(Saturday, discussion 12:00 – 13:00, post event drinks 13:00 – 16:00 | Register to attend)

Presented and hosted by CEC, this panel discussion focuses on fashion as a methodology of design. We bring together four prolific designers in South Africa’s fashion landscape as they discuss the critical work of building archives and bodies of work for past, present and future generations. 

Archives are textual, visual and tangible blueprints that chart the immense creative potential of our current zeitgeist. CEC is inviting each designer to share the way in which their brand has acted as a site of storytelling, expressive of the inherent design instincts within our country. 

ABOUT CEC

Connect Everything Collective (CEC) is a South African based independent media publication that documents popular culture across Africa; celebrating and archiving the work of creatives, artistic wayshowers and communities across the continent. Focusing predominantly on the current and future vision of music, art, fashion and creativity, CEC is a platform for storytelling and realtime reporting, intrinsically invested in building archives that track the course of Africa’s creative potential as it manifests in the contemporary era. 

ABOUT ANDILE DLAMINI

Andile Dlamini is the visionary founder behind the cult brands Broke, Broke Klubhouse, and Hopeville Grailz. As one of South Africa’s youngest and most successful entrepreneurs, he has redefined the streetwear scene and its varying intersections.  Through his brands, Andile pushes the boundaries of brand and community building within the context of today, creating a movement that speaks to the next generation of creatives and wayshowers. 

ABOUT ALEXA SCHEMPERS

Alexa Schempers is the founder of Rethread, a leading South African fashion brand that has gained traction globally. Having pioneered a multi-layered, sustainable business model, Alexa leverages Rethread’s success and her findings to share insights, education, and guidance for aspiring brand owners and fashion innovators. Through her voice, Alexa advocates for the next generation of South Africa’s fashion entrepreneurs, inspiring the notion that it is indeed possible to practise responsible business models that simultaneously prioritise both creativity, environmental and social impact.

ABOUT WANDA LEPHOTO

Wanda Lephoto is the founder of his namesake brand, WANDA LEPHOTO, a Johannesburg-based ready-to-wear label that reimagines luxury through the lens of culture, tradition, identity, and history. His design and world-building fuses Western influences with a distinctly African spirit, offering a new understanding on cultural luxury. Rooted in critical research, Lephoto’s work explores the diversity of cultural narratives to propose new ways of thinking about identity and representation. With a focus on uniting people through fashion, he aims to inspire a new generation of design thinking and creative tools that drive meaningful cultural change.

ABOUT YAMKELA MAHLELEHLELE 

Yamkela Mahlelehlele is a rising conceptual designer known for her bold design approach, instinctive principles of DIY and upcycling. Through methods of storytelling and experimentation, Yamkela’s practice challenges the traditional notions of construction and resource use; her designs focus on reimagining fashion through an original lens, unencumbered by conventional expectations. 

ABOUT HOLLY BEATON

Holly Beaton is a writer and storyteller. Her process has evolved from an initial focus on fashion to a broader exploration of the intersection between human beings and design, art, culture, and community. Specialising in the interview format, Holly’s work is driven by a deep curiosity in the way in which we language the world around us; and how this may translate into building brands and landscapes for a more sensitive and intelligent world.

Coffee, Tea and Water will be served. Drinks available at Planet Bar 

Register to attend this event here.

@_cecza @broke_wear @rethread_ @wandalephoto @maison_kotr @hollybellb