On Thursday night, April 18, all fashion lovers gathered under one roof at the Mall of Africa to witness the South African Fashion Week Spring/Summer 24 collections.
Everyone who follows fashion knows that day one of fashion week is not to be missed because it sets the tone for what to expect in the coming days.
After the Mr Price New Talent Search finalists showcased their collections, the clothing retailer closed show one of day one with a Dollhouse collection, a tribute to the late fashion icon Iris Apfel.
Fikile Sokhulu, Imprint and Michael Ludwig Studio were all part of the show two line-up.
Many people who don’t attend high-end fashion events want to be catered for by prominent designers, that's why Sokhulu, whose designs are usually inclusive, dedicated her SS24 collection to everyday people.
“The inspiration behind this collection was to create wardrobe essentials like your stripe shirts, formal pants, the wide shirts and also some trench coat blazers, so that was the overall inspiration, and then I tried to add my signature to it,” Sokhulu said.
“I want anyone who wears this collection to feel comfortable because most of the shirts are designed to be comfortable to wear in normal day life.“
Meanwhile, Mzukisi Mbane of Imprint, who unveiled his “Siphila Nje Kungemithandazo/ We Are Where We Are Because of Prayers” wanted to show gratitude for all the prayers from his mother and loved ones.
“‘Silapha Nje Imithandazo’ is about celebrating the power of a prayer. With this collection, I wanted to look into the elements that make me. You see prints that are inspired by my travels.
“For example, the gold one was inspired by my travel to New York and then connecting it to the fact that I’m in New York, I’m self-taught, and that’s a power of prayer. So that’s how these inspirations sort of connect.
“And that’s where the colours come in, we have the blues and the pastel pinks taken from the Nguni beads because I always connect my collections with who I am and where I come from,” he said.
Michael Ludwig showcased a refreshing collection of stunning dresses and coats, with grey, red and plum being the dominating colours.
For the last show, Thabo Makhetha focused on ancient prints, with some even slashed on their leather handbag range.
The Bam Collective closed day one with the Kineticism collection.
“‘Kineticism 24’ draws its inspiration from the kinetic and optic art movements popularised between the 1920s and 1950s.
“The collection explores the idea of dynamism within clothing through the use of various physical and illusionary motions. It uses metallics, fringing, the contrast between the organic and synthetic, sheer fabrics, optic eco prints, 3D forms and surreal floral motifs to explore the variety of ways in which movement can be displayed, both tangibly and optically.
“Ultimately, the collection stands as a metaphor for growth and the ways in which we explore and develop individually as we move throughout our lives,” explained Jacques Bam, the founder of the brand.
SA Fashion Week SS24 took place at the Mall of Africa from April 18-20.
Pictures: Eunice Driver.