From April 29 until May 1, South African Fashion Week (SAFW) hosted its Spring/Summer 21 digital collections. It was the second virtual show, after introducing the first one in October last year. This season, most designers showcased sustainable collections that are gender-neutral. However, it was the womenswear collections that caught the most attention.

South African designer Palesa Mokubung of Mantsho, who partnered with H&M in 2019 for a limited 14-piece collection, showcased a collection titled "EMPRESS". Her latest fashion trends included long gowns in carrot and marmalade with pattern embellishments. She also featured crowns on her items. This traditionally lavish accessory is no longer reserved for special occasions but worn by sophisticated ladies who like to celebrate their womanhood.

Mokubung explains: “This collection is dedicated to sophisticated and driven women I have had the pleasure of knowing and learning from. I am a woman and a mother, running and ruling an empire in my home, workspace, and my society. I do it with a crown on my head, and this collection is for women who see themselves in this light. Let's keep shining. I know we always have a lot on our shoulders, but we were built for it.”

Multi-award winning designer Lara Klawikowski lived up to her standards. She proved why she won the Innovative Design and Materials Award and the coveted Changemaker Award at the TWYG x Country Road Sustainable Fashion Awards 2020. She remained true to her brand of producing distinctive artistry garments with a feminine edge. The Cape Town designer showcased “Inflorescence” which is a collection of dresses strictly made from recycled plastic and fabric waste collected by Rewoven Africa - a South African innovation project aimed to bridge the gap between fashion and sustainability.

With the world shifting to sustainable fashion, up-cycled garments are one of the latest fashion trends in South Africa. For example, Kim Jayde, a Zimbabwe-born TV presenter now based in South Africa, is big on sustainable fashion. I once bumped into her at Sandton City wearing a top made from carrier plastic.

Mikhayla Farouk, the founder of Maklele, displayed a menswear athleisure collection made from sustainable materials. Speaking about the collection, she says: “The ideals of a sustainable industry that is overshadowed by the notion of a fast fashion mindset. This collection is an adaptation of how basic and simple design meets a luxe and tailored street style.”

Another womenswear designer that is big on sustainable fashion is Romaria - a brand founded in 2019 by design duo Carla Pinto and Zydia Botes. Making their SA Fashion Week debut, the duo proved to be the ones to watch in the fashion industry with their exclusive knitwear. Titled “Balanced Contrast,” their collection of knitted kimonos, sling bags, and hairbands was inspired by the concept of Yin and Yang. They played around the physical application of black and white as complementary contrasting colours and how seemingly opposite forces can become interconnected to create balance.

Amanda Laird Cherry, who has showcased at SA Fashion Week for 25 years, is known for her minimalistic yet striking designs. This season she focused on black and white monochrome dresses to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Clothes are not just about fashion. They tell us about ourselves and our society. It has always been important to me in my career to use clothing as a vehicle for questioning and to portray things that are going on in society," she says.

“First of the Fruits'' by Judith Atelier is also one of the trendy collections seen at SAFW. Using Mohair to make oversized jerseys, the collection was inspired by “the story-telling of South Africa, everyday people, photography, nature, landscapes, and textures.

"Durban University of Technology fashion design graduate Fikile Sokhulu made her second appearance at SA Fashion Week. She made her debut in 2018 and was a New Talent Search finalist that same year. In her latest collection named “Willow,” she was inspired by the trees’ adaptability to change and to survive – and how planet earth strives for an ecological balance within the forces of nature.

Another fashion design graduate from the Tshwane University Of Technology, Tshepo Mafokwane of Sober, proved that the future is bright for the fashion industry in South Africa. Sticking to her signature of feminine garments with unexpected touches of softness and sparkle, Mafokwane revealed chic dresses in warm nude colours. 

To celebrate 19 years of effortless style and timeless design, Rubicon showcased a collection of blue and white dresses with ruffle detailing. The brand is favoured by sophisticated women like Basetsana Kumalo, the first black woman to be crowned Miss South Africa post-apartheid. A day after the collection dropped, Kumalo was already spotted wearing a Rubicon dress fresh from the runway to a friend’s party.

And there you have it, all the glitz and glamour from South Africa Fashion Week SS21. For more information, check out here.