SAFW’s decision to take a strategic pause, marked a pivotal shift - not away from fashion weeks, but towards a more impactful, future-facing model that strengthens the creative fashion design industry and contributes to South Africa’s economy.

South African Fashion Week (SAFW) collaborates with 24 fashion colleges and universities nationwide to host its annual Student Competition for final-year students. Launched in 2006, this prestigious platform is now in its 19th year, identifying and nurturing top talent at the very start of their careers.

After 28 years of shaping the South African Designer fashion industry, South African Fashion Week (SAFW) has announced a strategic pause to recalibrate and reshape the future. With global shifts in supply chains, the rise of fast fashion, and the growing urgency of sustainability, the traditional model of fashion week needs change.