Lights, camera, fashion!
IOL Lifestyle attended the South African Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023 (SAFW SS23) season and we can confirm that the future is bright for the SA fashion industry.
Young designers are hungry for success and we were blown away by the garments they showcased.
Besides the established designers, who also took to the runway to showcase their latest collections, all eyes were on the Mr Price New Talent Search finalists who made their SA Fashion Week debut.
The New Talent Search finalists were Mmathabo Silika of Silika, Kuhle Phumzile Zondo of E_Mania, Caileigh Davis of Silver Magpie, Athenkosi Takuta of Artae, and Lwandle Duma of Lwavant-Garde. There were also Oyama Gonintebe, Juanie van Wyk of Juanie, Sifiso Kunene of Messrs Basswood and Cyla Gonsolves of Cyla Gonsolves, who won the competition.
Gonsolves, who presented a sustainable collection titled “No Wasting Wonderland,” understands that the fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to world pollution. And as a designer, she says it’s her responsibility to be conscious and avoid fast fashion.
“The inspiration behind this collection was to reduce, reuse and recycle. I took all the previous garments I’ve done for editorials and fashion shows and reconstructed them into this seasonal collection.”
Gonsolves showcased a whimsical collection of languid day dresses, cosy knits, basic blouses, and tulle bags inspired by flower petals. She impressed the judges with her bright yellow garments with a dash of purple and pink.
The Cape Town College of Fashion Design graduate said winning the competition was a great opportunity to expand her brand.
“This is an amazing opportunity to get to work with retailers and SA Fashion Week as a mentor and get my name out there and my business more evolved. I think this is an amazing opportunity for any young designer in South Africa to really put their name on the map.’’
The award-winning designer launched her brand in 2018 and has participated in “The Intern by David Tlale”. Her brand focuses on luxury womenswear, and as the winner of this year’s New Talent Search, she walks away with R50 000 in cash and a mentorship programme with SA Fashion Week. She will also create a limited-edition collection for Mr Price that will be available nationwide.
Previous winners of the New Talent Search include Jacques van der Watt of Black Coffee, David Tlale, and more recently, Mmusomaxwell, Artho Eksteen, and Thando Ntuli of MUNKUS.