SAFW Takes a Strategic Pause to Redefine the Fashion Calendar

For nearly three decades, South African Fashion Week (SAFW) has been the stage where the country’s most visionary designers unveiled their artistry to the world. Now, after 28 years of shaping the fashion landscape, SAFW has announced a strategic pause; not as an ending, but as a bold recalibration for the future.

In an era defined by shifting global supply chains, the acceleration of fast fashion, and the urgency of sustainability, the traditional fashion week model demands reinvention. This pause is less about stepping back and more about stepping forward with intention, a moment of reflection to rewrite the rules of how designer fashion is created, showcased, and consumed.

“I believe it is vital that we take a season to listen, think, and reflect together as a designer community and the industry at large,” says director Lucilla Booyzen. “so that we can shape the best new direction and secure a thriving future for our industry.”

Since its inception, SAFW has been a launchpad for local talent, championing designers onto both national and international stages. The upcoming chapter aims to build on this legacy, weaving nearly 30 years of insights into a model that is both dynamic and future-ready, one that speaks to the South African market and the wider Global South, while staying connected to the Global North.

The vision is clear: to create a platform that reflects the full value chain of fashion. SAFW will collaborate with designers, retailers, buyers, sponsors, and the creative community at large to ensure this next chapter is inclusive, innovative, and impactful.

Even in this season of pause, the stories will continue. SAFW will spotlight designers digitally, share their creative journeys, and guide consumers to where their collections can be discovered and purchased; keeping the thread between designer and wearer beautifully intact.

At this crossroads, the message is simple: this is not a pause, but a pivot. South African fashion is not retreating; it is reshaping—to thrive, to innovate, and to lead in a rapidly evolving global landscape.