Johannesburg - Environmental matters took the spotlight during the second night of South African Fashion Week (SAFW) on Friday.
This is as three designers showcased ranges featuring elements of sustainability at the OPPO Collections show at The Mall of Africa which played host to fashionistas, celebrities and invited guests who converged in Midrand to get the first glimpse of local designers’ latest ranges during SAFW’s Autumn/Winter 2023 collections.
The collections were a fitting complement to the ethos of show sponsor, OPPO, the leading global smart device brand which continues to take strides towards a more sustainable future.
Those who were part of the latest OPPO Collections include fashion designer Black Coffee, who is acclaimed for the distinctive manner in which the label fuses fashion and fabrication.
For Flight, the Black Coffee AW23 collection, designer Jacques van der Walt, focused on re-imagining wardrobe basics in ensembles which combined bags and accessories “that eschew animal products, and express a consideration for our co-existence on the planet”.
Firmly rooted in nature whilst designed with an urban sensibility, the ranged captured a yearning for space, breath and air.
Meanwhile Ntando Ngwenya, whose label Ntando XV creates artisanal clothing with unconventional design, also took a circular approach for his collection titled ‘Project 1.2 The Urban Civilian Presentation’ in which popular previous styles were updated, up-cycled and repurposed.
“I was interested in the use of existing ecosystems today in preparation for some of our products and services in the near future,” explained the designer who relishes working with experimental cuts, pattern engineering and usual finishing in his garments.
In addition, Thando Ntuli, who founded Munkus in 2019, turned to natural fibres, employing different weights of cotton from light and airy to heavy and structured, in her nod to sustainability.
Titled “Umama Wami”, Thando’s collection was a deeply personal one, paying tribute to her mother and the five pillars she represents: Nurturer, Healer, Giver, Fighter and Leader.
Avashnee Moodley, Head of Marketing at OPPO South Africa, said it was inspiring to partner with designers whose work embodied the brand’s mission of “Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World”.
“We relish working with partners who share our commitment for creating a better future for people worldwide, and to witness what these incredible talents have produced in thread is remarkable.
“Like our work in helping to create a circular economy through prioritising the use of sustainable materials and minimising waste output, Munkus, Ntando XV and Black Coffee are showing the promise that fashion can hold in clothing the world with kindness,” she said.
Apart from the designer’s shared sustainability sensibilities, the three labels said that OPPO devices enabled a smoother and more effective process for each of them to create the collections they showcased.
Ngwenya explained that the image quality of the Reno 8, which features a 50-megapixel main camera, was the impetus for her to delve into photographs of her mother when she was younger, magnifying the imagery which punctuates the garments in the collection.
“One particular image was of my mom at a wedding at night.
“She was clear and glowing, something then which could only be achieved on professional cameras but which now can be achieved so easily on this phone,” she said.
Van der Walt added that his OPPO phone was his, “primary tool to record anything I did”, during the creation and development process of producing his Black Coffee collection.
“If it’s on a piece of paper, I am very likely to lose it.
“I used my OPPO to record my ‘To Do’ lists and I was able to use my sketchbook app on the phone to create all my drawings digitally and in full colour, making the editing process before showing the collection much more simpler,” he explained.
Ngwenya said he appreciated that a software update automatically optimised battery consumption on his device.
This was particularly handy because the Ntando XV founder documented his design process in 4K videos and also appreciated that he was able to fully charge in less than 30 minutes.
This season marks the third presentation of the OPPO Collections at SA Fashion Week.
Priding itself as a brand which is human-centric, and is committed to helping individuals with innovative spirit to grow.
OPPO’s partnership with SA Fashion Week seamlessly demonstrates how customers can use technology and design to add value to their daily lives.
OPPO is a leading global smart device brand.
Since the launch of its first mobile phone – “Smiley Face” – and in 2008, and has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology.
Currently, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS operating system and internet services like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+.
OPPO operates in more than 50 countries and regions with more than 40 000 of OPPO’s employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.