As the local fashion industry is making in wards to reviving the industry in the country post Covid-19, the Soweto Fashion Week (SFW) which has prioritized emerging and unknown brands has become the home for breeding new talent into mainstream and international markets.
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The Soweto Fashion Week brand which has helped produce a long list of thriving designers and brands in the local fashion scene such as Thesis, Urban Zulu, Zamaswazi, and Floyd Avenue recently relaunched its brand with its trans-seasonal showcase earlier in the month at the Soweto theatre, where seven local designers showcased their designs to a sold out crowd.
Following, the success of the glamorous event, Urban News caught up with some of the designers post the relaunch, on their collections and all things fashion.
Elias Sibata who was born in Soweto, Moletsane, a few meters from where the glamorous event was held, is the Founder and aesthetic director of N.O.T.E (Not of This Earth).
Sibata, who has extensive years working behind the fashion scene, marked his third season for the Soweto Fashion Week.
N.O.T.E who some may recall as the winner of sabc1 fashion competition Raw Slick he recalls that he established the brand while he was in fashion school during the 2000s, because his designs were often different and could not be categorized and boxed.
“I started the brand while I was still in college and it happened that every year whenever we had to showcase our final collections from throughout the year, my work was always way different to any student, that they didn’t know where to categorize my style, whether it was street wear, formal, casual, that is how the name came about.”
He described his brand as one that is “for people who are not afraid to live on the edge or not afraid to be looked at or be questioned.”
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His showcase, which feature ladies wear, a first for him, offered unisex clothing, with his Asian inspired aesthetic- which featured his usual flowy pieces and kimonos.
The inspiration for this year’s collection, according to the 35-year-old was the journey he has travelled in over the last year, battling depression, and mental issues.
He explained his decision to get back into designing and that the showcase would be the reintroduction of who and what N.O.T.E is about.
“I haven’t been around for a year due to personal problems. You can imagine I’ve been doing the same thing for over 15 years. My decision to get a job was because I wanted to get a different perspective. I mean battling depression, the industry not showing us love because I wasn’t getting that but now I’m ready and have a clearer mind so the clothes are a bit of everything, every emotion I went through, right to the storm,” he said.
Another local founder and head designer at Dejavu Clothing, Funeka Sukazi who has previously showcased at the Soweto fashion week said she was thrilled to have been a part of the relaunch of the fashion week brand citing that the platform was home for her.
Sukazi, who hails from Ekurhuleni is considered among the veteran designers who have showcased at the fashion week over the years. She shared that the fashion bug bit her at a young age, growing up with a mother who owned a sewing machine.
“My mom used to do a lot of sewing at home and with all the extra fabrics, I used to collect and make my own designs. That’s how it all started and grew my love for fashion,” the 35-year-old designer recalled.
The clothing brand, Deja Vu is named after a French term that refers to a feeling of having already experienced a present situation. She said, “The fashion is inspired by trends that are enhanced by a bit of talent”.
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Her collection which featured five garments showcased female couture and a mix of bridal pieces/ wear as something she said was a bid to pay homage and celebrate women.
“The collection which we showcased at the relaunch was short but it was more of celebrating the fashion week, because we are not as big as other platforms but this is home and I am celebrating life because we made it through Covid-19 and we are back to business.
“We are celebrating women, and thank God through women who gave birth to life,” Sukazi said.
Fashion enthusiasts were treated to a plethora of talented names in the fashion scenes that showcased on the night.
They include Fresh Wear who showcased kiddies wear, MacGale with a men’s collection, Keeping It Beautiful Couture with a bridal wear collection. The list also included UJU Designs, SIBU and FDB.
While its founder Stephen Manzini noted that there was still a lot of work that needed to be done to revive the industry, he said the brand would continue putting local designers on the map by offering its platforms for Soweto talents.
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“We are excited that we are able to bring back fashion week to fashion enthusiasts in Soweto and the province at large. Our passion is still consistently unearthing top talents in the fashion industry.
“Soweto is alive with creativity, with many designers longing to establish themselves on big stages and that is what we are all about.”
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