The New Vanguard: South Africa’s Rising Stars in Fashion

We talked to three rising South African designers about their rise on the scene, their challenges as emerging designers, and their hopes for the future in fashion.

The fashion scene in South Africa is buzzing with a crop of young designers eager to push the envelope. With Thebe Magugu having been an LVMH Prize winner and Lukhango Mdingi being one of the finalists last year, it was proven that South African fashion is here to stay.

OkayAfrica talked to three rising South African designers who are making their mark in the industry: Onesimo Bam, SUHU ORIGINAL, and Dorcas Mutombo. We spoke about their rise on the scene, different points of views, their challenges as emerging designers, and their hopes for the future in fashion.

​Onesimo Bam: The New Minimalist

Onesimo Bam, founder and designer of Oneiam, is redefining what minimalism is with his large shapes, sharp lines and neutral tones.

Cape Town-based Onesimo Bam, founder and designer of Oneiam, is redefining what minimalism is with his large shapes, sharp lines and neutral tones.

Established in 2018, the Oneiam brand gained popularity during his debut at SA Menswear Week with his Japanese-inspired collection. “I studied textile but from the get go I knew I wanted to set my own label,” Bam said. “I am really into collaboration. I met Jason from Unknown Union who was also into collaboration and we just clicked. Spent a couple of months about producing this idea of collaborating with close friends. We created very conceptual but wearable kimonos which told each of the artist’s story. [We] shot great images of those with the help of Kassie Naidoo and Lampost, SA Menswear Week picked it up and the rest is what you see today.”

With an array of emerging designers who are carving their own path and are not interested in polished perfection, Bam is certainly following suit with his remarkable point of view on fashion.

“I am a minimalist and very simple person. I like routine and structure. So I guess the same practicality that I require in my day to day life is what influences my work,” Bam said. “A lot of the clothes I create I would consider uniform. I want to try and create clothes that you can wear anywhere. I like pushing the silhouette to create more room for pockets and other useful details.”

Read more here:

SOURCE : OKAY AFRICA