South African fashion has its own voice. It doesn’t need to copy Europe or New York — it has something those places don’t.
From the editorial pages of GQ and Glamour to the streets of Braamfontein and Woodstock, there’s a generation of designers, stylists, and image-makers building something that belongs entirely to this continent. I’ve been lucky to be part of that — shooting and directing alongside people who see clothing as cultural expression, not just product.
What makes it special is the mix. Traditional craft meets contemporary cut. Street culture meets high fashion. Joburg’s energy is different from Cape Town’s, and both are different from Durban. But there’s a thread running through all of it — a confidence, an ownership, a refusal to wait for validation from somewhere else.
The best South African fashion doesn’t reference the West. It references itself.