2023 promises to be a big year in South African fashion, with SA Menswear Week officially forming the main schedule of the Week of Fashion initiative from Cape Town Fashion Council. In 2022 the line up was the largest showcasing of designers on a single schedule, and 2023 builds on this with new shows, presentation spaces, showrooms, and partners joining to improve the designer promotion as well as guest experience!
The dates have been set for 29 March to 01 April 2023 promising a jam packed 4 days of local fashion, design, shows, talks and experiences. All once again taking place at the amazing Wonderland Film Studios in Cape Town. The full show schedule will be released during February 2023.
Week of Fashion is the idea that multiple platforms, fashion events, retail initiatives, learning and educational fashion related talks can all take place under a single banner, whilst each retaining their own identity. This AW23 season Week of Fashion will include the following platforms:
SA MENSWEAR WEEK will continue to showcase the best of menswear from across South Africa and the continent incorporating gender neutral / fluid collections, as well as setting the bar for edgy, unique and new methods of showcasing. Always with an underground feel, SAMW is known for being informal, and designer focussed.
WOF: WOMENSWEAR COLLECTIONS returns for the 3rd season of presenting the biggest on-schedule calendar of the best womenswear ready-to-wear collections in Southern Africa. All the big names, and ranging from streetwear to evening wear, these collections are not to be missed as they are presented over 3 days across more than 14 shows featuring almost 50 designers.
GRAD WEEK presented by CTFC returns for the 3rd year showing the hottest graduate collections from across South Africa’s fashion design schools. Shows and presentations build on the GRAD (Graduate Recruitment and Development) WEEK ethos of promoting and developing the young designers and placing them within the industry to further expand their careers.
WOF: SHOWROOMS is the first foray for the platform into consumers meet designers in a highly curated and designed space running alongside the shows throughout the schedule. Developed to not only introduce designers and brands to buyers (sadly very small in SA, but quality over quantity is the objective) but also to consumers with a direct-to-consumer market style setup.
WEEK OF FASHION RETAIL MAP is a map of all the fashion designer retailers in and throughout Cape Town similar to other global cities who celebrate and champion local design. The continued growth of amazing designer stores and studios will be put onto a digital map and printed at major tourist flyer points to create a journey of exploration to support local design. Launching at WOF / SAMW in March this initiative will hopefully spread to other South African cities soon.
Media registration will open on the 1st of February for all those interested in attending. Limited public tickets will be available on a first come first serve basis and will be free. Attendance to the WOF: SHOWROOMS will also be free during the event for the public as well as the presentations and talks. Registration opening on 01 March will be required.
For more information please do not hesitate to contact us at:
info@menswearweek.co.za