The three-day Autumn/Winter edition of South African Fashion Week (SAFW) concluded on Oct. 30th in Johannesburg’s Mall of Africa. In compliance with Covid-19 restrictions, SAFW showcased 29 designers on the runway to a select group of VIPs.
According to SAFW director, Lucilla Booyzen “Designers showing at SAFW will also return to the Mall of Africa from Dec. 3rd to 5th, for a three-day pop-up store in the middle of one of the mall’s busiest seasons”.
Day one of SAFW comprised of two sections, the Fashion Bridges and Oppo Collections. Under Fashion Bridges, South African designers partnered with Italian designers. Meanwhile, under the Oppo Collections, local designers were showcasing individually.
For the show, SAFW collaborated with Fashion Bridges- I Ponti Della Moda, a South African and Italian designer-led initiative between SAFW, the Italian embassy, Polimoda fashion school in Florence, and Milan Fashion Week. As a result, designers under this collaboration showed their collections in both Milan and Johannesburg.
South African designer Michael Peter Reid and Italian designer Domenico Orefice showcased a collection that tackles the idea of migration in the past and present. The pieces illustrate a traditional African motif explored in a modern context. Loose, oversized silhouettes hint at the perfect blend between South Africa and Italy.
