FAQ

After 28 years of driving the South African designer fashion industry, we could see that the traditional model of Fashion Week no longer reflects the pace and the pressures of today’s fashion landscape. Between fast fashion, disrupted supply chains, and the urgency of sustainability, there are so many undercurrents affecting our industry. This season felt like the right time to step back and to pause - so that we can realign the platform to the realities of the fashion landscape in South Africa, the Global South and the broader international market. Waiting another season would only delay the opportunity to rethink and future-proof SAFW.

We are pausing for one season only. In January we will begin again, with the insights and feedback we gather during this time guiding the next phase. This is a recalibration, a springboard for what comes next.

It is a collaborative and research-driven process. We are engaging directly with designers, buyers, retailers, sponsors, and media to listen and collect insights. At the same time, we are benchmarking against global best practices, while considering the unique needs of the South African industry. Behind the scenes, we are mapping how to bring the entire value chain together, starting with the industry bodies and extending through design, production, retail, and sustainability - to ensure each part is better supported by SAFW going forward. 

Absolutely. SAFW has always been designer-led, and that will never change.  We will continue to champion South African talent, showcase collections, and connect designers with buyers and media. The runway remains a powerful storytelling tool, but we are also exploring how it can work alongside new hybrid formats, supported by our strong social media presence and digital marketing, to remain fully aligned with today’s world.

They are part of the conversation. We are speaking with our sponsors, partners, and long-time supporters to ensure that their voices are heard, and their expectations are factored in. Our social platforms continue to share designers’ journeys, new collections, and evolving work during this pause, so that audiences stay connected. We want everyone who has invested in SAFW - whether with time, money, or creativity - to be part of shaping what comes next.

The new model will reflect agility, sustainability, and inclusivity. It will be less about following old formulas and more about creating a platform that is dynamic enough to respond to shifts in culture, technology, and retail. Think of it as a marketing platform for the creative fashion industry that integrates digital and physical experiences, strengthens designer businesses, and connects South African fashion more the fashion markets.

These are at the heart of our rethink.  South Africa cannot and should not compete with the speed and volume of fast fashion. It undermines our designers and their creativity. Instead, we want to position SAFW as a leader in conscious, small-batch, and heritage-driven design. We are exploring ways to support local sourcing, highlight circular practices, and connect our designers to responsible local and global supply chains. Our goal is a platform that champions resilience, originality, and sustainability as competitive advantages for South African fashion.

This was not sudden is the result of months of reflection on the South African Fashion Week model, looking at designers’ marketing needs, questioning business models, examining the broader industries that support the value chain, and considering more flexible approaches such as AI, digital marketing, and ways to bring our designer community closer together. If we carried on as usual, we would miss the opportunity to pause and realign.

The first step for us was to consult with the designers directly through both in-person and virtual meetings.  Designers have echoed our sentiment that this pause is necessary for recalibration. They are facing the same pressures we see: fast fashion undercutting their businesses, tightening retail, and the urgent call for sustainability.

Rather than viewing this as a setback, they see it as a chance to rethink and co-create the kind of platform they really need for the future. Many have expressed relief that SAFW is taking the lead in shaping a model that reflects their realities.

We are pausing for one season only, while rolling out a focused digital marketing campaign.  With 600,000 followers, a reach of 500 million, and the knowledge we have built over nearly three decades, we can now give individual attention to a four-month rollout designed to keep designers visible and connected.  In January we begin again, informed by the insights and partnerships gathered. SAFW has been the only B2B marketing platform for South African designers for nearly three decades - this pause reaffirms our commitment to come back stronger, more sustainable, and future-ready.