All-fashion Sourcing shows a stylish future for Cape Town

Alderman James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth; Oyama Gonintebe, the winner of this year's Young Designers' competition; model; Henrietta van Greuning, the runner-up in the Young Designers' competition; model; Michael Dehn, MD at Messe Frankfurt South Africa, the event organiser for All-fashion Sourcing. Image supplied

The three-day event brought together 161 exhibitors and brands who displayed their fashion-forward designs for thousands of delegates and buyers from top local and international retailers and fashion houses.

‘Cape Town is the home of nearly all major retailers and a rich community of artisans, tailors, designers and manufacturers. Its representation, from large multinational retailers to micro-enterprises in the informal sector, makes it a powerful driver of innovation, economic development, accessible style, and job creation. This is why the City, via the Enterprise and Investment Department within the Economic Growth Directorate, is proud to participate and drive activations that have clear economic spin-offs and put a spotlight on the destination as a travel and trade hotspot,’ said Alderman James Vos.

The Young Designers competition theme was ‘Designing towards a Slower Future’, and focused on a shift towards sustainable and ethical fashion design that encouraged the production of high quality, long-lasting fashions. The top prize was awarded to Oyama Gonintebe, who took home a R15 000 cash prize and an exclusive runway showcase at the prestigious Week of Fashion as an Origin Designer in March 2024.

‘Through events such as All-fashion Sourcing, the City is ensuring that Cape Town remains a hub of style and that it is a trusted source for all aspects of clothing and textile designs and manufacturing. The fashion industry is a major contributor to Cape Town’s economic development and the City is proud to support its trendsetting roleplayers,’ said Alderman Vos.