SA Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 23 Designer Collections at Mall of Africa in October

South Africa Fashion Week (SAFW) will stage the Autumn/Winter 23 Collections at Mall of Africa, its home of the past three years, in October. Twenty-seven designers will launch their new collections on the runway from Thursday 20th October to Saturday 22nd October and forty will exhibit at the Trade Show on the 23rd and 24thOctober in the Crystal Court.

According to director, Lucilla Booyzen, this year marks 41 seasons since the inception of SAFW in 1997. “We remain committed to the business of fashion, of marketing and supporting our designer entrepreneurs, creatively and commercially, and most importantly, to provide a platform which gives the visibility required to access the local, and global, fashion industry.”

 

"Many of the distinctive tropes that have emerged within the local fashion culture – a fascination with re-imagining our unique cultural references in a modern way, a commitment to slow and sustainable fashion, gender and body inclusivity -  are increasingly coalescing into a vibrant ethos with immense marketability. The commercial support received by trendsetting brands such as mobile phone Oppo, Cruz Vodka and Mall of Africa, with the vision to associate with this emerging fashion identity, is critical to maintain momentum." Booyzen added 

Leemisa Tsolo, head of Asset and Property Management - Retail of Attacq Limited, the owners of Mall of Africa, believes the association with the SAFW is one of the reasons why young South Africans have selected it as the Coolest Mall for five consecutive years in the Sunday Times Generation Next Awards.

“They resonate with our vision of associating with these creative entrepreneurs who are in effect visualising South Africa’s contribution to the world of fashion.”

Cruz Vodka, too, believes that fashion reflects the culture of a country and that it’s about more than clothing. “Fashion becomes the attitude the collective wears” says Maisha Mamabolo, Brand Manager of Cruz Vodka.

The SAFW will again be a hybrid event combining runway shows at Mall of Africa as well as an online release. “We are ever grateful for the recognition and support of our partners that make this show case possible. 

They are:

• Mall of Africa, the official home of SAFW;
• Cruz Vodka, the official alcohol partner and launch party sponsor;
• Mobile phone maker OPPO whose Reno 8 will take visual content-making to a new height.
• Carlton Hair who sets the hair trends in South Africa;
• M.A.C Cosmetics for giving us the next season’s beauty looks.”