The power of not belonging

Before Pariah became a label, it was a feeling. A sense of not quite fitting in. For Darren De Hahn, that experience didn’t immediately translate into fashion. In fact, it took time to recognise it as something worth exploring. But in the years since, that same uncertainty has evolved into a clear, deliberate design language.

Initially, his interest in fashion was at odds with societal notions of a ‘successful career’. As a studious and academically inclined student, there were plenty of “serious” career paths he could pursue and by 2016 he was enrolled at the University of Cape Town to study a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physical Therapy. But there was something missing. A nagging emptiness, and a sense of alienation from his peers. “There was always this nudging at the back of my mind that fashion was something I wanted to be a part of,” he reflects.

“That imperfection can be power. That fashion can be philosophy. This isn’t just a brand. It’s an intellectual rebellion stitched in fabric.”
— Maison Margiela

And yet, De Hahn says he never saw himself as creative. “I had this friend in high school who was a photographer and she always knew she was creative,” he says. “You could see it, and I didn’t view myself like that. I was told I needed a more stable, mainstream job — and it made me feel like [fashion] should just remain an interest.”

The hand-knit garment from Pariah’s first collection was included in Fashion_The Image exhibition. (Kenyaa Mzee)

But in 2018, almost three years into his studies, he made the decision to move to the Cape Town College of Fashion Design. “I got to the point of deciding what actually makes me happy, and I realised that fashion is my entire life — and if I’m not doing that, I don’t know what else I would be doing,” he explains.

De Hahn excelled academically there too. “I was that annoying person in class who knew all the answers to the questions the lecturers would ask,” he says, laughing. As a young boy, he would watch fashion documentaries in between bouts of studying and it was this early exposure that helped shape his design approach. A key influence was British fashion designer Alexander McQueen. “He taught me that fashion can be an extension of yourself. It’s a way for you to express your thoughts and emotions and it can be used to tell a story.”

In his third year, De Hahn decided to tell his own story and Pariah was born. “Pariah means an outsider or outcast. It represents not feeling like you fit in, but also taking pride in being different,” he says. “I wanted the brand to create a space for people who feel that way, somewhere they could feel like they belong.”

A signature design approach at Pariah involves reworking classic garments into altered forms. (Kenyaa Mzee)

The resulting designs are a study in contrasts, moving between the maximalism of avant-garde and the minimalism of 90’s grunge. De Hahn maintains a restrained, neutral palette, instead focusing on deconstruction and reinvention. “I want to rebel against the rules of fashion,” he says. “There’s something so interesting about taking something that is familiar and then subverting it. It evokes a different feeling than something completely unrelatable.”

Through silhouette, detailing and construction, familiar garments are reworked into something new. From one angle, a black denim jacket appears simple; from another, a second jacket form emerges from the fabric. “It’s quite brutalist and quite underground. It’s more about evoking emotion than being ‘pretty’.”

It’s a philosophy shared by designers like Maison Martin Margiela, known for his deconstruction and nonconformity, and one that is clearly resonating. Since graduating, Pariah has showcased at South African Menswear Week and most recently, at the Fashion_The Image exhibition at the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography.

Designs by Pariah combine elements of avant-garde fashion and 1990s grunge. (Kenyaa Mzee)

Long before the exhibition, American photographer Roger Ballen had been a key inspiration. “When I first saw his work, I felt comforted by how discomforting it was. It shows parts of society that you don’t really see,” he reflects. When the time came, he flew in to attend the opening. “[It features] a piece from my very first collection, which I was lucky enough to have my mom hand-knit herself. To be a part of the exhibition with so many other amazing designers and photographers, I felt so privileged and so honoured. The whole experience inspired me and motivated me to keep pushing.”

In a loud, demanding and notoriously difficult industry, De Hahn created his own space. What started as a personal search for direction has grown into something far more defined. Creating not in spite of uncertainty, but because of it. “I didn’t come from a creative network, so entering the industry felt very isolating — I felt out of place,” he reflects. “Now, I focus on my own work. At this stage, success isn’t about mass production or money; it’s about growth, visibility, and staying true to what I want to create.”