Pronounced ‘conscious’ — cnscs_ is a passion project and platform initiated by Masego Morgan and Stella Hartentyo in Cape Town, South Africa. Having started out as internet friends in 2019, through a mutual love of fashion, thrifting and sustainability — Masego and Stella, I believe, have become pioneers in the fashion space for inclusivity; creating…
“madamfo (Mah-dahm-fo) means ‘my friend’ in Twi, an Akan dialect spoken in Ghana, West Africa. At madamfo, the hope is that this brand will become your go-to friend, with the right amount of sass and simplicity to cater for all occasions.” madamfo Creative director Elle Darko has defied all urges to “play it safe” during…
Crocs are back in style. Well, they’re not “back” so much as they’ve had some excellent and timely rebranding. You’ll most likely remember crocs as the chunky, foam clogs that were often described as shoes for people who’ve given up on life. “The little holes are where your dignity seeps out.” Crocs have never enjoyed…
OUR LEGACY is an independent fashion brand based in Stockholm, Sweden founded in 2005 by Jockum Hallin, Cristopher Nying and Richardos Klarén. Known for applying custom developed fabrics on signature shapes, OUR LEGACY has amassed a devoted following over the years establishing the role of a cult brand. The collections include men’s and women’s ready-to-wear…
The COVID-19 pandemic has put forth many challenges to several industries including high fashion. An estimation of 90% of our bodies are covered by clothes and viruses have the tendency to thrive on the surface of fabrics for longer hours increasing the exposure of humans to bacterial infection. To this issue, the fashion industry has…
Understanding the intrinsically flawed systemic functions of production in the fashion industry is crucial to changing our relationship to consumption. While sustainability has become somewhat chic to wax lyrical about, especially in the realm of marketing, I wanted to develop a deeper understanding of the necessity for implementing production strategies outside of the linear model…
Amsterdam based ready-to-wear label Daily Paper has always found the rooting for its inspiration in the cultural heritages of its founders. At its core, the very identity of the label is closely linked to the diasporic experience. A brand that attempts to reclaim narratives of and related to Africa; its diverse patterns and traditions in…
“We met when we were flight attendants working for the same airline, there was a lot we wanted to change but couldn’t, that’s when we decided to put our interests together and create something we both enjoy and have freedom to change what we didn’t like.” Immanuel Tappie Makuse, OFF DUTY Apparel co-founder Ever since…
Jewellery is an incredibly intimate thing; aesthetic declarations and clues in wrought metal that say something about the wearers sensibilities. I remember watching one of my favourite films, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for the first time, and one of the things that stuck with me most after that particular watching, as there…
Throughout time, Converse’s iconic All Star sneakers have shown up in moments of rebellion and progress, change and creativity. Without the creativity, grit, and optimism of the past — All Stars wouldn’t have the inspiration, stories and tools to break the barriers of tomorrow. And no other embodies this mindset more than the prolific and…
It could be said, that creative transformation is the marker of an innovative designer, whether established or emerging, it is what one can do with the resources within reach that make for the most interesting garments. I recently put out a call on my Instagram stories for emerging designers in Cape Town, sparked by feelings…
This is a celebration of the casting arena in all of its intimate awkwardness, secrecy and flashes of flamboyance, where we delight in the unruliness of human beings. Good casting direction is presenting the unexpected and making it work. A lot of the magic of our trade is conjured by happy accidents, surprises and mischief….
