31 March 2013
In an exciting announcement earlier today, South African Menswear Week was announced. Whilst still some months away from a formal proposal and schedule announcement, the framework and team to deliver this concept has been put into place.
“SAMW aims to be the first focussed fashion week platform within the African continent, and one of just a few around the world” Ryan Beswick, director of the business said during the panel discussion with invited media. Beswick went on to add “across the world, the highest growth within any of the segments in fashion are coming from menswear, mens grooming and male accessories”. This awaking within the mens segments show that it’s an ideal time to join the highly successful international menswear week platforms. Partnering with London Collections: Men, SAMW aims to replicate their stratospheric rise to becoming the world’s leading mens platform, taking over from Pitti Uomo in Florence (menswear week and trade show). SAMW will establish itself as the continental go-to and must-see event for menswear within Africa.
In the coming months, SAMW will put into place the event operational structures, development structures in conjunction with the recently formed Fashion Institute, and curation teams to ensure that only the best of South African menswear is represented twice annually on the SAMW platform.
Media, designers, sponsors and partners are invited to register their interest. Formal schedules and designers will be out within the next year, with our first event South African Menswear Week SS15 taking place in February 2015.