Designer Eleazer Radebe started his working life as a researcher in HIV / AIDS. It was another 10 years before he launched into fashion in 2012. While he wants to focus on natural fibres,...
Fashion
Zambian designer Betty Chilonde makes clothes in harmony with nature
For a fashion project that I did in collaboration with Zambian designer Betty Chilonde, she designed three looks that exhibit how she responds to her dream of living in harmony with nature and to...
Q&A: Sabine Matsheka says the natural elements are the soul of MARU
Sabine Matsheka makes clothes that make sense for a desert climate. She writes on her website that MARU is “inspired by life beneath the clouds, in the sun-baked Kalahari Desert, quenched by the...
Q&A: iFele founder Reggie Xaba has given a traditional sandal a new look
Using shoes as his medium of expression, Reggie Xaba has interpreted a traditional shoe, applying modern materials to make a contemporary item. Born in Durban, he grew up in Umlazi township and...
Sindiso Khumalo uses fashion to tell stories of women’s empowerment and global sheroes
Sindiso Khumalo is not just a LVMH finalist. An unofficial family historian, textile designer and social activist, she represents the social possibilities which can be opened up through fashion. And...
Q&A: Ocean Sono says vintage is growing underground roots
A few weeks ago, I spotted a vintage shoot on Instagram. One of the models, Yui Keeping, sent me to meet Lulu Sono at her vintage stall on Church Street in Cape Town, which led me to meeting Lulu's...
The student becomes the teacher: Katekani Moreku shows the way with his slow fashion
In South African indigenous cultures, the surrounding land and resources become part of the people. With a metaphysical connection to the natural world, it is no surprise that Mpumalanga-born...
Q&A: Michael Reid talks to us about his unisex brand Xavier Sadan
Xavier Sadan crept into our world when we noticed it after it was shortlisted for the SAFW Scouting Menswear Competition 2020. We weren't the only ones to notice the work of designer Michael Reid....
H&M x Lee collection launches along with sustainability tips from creatives
All fashion should be sustainable fashion. Change the business model. Slow down production. Produce only what sells. Insist on ethical labour conditions. Don’t let profit stand in the way of change....
Lukhanyo Mdingi chooses to design with integrity and intention
From a technical prowess honed during his time at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, to a debut at New York Fashion Week in 2019, Lukhanyo is no small-time designer. Added to this,...
Book review: Earth Logic calls for less consumption and more care
Kate Fletcher and Mathilda Tham’s Earth Logic (see link below) is a compelling free-to-read, free-to-share, intervention on sustainable fashion and the industry’s shortcomings. In fact, it is a...
Twyg Changemaker Lara Klawikowski innovates through design as well as materials
The magic of Lara Klawikoski is that there is no designer quite like her. Her designs are instantly recognisable for their soft, ethereal quality and yet, the designer continues to innovate through...
Part Two: Preferred South African plant fibre textiles
This is *part two in our series on preferred textiles available in South Africa and where to find them. It's a non-exhaustive list of natural plant fibres like cotton, linen hemp, and rPET, and...
Pandemic sewing surge is a chance to rediscover the practical arts
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought sewing and craft and their practical uses into the news. Some sewing machine manufacturers saw a shortage as both big-box retailers and small shops experienced a...
4 Places to get sustainable gifts for children
With Christmas Day in a few days time, finding gifts for your loved ones can be challenging and stressful, especially if you are looking for more sustainable options. For children, its especially...