Celebrating Soweto’s fashion scene as designers unite to elevate local talent and industry growth

Emerging and seasoned designers showcased their talents at this year’s Soweto Fashion Week held at the Soweto Theatre in Johannesburg.

Stephan Manzini founded Soweto Fashion Week in 2011 as a passion project with the aim of growing the fashion industry and providing a platform for young designers from the townships.

“There is a lot of talent in townships across South Africa. People are hungry for new things, so we like to help promote talent with fresh ideas,” says Manzini.

This year’s show ran over three days, featuring creative works by established designers as well as fashion design students from nearby Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges.

Manzini says: “We need to come together and see how we can localise the industry and support those on the ground because I believe the industry has the potential for growth and job creation.”

Nondumiso Mabunda, a designer from Dobsonville, showed some of her creations from her design studio Dominion Creations, which she started five years ago.

She says issues of funding and resources are some of the main challenges facing entrepreneurs in the industry. “There’s a lot of creative young people in the community. They just don’t have the resources. The government should also help wherever it can with resources.”

As she continues to grow her brand Mabunda says she hopes to open a fashion school and a shop in Soweto.

Designer James Moroeng of James Presents says growing up and living in Soweto has shaped his design aesthetic and inspires his creations. 

“My collection is titled Gardens of Soweto. It’s only fitting that my collection was presented here so I can continue to push for a sense of pride in where we come from, and to never be afraid to tell the story of where we come from.”

Moroeng also said that access to resources was one of the biggest challenges faced by young designers. DM