SA Fashion Week releases autumn/winter '17 season schedule
The South African Fashion Week (SAFW) will showcase the autumn/winter 2017 collections from 20 to 24 September at The Park, situated at Hyde Park Corner.
The partnership between the SAFW and Hyde Park Corner officially began in April 2016 where the spring/summer 2016 collections were showcased.
SAFW Women
The carefully curated designer schedule for autumn/winter 2017 includes a diverse lineup of top names as well as an exciting array of newcomers:
1. African Style Story
2. Atelier Dajee
3. Clive Rundle
4. Colleen Eitzen
5. Erre
6. Gert-Johan Coetzee
7. Greerkyle
8. Heart & Heritage
9. JJ Schoeman
10. Judith Atelier
11. Keys Fashion
12. Mantsho
13. Non-European
14. Rip ‘n Sew
15. Rubicon
16. Sober
17. Somerset Jane
18. Sun Goddess
19. T’Niche
20. Morphe
21. Yadah Exclusive Designs
22. Vintage Zionist
23. Kottin & Twille
24. Black Coffee
25. Guillotine
26. Lunar
SAFW Men
This year SAFW is in its 19th year. Since its founding, SAFW has shown menswear designers as part of its collections where they were mostly bespoke and made to order. For the past five years the event has focused on developing menswear collections. Although the designers can still only supply small quantities, we are confident that there are designers ready to sell quality garments to selected menswear boutiques, deliver on time and at the right price points.
Menswear labels showing this season are:
1. Afrikanswiss
2. Ephymol
3. Esnoko
4. Floyd Avenue
5. Leaf Letlhare
6. House of St Luke
7. Non-European
8. Palse
9. Presidential
10. Rip ‘n Sew
11. Rogue
12. Roman Handt
13. Tovch
14. Tailor Me
15. Zamaswazi
SAFW Sunglass Hut new talent search
Good design alone is not enough to turn a brilliant student into a brilliant young designer, who then plays a role in the creative fashion design space. It takes hard work combined with the correct marketing platform, social media savvy, correct timing, master manufacturing, the right clientele, celebrities and personal marketability for a designer to be seen by the media and other key players. They need to be pushed into the limelight where they are recognised, talked about and given opportunities to fast track their businesses.
In the opening show of SAFW AW17, ten of the brightest emerging Design Stars, sponsored by Sunglass Hut, will be given an opportunity to introduce their collections to the market – they are:
1. Odon
2. Lavina
3. Mieke
4. HerRitual
5. Nu | base
6. Lumin
7. Etsa
8. Sheila-Madge Designs
9. Siyathokoza
10. Aya Velase
SAFW Trade Event
In driving our vision for a thriving designer-lead local fashion industry, the SAFW Trade Event will once again host over 50 exhibitors under one roof. This valuable platform will connect designers with media and buyers from 26-27 September 2016.
The bricks and mortar retail space, in particular, large shopping centres, remain the principal marketing channel where an estimated 95% of all purchases are still done offline. SAFW, in collaboration with Hyde Park Corner, will give designers access to this market cost-effectively by hosting this four-day, high powered event where designers will sell directly to discerning fashion followers.
Entrance is free for this shopping experience which takes place from 28 September to 1 October during regular trading hours in the Centre Court at Hyde Park Corner.