November 7, 2024 |
South Africa is a country rich with fashion, culture and art. Native photographer and 10 Magazine contributor Christina Fragkou knows this, and calling upon fellow South African creatives – designer Daniel Sher and stylist Chloe Andrea Welgemoed – to produce a vibrant editorial shoot, the group is working to celebrate their heritage. Dubbed Not Not Bellville, the images feature South African brands Frances VH Mohair, Droomer, Rich Mnisi, Thebe Magugu and Good Good Good, as well as Paris-based Moroccan brand Calla. Fragkou says, “We chose to use designers that are stocked by Duck Duck Goose in Cape Town, specifically chosen by Dan Sher for their unique local designs, and to also highlight Duck Duck Goose as the main conduit that brings these brands together and gives them a platform to be showcased back home! When we pitched this idea to the brands they were all very excited to be involved, and were extremely proud of what we managed to put together on an insanely hot day in Paris! Huge thanks to Dan for lugging three suitcases across the entire planet for us to make this happen!”
That South African thread runs from the clothes and editorial team, through to the model, Brian Whitby, who’s from Durban. Fragkou says, “As a South African who works so closely in the international fashion scene and is also deeply connected to my home and local community, we wanted to take the opportunity to promote SA creatives and had the idea to put together a fully South African creative crew (bringing in Chloe who is one of SA’s best stylists and creative directors, Brian, a South African model whose career has taken off internationally, Dan [Sher] who is a tented local designer and one of the first local-only retailers at home, and myself, an international fashion photographer) in order to create something that highlighted the success and skills of South African creatives, placing them specifically in the fashion capital of the world, and thus further solidifying their positioning in the international fashion world.”
The overarching idea was not only to celebrate the designers themselves, but to “draw a connection between the fashion hub that is Paris and the fast growing fashion space in South Africa” according to Fragkou. So, the editorial was lensed in Paris in places that felt not only Parisian, but also “reflected the multicultural hub that is Paris, tying in with the multicultural hub that is Cape Town and emphasised the connection between SA and the greater fashion landscape.”
Here, we speak with the designers involved to learn what parts of the South African fashion scene excite them, the messages they are trying to convey in their work and what to expect from them for the rest of the year. Emily Phillips
Good Good Good and Duck Duck Goose – DANIEL SHER
Born in Johannesburg and currently in Cape Town, Daniel Sher is the founder and creative director of Good Good Good, whose functional collections fuse intricate silhouettes with high-end materials sourced from some of the top textile mills in South Africa. The brand’s emphasis on collaboration with local businesses is a testament to Sher’s focus on community; a focus that is also reflected in his concept store, Duck Duck Goose, which spotlights the work of other independent brands. Expanding South African cultural output is vital to Sher, who seeks to “empower the South African brands within [Duck Duck Goose] to reach global audiences”. Joshua Beutum
1. Describe your brand in 10 words or less.
A Cape Town-based brand rooted in and celebrating its community.
2. What is the message you are trying to convey to your clientele with each collection?
Our collections often reference aspects of my life around the time of each offering, like episodic accounts of what is going on in our business. Because we have established ourselves as an interactive and collaborative community-facing brand, our audience cares and they relate. Underlyingly, we try to communicate that we manufacture premium quality products for both our local and international customers.
3. What about the South African fashion scene truly excites you?
The room for growth! Because of our limitations in the local manufacturing and textile industries, I love seeing brands find ways to create things that surpass the average quality level. There is much room for innovation, and South Africans are seizing the opportunities to celebrate our vibrancy in a unique fashion.
4. What can we expect from you before the end of the year?
We continue to prepare our AW25 collection to take to Paris in January 2025, sampling with interesting textiles sourced from our continent. We also have a massive upcycling patchwork project using piles of offcuts of luxury textiles we have been preciously hoarding since our brand’s inception in 2016.
RICH MNISI
Rich Mnisi founded his eponymous label in 2015 to champion storytelling and craftsmanship in fashion while challenging traditional luxury. Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, the brand’s artistic manifestation transcends the realm of fashion, blending a variety of influences from film and music to art and nature. The designer infuses the collections with notions of South African heritage through a modern aesthetic. Bold prints and patterns burst with rich colours, while Rich reinvents silhouettes through daring cutouts. Through his work, the designer aims to amplify African voices in the fashion industry and pave the way for new talent that highlight the richness of African culture. Maria Sarabi
1. Describe your brand in 10 words or less.
Bold, cultural, luxurious, expressive, African-rooted, innovative, artistic, storytelling, authentic, empowering.
2. What is the message you are trying to convey to your clientele with each collection?
At Rich Mnisi, each collection tells a story deeply tied to African roots, celebrating the richness of identity and heritage. Through designs, the brand communicates that luxury isn’t just a style or trend but a reflection of one’s inner world, shaped by culture and experiences. Fashion becomes a language of pride, heritage, and individuality.
3. What about the South African fashion scene truly excites you?
South Africa’s fashion scene is brimming with originality, with designers unapologetically weaving local narratives into high fashion. This movement of embracing our own stories and championing authentic, African-made luxury resonates strongly with RICH MNISI’s ethos. There’s an exciting shift happening as we show the world that luxury can be redefined by African perspectives, transforming the industry landscape.’
4. What can we expect from you before the end of the year?
Expect a new product category that we’ve never explored commercially that will delve deeper into completing our universe, capturing the nuances of what luxury means to us with an even greater finesse.
Frances VH Mohair – Frances Van Hasseult
Picture this: skilled artisans transform plain rugs by hand, using soft, durable natural fibres rich in colour and beautiful lustre. They weave a tapestry of primary purple, acid orange, and natural greens, bringing raw textures to life. This scene unfolds in Karoo, a semi-arid area of South Africa known for mohair farming. A uniquely African fibre, mohair comes from the fleece of Angora goats. Designer Frances van Hasselt of Frances VH Mohair, who grew up on a mohair farm, delves into her deep connection with this fibre to create her brand’s artisanal rugs. Frances VH Mohair sources luxurious local materials to capture the essence of Karoo’s fine flora and vast mountain ranges. In a tiny studio nestled in Karoo, a dedicated team of women spin, weave and intricately trim each finished rug by hand. MS
1. Describe your brand in 10 words or less.
Frances v.H Mohair is a women-led textile studio based in the Karoo, South Africa. The Karoo, a semi-arid region of the country, is home to mohair the world over. Raised on a mohair farm, Frances van Hasselt has a deep affinity for this natural fibre. She collaborates with a team of women artisans, weaving a story about the origins of textiles, simultaneously allowing the natural environment to inform every aspect of their design and making process.
2. What is the message you are trying to convey to your clientele with each collection?
Every collection tries to speak back to the Karoo, the home of mohair. We try to highlight this ancient, noble, proudly African natural fibre, by developing our collections from land-level up instead of collection down, allowing for the material (mohair) to inform every piece.
Each collection aims to celebrate the craftmanship of the women artisans that piece our work together. Our work is our attempt to share the stories of this place, its history, the people and the multiple actors and elements needed to create when making from rainfall to final fabric form.
3. What about the South African fashion scene truly excites you?
The fact that we are working with sustainable, natural fibres, skill sets and resources that stem from our country and are suited to the ecosystem of our local textile industry. The joy, challenge, play and openness that stems from collective, collaborative work instead of focusing on a singular narrative and an individual voice. I am inspired by the design coming out of South Africa, the quality, creativity, stories – The fashion scene is incredibly diverse and speaks to so many different lived experiences. I am incredibly proud of the conscious, considered making practices coming out of SA.
4. What can we expect from you before the end of the year?
We are working on various projects which are in various stages of completion. We are really excited to have our Botterblom Collection of tapestries launching on October 19 and being on show at the Cape Town Art Fair next year in February.
Calla – Calla Haynes
After graduating from Parsons School of Design in New York, Toronto-born, Paris-based designer Calla Haynes launched her relaxed yet refined namesake label in 2009. Placing it on hiatus in 2015, Haynes turned her attention to collaboration, deciding to repurpose excess fabrics under the name Calla, by partnering with artisans in Morocco to explore the space between European luxury and Berber craft. These collaborations resulted in The Boucharouite Project, a series of initiatives that emphasise two key themes of sustainable design: recycling textiles and supporting traditional craft. The products include a collection of one-of-a kind rugs made by female weavers and a series of Babouche slippers that artisans hand-made in the souk of Marrakesh using upcycled vintage Boucharouite rugs. MS
1. Describe your brand in 10 words or less.
Slow, mindful fashion exploring textile recycling and supporting craft.
2. What is the message you are trying to convey to your clientele with each collection?
We don’t believe in seasons and collections, just joy and good vibes in every pair of our One of a Kind Babouches. We love colour, texture, pattern, and handmade things.
3. What about the South African fashion scene truly excites you?
We are a French brand that produces in Morocco, and it’s exciting how international the appeal is for our funny, fluffy shoes. We are so excited to be represented in Capetown by Duck Duck Goose, in the company of such talented designers and proud to share the same love of colour, pattern and sustainable practices.
4. What can we expect from you before the end of the year?
We are hosting a one month Pop-Up in Paris in December featuring our shoes, hats, and rugs. Having our own retail space means we can feature our friends and collaborators like Les Vacances d’Irina and Aurelie Mathigot.
Droomer – Cleo Droomer
Cleo Droomer pays tribute to his South African heritage through his namesake brand, Droomer, a passion project inspired by his upbringing in Cape Town. Droomer reimagines the intersections between art, fashion, heritage and storytelling through a collection of upcycled, oversized jackets featuring organic hues and intricate patchworks stitched together in an unfussy manner. These pieces become a manifestation of the spiritual journey the founder has taken. After a tenure in fashion retail, Droomer decided to venture away from the corporate world and become the maker of his own creations. The result is a range of garments that creatively reimagine textiles, cuts and colours through innovative repurposing. MS
1. Describe your brand in 10 words or less.
Slow-crafted, intentional, and regenerative fashion that values process and purpose.
2. What message are you trying to convey to your clientele with each collection?
I aim to shift perspectives on how clothing is made and valued. Each piece reflects a deep dedication to the art of craftsmanship, embracing a slower, more thoughtful approach to design that highlights the care and time invested in every detail.
3. What excites you about the South African fashion scene?
I’m inspired by the rich narratives emerging in fashion, both in South Africa and globally. Fashion’s power as a storytelling medium excites me – it’s becoming more relatable and accessible, as designers share their authentic stories and unique perspectives through clothing and editorials.
4. What can we expect from you before the end of the year?
I’m currently working on exciting collaborations with South African artisans, exploring slow-making and regenerative practices that align with my long-standing questions about sustainability. Through innovative partnerships and new mediums, I hope to redefine sustainable craftsmanship. Keep an eye on Droomer’s website for upcoming releases before the year’s end!
Thebe Magugu
Raised in Kimbery before moving to Johannesburg to study fashion design, media and photography at the Stadio School of Fashion (previously LISOF), Thebe Magugu’s sleek, culturally-inspired collections won him the prestigious LVMH Prize in 2019. At his eponymous label which he founded just two years prior, Magugu makes regular homages to the past, present and future cultures inhabiting the African continent, complete with references to Swati and Ndebele ceremonies, and the shipwrecks often blamed on mermaids in the Cape. Packaging these references in bold silhouettes and collaborating on graphics with contemporary artists like Phathu Nembilwi makes Magugu’s work feel not only of the moment, but like a vision of the self-evolving timelessness that defines African identity. JB
Photographer CHRISTINA FRAGKOU
Stylist CHLOE ANDREA WELGEMOED
Groomer FATMA BENDRIS
Model BRIAN WHITBY
Producer DANIEL SHER
Styling assistant and production assistant DUDUZA MCHUNU
Lighting assistant ANIA ZAWADKA
All clothing provided by Duck Duck Goose CPT
