Fashionistas, designers, photographers, influencers and models gathered at the Wonderland Filming studios in Cape Town over the past weekend for the South African Menswear Fashion Spring/Summer 2023 shows (SAMW).
SAMW returned for the final 2022 instalment and featured more than 36 designers and 20 emerging and young designers across a wide range of menswear and womenswear collections.
During the three days of back-to-back shows, we saw spring/summer collections from some of South Africa’s most established fashion brands, such as Ruff Tung, Stefania Morland, Leigh Schubert, Ruald Rheeder, Habits and Imprint, as well as collections from emerging young and newly discovered talent.
Fashion enthusiasts who were happy to be able to attend physical fashion shows once again filled the seats at every show to feast their eyes on a variety of styles from streetwear to couture as designers sent their summer collections down the runway.
Here are a few of our highlights from the three-day fashion extravaganza.
Ruff Tung
Ruff Tung’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection truly embodies the playfulness that summer brings. Bold floral prints in orange and cerise combined with her sexy signature sequins. Bridget Pickering’s all-inclusive collection of easygoing jumpsuits and flirty dresses was a sight to behold. Happy, smiling models of all shapes and sizes showed off pieces that ranged from all day any day wear to sexy all-sequins shimmering dresses to dance the night away.
Imprint ZA
Known for his modern take on African prints, designer Mzukisi Mbane once again gave us an unforgettable print party – bold graphic prints that ranged from stark black and white to vibrant hues like emerald greens, bubblegum pink, oranges and bold yellow.
Ruald Rheeder
The Ruald Rheeder show was all about monochromatic colour. The bright hues shown head-to-toe in various tones and fabrics were a perfect play with summery purples, blues, oranges and yellows. The colour palette was undeniably summer. While the collection was a mixture of men’s and womenswear, the standout piece was the orange feather tassled full-length evening dress.
Laani Raani
After winning the AFI Fastrack Designer of the Year in 2021, sustainable-fashion designer Shamyra Moodley has been on the rise with her colourful pieces as she recycles items such as saris, sack cloths and upholstery fabrics. At the show, we saw exquisite hand embroidery, layering, patchwork and innovative use of hoops.
Stefania Morland
Known for her signature bows and feminine florals, this well-known South African designer gave us a bright, airy and undoubtedly summer collection. With acid limes, bright pinks and citrus lemon, the colour palette alone set the tone. On par with international summer 2023 trends, her large floral appliqué was a prominent feature in the collection which was seen in both ready-to-wear and evening wear.
Habits
Habits is an established fashion brand loved by all looking to add classic pieces to the collection. Staying true to the black and white looks, polka dots were front and centre in this collection. While dots were strongly featured, there we are few geometric prints seen on a pants suit and a classic wrap dress. While the entire collection was black and white, they closed the show with a dramatic bold pink gown. A few of the looks were accessorised with hats and fascinators by milliner Bettina Thomas.
By Ele Apparel
From subtle pale blues to uber-bright acid greens, the Ele Apparel featured a combination of men’s and womenswear. The collection included sheer netting in bright yellow, flowing tie-dye dresses and exquisitely tailored pants and shirts in delicate fabrics.
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