buttons and clean graphic lines give the pieces definition without relying on expensive embellishment.

Affordability does not have to mean removing design. It requires being more intelligent about where the design value sits.

—  Gavin Rajah

Affordability does not have to mean removing design. It requires being more intelligent about where the design value sits. By concentrating on silhouette, colour, texture and construction, we were able to create garments that feel premium without placing them beyond reach.

The neutral oat, cream and charcoal palette also plays an important role. It allows the pieces to be worn repeatedly and combined easily, which gives the customer far more value than a garment designed around a short-lived trend.

You’re coming close to your 10th collection with Pick n Pay Clothing. What would you like to explore with their market in terms of pieces for an upcoming collection, be it a fashion show, accessories collection or shoes?

What excites me is the possibility of developing a more complete Gavin Rajah lifestyle proposition within Pick n Pay Clothing. We have built a strong relationship with the customer through clothing, so accessories and footwear would be a natural progression.

I would be interested in exploring beautifully designed everyday objects for the wardrobe, such as knitted scarves, hats, structured totes, refined weekend bags and a small footwear capsule. A clean sneaker, a knitted slip-on or a modern loafer could extend the quiet luxury language of this collection while remaining practical and accessible.

I would also love to present the collaboration through an experience that is more democratic than a conventional fashion show. It could combine a live presentation, music, movement and digital storytelling, allowing customers to see how the pieces work on different bodies and within real life.

The Gavin Rajah x Pick n Pay Clothing knitwear collection launches with exclusive early access on the Pick n Pay asap! app from July 20, ahead of its in-store launch on July 23 in four Pick n Pay Clothing stores: Canal Walk, Mall of Africa, Gateway and Sandton.