Why I stopped attending fashion week

There’s a monotony to fashion week that I can’t shake off. Every once in a while I’ll skip a few seasons as a way to rejuvenate. While I can never disconnect completely, (I've tried and failed) distancing every now and again is important not only for my wellbeing but also to maintain a fresh perspective. Fashion has a way of drawing people and keeping them in its microcosm. If you’ve worked in the industry long enough you might relate. 

Fashion’s Favourite Time

As we approach September, the industry-designated fashion month, we are also marking the beginning of a series of fashion-related events from leading fashion capitals around the world — whether it’s London, Johannesburg or Tokyo.

Depending on where you are in the globe these festivities can start from as early as August, as is the case with the recently concluded Copenhagen Fashion Week, and end sometime in December when Senegal holds its own annual event. Basically, it’s always fashion week somewhere in the world.

The common factor however that cuts across all these geographic regions is the need for a revamp to align with the times. The heydays of fashion week as we know it have come and gone. New York and Tokyo Fashion Week are an example of this. Both events have struggled with relevance in recent years, with some prominent designers from both cities opting to showcase in Paris or Milan. As a result, these organisations have had to play catch up to the enduring allure of European fashion weeks, home to some of the world’s most influential and profitable fashion houses.

The Shake Up

South African Fashion Week, the biggest and oldest fashion week event in South Africa is shaking things up too. I first noticed this shift around 2022 during the pandemic when they started working with TikTok influencers. The following year that move was succeeded by hiring an external PR firm to assist with its guest lists and media coverage. The changes were almost instant with this firm working to revive the strong celebrity-driven culture of fashion week. Earlier this month a new date of September — which is a month earlier than its usual slot of October was revealed for its next edition — to coincide with the international calendar and Paris Fashion Week in particular. 

This week the restructuring continues with organisers announcing a new venue (Melrose Arch) where this season’s AW25 showcase will take place. It’s going to be one of the busiest schedules in recent memory with 40 designers of both established and new brands participating to present their latest collections. According to the press announcement, showgoers can also expect a lineup of additional events in collaboration with retailers, restaurants, bookshops and other establishments.

I haven’t been to SAFW for about two or so seasons which means I’m excited to get back in the game. This season is a particularly busy one for African fashion with designers showcasing in various cities around the world including New York, Tokyo, and Paris. I’ll be following all the events closely for my reviews and coverage so be sure to stay tuned on here as well as on my Instagram and TikTok.

Thanks for reading this edition of Africa Fashion Decoded. 

- Innocent 

Recommendation:

Recently binged watched: A Sense of Beauty