And the cat is out. South African Fashion Week (SA Fashion Week) has announced the New Talent Search finalists.
Competing for this year’s award are: Thando Ntuli, Nichole Smith, Mikhile du Plessis, Calvin Lunga Cebekhulu, Sanelisiwe Gcabashe and Mimangaliso Ndiko.
The designers will feature their signature entries with the debut capsule collection of the 2021 winner, Artho Eksteen.
One of them will walk away with R20 000 prize money towards developing their debut collection and a free runway show at SAFWSS 23 to launch this collection.
Ntuli, the founder of Munkus, says her brand was inspired by her mother, grandmother and great grandmother, the women who helped her become the creative she is.
“The idea of my brand is behind layering. I’m very big on layering. Also, there’s something for everyone, allowing people to switch in and bring in their style, but it’s a brand that is made to make life easier, make choice easier and most importantly to be timeless,” she says.
Since its inception in 1998, SA Fashion Week New Talent Search has helped propel the careers of many successful designers, including Mmuso Maxwell, Jacques Bam, Fikile Zamagcino Sokhulu, Michael Ludwig Studio, Saint Vuyo and Sipho Mbuto.
SA Fashion Week will be launching Spring/Summer 2022 collection on April 28-30 at the Mall of Africa.