Scottish whisky meets African streetwear

One of the world’s leading Scotch whiskies, Chivas, isn’t just enjoyment for special occasions, it takes corporate social responsibility seriously.

To help tackle the unemployment crisis in the youth demographic in South Africa, Chivas is empowering up-and-coming fashion designers to produce a nine-piece capsule collection that will be sold via “drops” with exclusive retail partners.

Chivas and reputable streetwear brand Grade Africa have partnered to help four talented designers. Grade Africa founder Zaid Osman says he was attracted by the efforts of the whisky brand to support grass root creators and  “growing ecosystems” as a whole, something that definitely aligned with his streetwear apparel.

“They have given us free rein to create. Often with these partnerships direction comes from the brand, saying this is what we have to do. With this, there is a lot of creative freedom and the amazing thing there are four different apprentices with different backgrounds. So we are able to merge all of our concepts into one concrete design.”

The fashion designers Richmanskyf, Very$orry, SinChui by Robyn Agulhas and Selle, a streetwear brand founded by Lindiwe Modiselle, are the lucky chosen ones.

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Infusing whisky and fashion for a capsule collection that is still in the works is not just the key focus.  Osman says how the materials are sourced, supporting local manufacturing and the collaboration with the apprentices are the biggest takeaways.

“We have so much talent in our country and the continent that we need to push it out to the rest of the world. We need to show people that it is possible.”

He adds it’s important that young people are given the “keys” to able to create in their own spaces. Being able to start, how to grow their own brands and describing the expected collection as a great immersion.

“It will be a collection mixed with streetwear and high end, ethical sourcing as well as sustainable materials that will be used,” he said.

In a collaboration with a big brand name, the names of designers might get lost in what they will be showcasing but Osman says this won’t happen.

“You will definitely remember the designer’s names and the collaboration as a whole. Each designer in this collection will be able to put their own twist on it.”

Many of the proceeds will be going to Grade Africa Foundation. Osman says this has been one of their biggest roles, how they pass on knowledge to the next person and generation. The money made will also go to the designers to help their personal brands and promote entrepreneurship.

“As a person of colour, we already have disadvantages so we need to put ourselves with other like-minded individuals in the creative industry to help us grow.”

For Osman, this collaboration is far bigger than alcohol, it is a meaningful way to get to grips with one of the key things in our society, unemployment, even if it is a “smaller” impact.

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