When Lotte de Haan first arrived in Zambia three years ago, she spotted someone wearing a soccer club T-shirt from the Dutch village where she grew up. “I was so surprised. It is a super-local...
Fashion
Spinning a local yarn for designer Mzukise Mbane’s cotton dress
Imprint ZA’s 100% South African cotton dress was a showstopper at the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards. The attention-grabbing dress was largely inspired by an Imprint ZA African bridal gown that was...
Nature is centerstage at arteBOTANICA’s Nirox springtime takeover
As humanity seemingly heads towards extinction it’s hard not to be completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of climate change. Don't feel gloomy. With arteBOTANICA’s inaugural showcase taking place...
Amanda Laird Cherry tells this season’s story with a collection of upcycled second-hand garments
At the ALC Apparel reception desk is a framed quote by the label’s founder, Amanda Laird Cherry: “Those who think of clothing in terms of this or next season’s fashion are missing the point a...
Dorcas Mutombo made 1066 scrap fabric flowers for her statement jacket
A finalist in the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards, Dorcas is a fashion student at Elizabeth Galloway. She embellished a jacket with 1066 flowers made from scrap fabric. Here she tells us about her...
Artwork ‘Floating, Flying’ Asks That People Be Treated with Respect
Turkana, in the far reaches of Northern Kenya, is a stark, arid region and home to the world’s largest desert lake. The area, long neglected while Kenya instead focussed on its green, agricultural...
Six Things You Should Know About The True Cost Of Fast Fashion
From crop tops to mum jeans and bombers, fashion trends are making their way into wardrobes around the world faster than ever, thanks to social media, its thousands of influencers, and the enormous...
Meet the Trio Who Weaves Fashion Waste into Fashion Fabric
You’ve read stories about upcycling, recycling and reconstructing unused clothes to avoid them reaching the dump. But have you thought of what happens to the textile waste that is left on factory...
Pascale Theron gives ostrich feathers a new function with her woven fabric
Ostrich feathers have been given a new role in our lives along with an updated look. Thanks to Pascale Theron we have Feathered Fabrics. The Johannesburg-born designer creates soft, natural and...
The Seen Collective was born after a search for the perfect jumper
When Steph Mundy first moved to Johannesburg from London, she looked for the perfect jumper. Unable to find what she wanted, she looked for someone who could knit her one from a sketch she had...
What is Levi’s doing about its social and environmental responsibilities?
There is a good chance that when you read “denim”, Levi Strauss & Co will spring to mind. Not only because the brand has been around for 166 years, but because it has been grabbing headlines...
Midlands Trashion Show Makes Recycled Plastic look Fantastic
Crisp packets litter the landscape of many Midlands villages. Tetrapak is often burnt, plastic bottles bob in wetlands and take-way plastic tubs clog gutters. There is one ton of plastic for every...
Why Waste Headspace Dressing Salad in Haute Trash
Milliner Crystal Birch was given an unusual task for Plastic Free July. Well-known for her eclectic collections of designer hats, Crystal diverged from her core business to create fashion garments...
A Cherry on Mx Blouse: Rap Artist blooms in Amanda Laird Cherry
Mx Blouse, the gender non-conforming musician whose pronouns are they/them, was delighted when Amanda Laird Cherry's head designer Brendan Sturrock offered to dress them for their recent Durban...
Why Upcycling Suits Katekani Moreku’s Design Style
Katekani Moreku who was brought up in a small village in Bushbuckridge in the north east part of South Africa is as surprised as his family that he has become a fashion designer. Welverdiend is not...