Last night was the start of the South Africa Fashion Week, hosted at the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg and designer as well as competition contestant Thando Ntuli kicked off the events on a high note. The Munkus brand designer was in the running, alongside Sixx6, Mekay Designs, Czene.24 and Ipikoko for the New Talent Search competition and showcased her winning collection Sisendleleni which means “we are on our way"
An embodiment of the concepts around community, and how even in what we think is our singular experience of life, we do not exist in isolation, the Munkus’ collection of layered ready to wear garments stole the show with it’s elegant and bold prints. With each garment named “ME” (me, mina, nna, mna, nne, mine, we) in various South African languages, we see Thando's work bringings to the forefront the idea that all our varying journeys of identity are connected in such a way that, even in our attempts to embrace and understand others, we end up on a shared journey of understanding our own identity.
(Image by Nkateko Mondhlana) SA Fashion Week's New Talent Search, founded in 1998, awards the winner R20 000 towards the development of their SS22 collection in addition to the opportunity to showcase their collection for the next New Talent Search in 2023. The winner of the New Talent Search will also receive a free stand at the trade show where they can do market research and sell to boutiques, department stores, and online stores.
(Image by Nkateko Mondhlana)
As part of The Cruz Collective, other showcasing designers were Fikile Sokhulu, Sipho Mbuto as well Michael Ludwig. A brand representing femininity with a captivating, minimalist approach to sustainability, Fikile Sokhulu’s collection African Daisy delivers an ethereal experience with what she describes as silhouettes that are soft and organic, resembling an aesthetic of a flower. When asked about sustainability, she outlines wanting to create a slow movement with her brand as well as her use of 100% cotton, organic fabrics while providing insight that although the topic of sustainability is being spoken about more and more, there is still a long way to go.
(Image by Nkateko Mondhlana)
Day two commences today (April 29th 2022) with designers Helon Melon, Judith Atelier, The Bam Collective, Mantsho and others, showcasing their SS22 collections. Keep up with the events on our social media (Twitter and Instagram) as well as the on the official social media pages for SA Fashion Week.
Events partners include: Mall of Africa, Cruz Vodka, Oppo South Africa, Carlton Hair SA and Mac Cosmetics SA
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