7 South African Designers You Need on Your Radar!

South African fashion is alive with energy, rooted in culture yet daringly experimental. From reimagined tailoring to avant-garde sculptural pieces, these designers are reshaping how we see and wear clothes. If you’ve been looking for fashion inspiration or you simply want to know whose work you should be looking out for for a better understanding of the local fashion design landscape, we know of just the people who are showing the world what South African fashion is all about. 

We have rounded up a list of 7 designers for September who are shaping local style and making waves on the global stage: 

1. Lezanne Viviers – VIVIERS

Lezanne Viviers designs clothes that tell stories. Her fashion house, VIVIERS, founded in 2019, feels like a philosophical conversation formed with fabric. It prompts you to reflect on the past, present, and future of humanity. Her pieces often have juxtaposition, mixing soft and rough textures, or pairing sophistication with a rebellious edge, resulting in sculptural silhouettes that make you pause and try to understand.

Image: @viviers.studio

Sustainability is at the heart of her practice. Each garment is crafted with intention, using local materials and honouring every scrap of fabric. At her Johannesburg atelier, Glasshouse, patrons are invited into the creative process, thus building wardrobes that reflect individuality and longevity rather than fleeting trends. Viviers’ work is about consciousness, identity, and the art of wearing your beliefs.

2. Jessica-Ann Shepherd – Oddity

Image: @itsjessica_ann

Playful, experimental, and eco-conscious, Jessica-Ann Shepherd’s brand Oddity is a testament to the fact that sustainability can also be stylish. Inspired by her mother’s love of knitting and her own fascination with UK streetwear, Shepherd works with deadstock yarns and digital prints to create pieces that feel bold and unique.

Image: @itsjessica_ann on Instagram

At just 26, she has already made waves by winning the 2024 Mr Price New Talent Search for womenswear, a competition that placed her designs in stores across South Africa. Oddity’s charm lies in its individuality. It's knitwear reimagined with a contemporary edge; clothes that tell stories of reinvention. For Shepherd, fashion is as much about community as it is about clothes, and her strong social media presence reflects that ethos perfectly.

3. Awakhiwe Kona – Suitability & House of NTU

Image: @awakhiwekona on Instagram

From actuarial science to tailoring, Awakhiwe Kona shows us that numbers and fashion aren’t exactly worlds apart, they’re both, in fact, about precision. His first label, Suitability, specialises in luxury bespoke suits, combining sharp tailoring with an accessible lifestyle ethos. It’s a brand built on excellence but also on community impact and employing and uplifting young South Africans.

Image: @suitability_ and @house_of_ntu on Instagram

Kona’s second venture, House of NTU, is a celebration of heritage. Inspired by the Bantu concept of “NTU”, the creative life force that connects humanity. The brand embraces culture, storytelling, and identity. Whether it’s a sharply tailored suit or a contemporary ready-to-wear look, Kona’s designs are rooted in purpose, connection, and an African pride that feels modern and timeless.

4. Londeka Buthelezi-Ndaba – Malondié

Image: @londeka_b on Instagram

For Londeka Buthelezi-Ndaba, fashion is about creating spaces for women to see themselves fully represented. Her fashion house Malondié blends sophistication with a sense of bold African identity-offering clothing that transcends trends while celebrating diversity in shape, size, and style.

Iamge: @malondie_official and @londeka_b on Instagram

Since opening her Menlyn Mall store in 2017, she’s produced unforgettable shows like Summer in the Park, partnered with Africa Fashion International, and even collaborated with lifestyle brands like Bernini. Buthelezi-Ndaba also credits mentorship from Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe for helping her navigate the business side of fashion. Balancing her MBA studies with growing Malondié, she is shaping herself into not only a designer but also a powerhouse entrepreneur.

5. Fikile Zamagcino Sokhulu – FIKILE SOKHULU

Fikile Sokhulu’s designs feel like poetry made wearable. Rooted in femininity, nature, and artistry, her work often embraces soft, flowing silhouettes, made from natural fabrics. She describes her brand as a space where women can find pieces that reflect both strength and vulnerability, whether they are still discovering themselves or are fully established in their identity.

Image: @fikilesokhulu on Instagram

Sustainability runs deep in her practice, with a commitment to reducing waste and creating garments that last. Fikile’s work manages to be commercial and wearable, yet still conceptual and art-driven. It's a delicate balance that sets her apart. Her collections invite women to feel grounded in their power, while embracing the softer edges of femininity.

6. Thando Ntuli – MUNKUS

If you’ve ever wanted clothes that can move effortlessly between generations and occasions, MUNKUS is your answer. Founded by award-winning designer Thando Ntuli, the brand is known for its timeless, layered looks that draw inspiration from the 1980s and ’90s South Africa.

Image: @munkus_ on Instagram

MUNKUS is about storytelling through colour, print, and silhouette. Ntuli describes her pieces as clothing that “ages like fine wine”, garments made to last and evolve with you with time instead of fading away. With sustainability woven into her process (think cotton, linen, and durable denim), MUNKUS is carving out a place in South Africa’s luxury market while celebrating womanhood in all its forms.

7. Lukhanyo Mdingi – Lukhanyo Mdingi

Image: @lukhanyomdingi on Instagram

Lukhanyo Mdingi’s work is a love letter to craftsmanship. Since founding his label in 2015, he’s built collections that centre collaboration with artisans across Africa, from weavers in Khayelitsha to textile specialists in Burkina Faso. His garments are timeless, rooted in integrity, and deeply human.

Image: @lukhanyomdingi on Instagram

International recognition has followed: winning the LVMH Karl Lagerfeld Prize in 2021, showcasing at Paris and New York Fashion Weeks, and exhibiting in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Yet despite global acclaim, Mdingi remains grounded in his ethos of community and sincerity. His work is a dialogue between heritage and modernity, a bridge between local artisanship and global stage.

These seven designers are a testament to the fact that South African fashion is as diverse as it is dynamic. Whether it’s Viviers’ conceptual artistry, Jessica-Ann’s playful sustainability, Awakhiwe’s heritage-inspired tailoring, or Lukhanyo’s reverence for African craftsmanship, each of these creatives is redefining what it means to dress with intention.

So next time you’re looking for something that feels unique, meaningful, and rooted in storytelling, look no further than home, because these proudly South African designers are shaping the future of fashion itself.