What we wear has always revealed our values and aspirations. Fashion is a powerful social expression of the spirit of the times.
Enter the age of conscious consumption and discernment as we seek clothing with longevity and focus on design rather than transitory items. We cultivate a discernment for considered pieces that deliver on both the manufacturing and aesthetic values relevant to sustainable consumption.
White bow-gathered dress R1 800, Superella. Metallic silk “Lief” coat R14 800, Daisie Jo.
Wool & mohair knitted dress R8 500, Inke x Uni Form ZA.
White cotton-insert dress R5000, Uni Form ZA. Woven mohair apron R8000, Voorskoot Vygie Collection by FVH x LM.
Leopard print tiered maxi dress R5 400, KLûK CGDT. Lemon tulle top with sequin pockets R1 800, Daisie Jo. Brass hoop single earring with kyanite stone R17500, Viviers Karroo Collection. Hand-knitted mohair bag R3000, Frances V.H Mohair.
Hand-knitted mohair “Swartberg Swirls” top R7 245, FVH x LM Mohair Knitwear Collection. Gold silk fold skirt with linen appliqué R8 200, Daisie Jo. Mohair shawl with fringing R8 000, FVH x LM Mohair Woven Collection. Metallic socks, stylist’s own. Suede sandals with sheepskin inner R3 599, Birkenstock.
Rectangle top with oversized sleeves R900. Full circle gathered skirt R1 700, both Superella. Metallic socks, stylist’s own. Pale pink vegan sandals, R1 999, Birkenstock. Faux fur bag R650, Living Life Classics.
Meet the makers
Striving for clothing with a conscience, we ask our contributing designers for their take on delivering a local design economy based on ethical practices, transformative innovation of materials and processes, and re-engineering the fast-fashion cycle:
“We feel strongly that a sustainable, circular economy does not start in factories. The process starts with rain, the delicate ecosystem of the plant life, the quality of the soil, the role of herdsmen and the importance of healthy animals to produce quality mohair. From raw fibre we move into the process of washing, cleaning, dyeing and spinning until finally the yarn ends up on the loom. In many ways weaving and finishing are the last few steps in an intricate and co-dependent supply chain.” – Frances V.H Mohair
“Our brand values are deeply rooted in the awareness that everything is interconnected. We’re mindful that our design processes and decisions have an impact on the people and planet that we rely on to bring our designs to life. We strive to create from a place of compassion and respect, keeping our product imprint intentionally small by using local natural fibres such as South African wool and mohair, producing small quantities and collaborating with South African busi- nesses across the value chain.” – Natalie Green, INKE
“We like to think of ourselves as a slow fashion brand. Our intention is to create heritage pieces of clothing that sur- pass trends and can live in your wardrobe until your children can inherit them. We try not to waste any raw materials, recycling wherever possible and by keeping off-cuts that can be reused as linings before giving away the rest to community projects that can use them creatively. We also try to make use of our already extensive pattern archive without having to make a new pattern for every new design. We don’t go on sale, preferring to make fewer, but to order, rather than being overstocked. Lastly, we are a local brand supporting local suppliers and creating jobs within a community to support them.” – KLûK CGDT
“We embrace our imperfections and humanness. It surfaces in the fabrics we source and the textile development of our garments. Our studio is a space where our craft is passed on for generations. We use fashion to create wearable art by focusing on embroidery and fabric manipulation. Every garment is hand-cut in the Karoo, respecting a no-waste process. Mindful creation, mindful consumption.” – Daisie Jo
“VIVIERS attempts to create a new fashion community, a new Earth. Through a collective and creative hybrid space called ‘Hub-of-The-Hand,’ VIVIERS collaborates with numerous South African artisans, using South African raw materials like Cape wools, South African mohair, ostrich products and South African leather, with the idea to further promote the South African textile industry. We aim to contribute and establish South Africa as a destination for supreme crafts- manship in luxury manufacturing, that leads with its slow and conscious approach.” – Lezanne Viviers
“At Superella, comfort is the most important design consideration. It is about everyday dressing and quality over quantity. Our production runs are small and considered, and zero fabric wastage guides our patternmaking principles.” – Ella Buter
Credits
PHOTOGRAPHY: JACQUES WEYERS OF HERO CREATIVE MANAGEMENT MODEL: SOPHIA FARBER DANIEL OF KULT MODELS SOUTH AFRICA MAKE-UP: ALGRIA USING WESTMAN ATELIER FROM SKINS COSMETICS HAIR: JEANETTE GENIS
FASHION ASSISSTANT: MARIA STEYN
LOCATION: DYLAN LEWIS STUDIO & SCULPTURE GARDEN
Stockist
BIRKENSTOCK: WWW.BASHAFRICA.COM
DAISY JO: +27 82 443 8739 | WWW.DAISIEJO.COM
INKE: +27 73 207 4088 | WWW.INKE.CO.ZA
FRANCES V.H: +27 72 959 6953| WWW.FRANCESVH.COM
KLÛK CGDT: +27 83 377 7780 | WWW.KLUKCGDT.COM
LEANDI MULDER: +60 406 4689 | WWW.LEANDIMULDER.COM
SUPERELLA: +27 82 845 5551 | @VERYSUPERELLA
UNI FORM ZA: +27 82 040 2845 | WWW.UNIFORMZA.COM
VIVIERS: +27 72 606 4127 | WWW.VIVIERSSTUDIO.COM