One of the biggest fashion events on the African continent, a socially distanced iteration of South African Fashion Week took place this weekend at Johannesburg’s Mall of Africa. The season’s lineup was a confluence of the local industry’s heavyweight veterans alongside younger and emerging brands: the likes of SAFW ‘OG’, Black Coffee, showed next to designers including 2021 LVMH Prize finalist Lukhanyo Mdingi. Each brand delivered fresh collections connected by a welcome return to simplicity, their exhibitions being an exercise in both innovation and restraint. 

The SS’21 SAFW showings felt like a collective creative sigh of relief from a community of designers coming off one of the most challenging years in recent memory. 2020 had many of us anxiously gritting our teeth in the face of the unknown, but it also taught us all lessons in letting go, being alone with oneself, and making the space and time for what matters, and in many ways, the designers this year have adopted this new way of being into their collections. With an empty, grey-washed underground parking lot as the setting, models strode down the isolated “runway” this season before a crew and cameras as opposed to an audience. This same spirit of solitude was mirrored by an embrace of muted glamour all around—and though the colors used ranged from the bold to the basic, a focus on evergreen silhouettes, versatile separates, and considerable comfort kept things grounded each time. 

From South Africa’s long standing industry titans to the scene’s current and emerging "it" brands, here's a round up of the SS'21 SAFW collections that wowed us with their own manner of simplicity.

The Bam Collective 

Muted Monochrome

A symphony of bold, ecstatic color tempered by touches of muted monochrome, South African luxury fashion brand The Bam Collective served up a fearless and focused collection imbued with a spirit of youthful whimsy. Designer Jacques Bam bet on confident doses of solid primary colors this season, crafting diverse statement garments in tones of sunny yellow, scarlet red, and Persian blue. His presentation was one of a array of silhouettes: from flouncy, fringed sleeves and tiered ruffling to cinched-in waists and fitted blazers, each design offered a fresh take on femininity echoed by striking styling choices in the form of colored opaque tights, chiffon-like sheer gloves, and beaded headbands. Elsewhere in the collection, black and white shirt-dresses, suit jackets, and full skirts stood out against potent drenchings of color, their timeless, low-key palettes softening the edges of the collection’s boisterous spirit.

black Coffee

casual utilitarianism

Helmed by designer Jacques van der Watt, Black Coffee has been a regular on the runways of SAFW since its first appearance in 1999. For 2021, the brand took a decidedly down-to-earth route with a laid-back, utilitarian-style design aesthetic, revealing a collection of slouchy trousers, practical jackets, and boxy dresses in neutral tones of fawn and olive. Each look shown was stripped down enough to function for workwear, everyday dressing, and lounging, while the artful layering, playful asymmetrical cuts, and touches of geometric patchwork employed divulge their designer’s enduring flair for the architectural and experimental. Van der Watt also sent a range of versatile and functional bags down the “runway”: rendered in the same staple shades of tan and green as the garments they sat alongside, they’re roomy enough to hold all one’s essentials and then some, while the two-strap, black slides worn by each model accentuated the collection’s essence of androgynous elegance.

Judith Atelier

elevated ease

For her latest collection, designer Judith Smit’s label, Judith Atelier, leaned on familiar striped fabrics, reliable separates, and generous, oversized cuts, presenting a ready-to-wear range of palpably comfortable classics for every occasion. Utilizing radiant shades of burnt orange and baby blue against a canvas of crisp white fabric, a theme of streamlined minimalism ran through each look the brand showed. Pajama-like shirt and trouser sets effused a subtly glamorous ease, while slouchy mohair knit sweaters and delicate day dresses imparted a casually self-assured style and voice. Paired with classic strappy sandals in complementary shades of red, camel, and navy blue, and the occasional cardigan draped over a model’s shoulder, a sophisticated, bespoke spirit glimmered within each of Judith Atelier’s designs, their flattering fits, un-fussed silhouettes, and striking colorways presenting a fresh, graceful take on elevated comfort dressing.

Lukhanyo Mdingi

preppy polish

A testament to the honed skill and authentical vision that’s garnered Lukhanyo Mdingi a spot on the 2021 LVMH Prize finalist list, this year the Cape Town-based designer showcased his SS’21 collection, one designed in memory of and as a tribute to the late South African fashion designer, Nicholas Coutts. Featuring garments crafted from mohair wool handwoven in the style that Coutts was known for, as well as other versatile knitted staples in a palette of rich tones of caramel, tangerine, crimson, and seaweed green, the collection offers both mens and womenswear options, and their simple shapes and modern cuts maintain a firm connection to Mdingi’s trademark sophisticated simplicity. The collection also places a strong emphasis on texture, with soft jersey materials and frayed fabrics popping up throughout. Roomy tailored trousers are featured in several ensembles, while oversized cardigans and comfy sweaters impart finishing touches that embody a thoroughly contemporary take on “preppy”.

MmusoMaxwell

modern minimalism 

The celebrated South African brand MmusoMaxwell has made modern minimalism their signature expression, and this season, they brought a singular polish that was both understated and confident to SAFW. Founded by Johannesburg-based design duo Maxwell Boko and Mmuso Potsane, their SS’21 collection mesmerized via elegant, practical takes on everyday basics: calf-grazing skirts paired with tailored shirts imparted a marked wearability, while easygoing summer dresses and oversized, sleeveless mohair tees offered a relaxed take on femininity. Led by shades of jewel and sky blue, as well as hues of nude, lilac, and more, the new collection’s non-restrictive silhouettes and asymmetrical hemlines were carried down the socially distanced runway by a troupe of models clad in utilitarian-style black and white sandals and slides, each one also donning a classic red lip that complimented the unpretentious air of their ensembles.