Many local designers embraced the concept of slow fashion in the collections shown at the recent South African Fashion Week, which was an online affair this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Slow fashion encourages a sustainable approach to design whereby garments are well made, ideally from green fabrics, and are intended to be worn time and again. Fast fashion, on the other hand, sees trendy buys typically being discarded after a single season.
Here are some of the eco-conscious highlights from this year's (digital) catwalks:
THE MAGIC OF MOHAIR
Mmuso Maxwell, Judith Atelier and Lukhanyo Mdingi showed under the banner 'Diamond Fibre Collections'. The diamond fibre in question being mohair, which is regarded as being the eco-friendly jewel of South African fabrics.
A strong theme of female empowerment was etched into the design ethos of some of these brands' sartorial creations.
It was the spirit of the classic South African adage Imbokodo, which comes from “you strike a woman you strike rock” that inspired Mmuso Maxwell's collection. Smashing the idea that women occupy a certain place — and only that place — in society, their looks aimed to celebrate women who hold powerful positions in a patriarchal world. Showstoppers were a mustard side-pleat dress and an asymmetrical olive wrap jacket (pictured) in luxurious mohair.
Judith Atelier's collection was created around the idea of ubuntu (“I am because we are”). The romantic silhouettes, which teamed mohair and cotton, had an ethereal, feminine feel. Off-the-shoulder dresses, typically made from knits, were given a lighter life with breathier fabrics in rich dual-tone hues.
Lukhanyo Mdingi's collection exemplified his familiarity with the magic of mohair and featured a relaxed take on layering in his signature chocolate brown tones and eggshell shades.
TEXTILE TURN OUT
From Xavier Sadan's upcycled 3-D buttons to Maklele's collection built from other designers' offcuts, reinvention was all the rage for brands looking to reuse, reduce and recycle.
A standout was Naked Ape's collection, which was inspired by the country’s informal waste pickers, and featured tracksuits in a tactile blend of cotton, mohair and bamboo in addition to upcycled and recycled plastic-based textiles.
We've got our eye on Naked Ape's black two-piece ensemble (pictured) with a matching wrinkled-effect bucket hat — it's the perfect example of the tailored streetwear aesthetic this men's wear brand is best known for.
SUSTAINABLY SARTORIAL
2019 SA Fashion Week New Talent winner Cindy Mfabe's collection titled “Nowam 2.0" was inspired by her artist mother. We loved her bold play with colour and the sharp lines in her tailored jackets and shirts. Forever pieces.
