Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg 2015 to showcase best of local menswear designers
South Africa’s foremost menswear designers will unveil their latest collections at the country’s premier Autumn/Winter seasonal fashion event, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, which takes place at Melrose Arch from March 5-7.
This comes as a response by organizer and gateway to refined African fashion, African Fashion International (AFI), to the exponential growth of the global luxury menswear market which has surpassed that of the women’s wear industry worldwide.
“Last year’s menswear lineup was very successful, because we have incredibly talented menswear designers in South Africa, and because the modern, young South African man is more particular and interested than ever in being stylish and on-trend” says Sizwe Nzimande, Group Marketing Manager for AFI.
“As such, AFI is committed to supporting our menswear design talents again this year, as the increasing demand for high-end men’s clothing makes it a key market from which to grow the South African industry as a whole.”
The menswear designers who will be showing at MBFWJ 2015 include Fabiani, Ruald Rheeder, Augustine, and Lumin.
The advent of the “metrosexual” male, which has become a pop-culture archetype in popular books and films, has sparked a new era of nuance in menswear, with many men becoming increasingly enthusiastic about fashion and their personal sartorial tastes, fueling the growth of the menswear market and the entire fashion industry as a result.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, the country’s leading winter/autumn fashion event, will run from the 5th to the 7th of March 2015 at Johannesburg’s premier shopping destination, Melrose Arch.
About AFI
African Fashion International (AFI) presents African fashion and creative talent in a manner that makes fashion from the continent globally relevant and ensures that the world has market access to African product and design. Through the organisation’s promotion, curation and support services, AFI ensures that the international community responds positively and commercially to African-designed products that are readily available, unique and on-trend.
Through its Fashion Weeks, namely Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Cape Town and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa, AFI opens up the continent to commercial projects, both locally and internationally- increasing the geographic spread and market access to the continent’s design equity, fashion apparel, accessories and crafts.
AFI showcase the best designers from the continent, offering them access to the domestic and international market share, while also growing a platform meant to support the sustainability of the African fashion industry through job creation. AFI also remains committed to growing a new legion of designers through the AFI Fastrack™ programme.