Exploring the South African Design Sector

On November 7th, 2024, the South African Cultural Observatory hosted its last #GQFirstThursday for the year, themed "Design, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship” at The Roof Garden, Central, Gqeberha. The event celebrated the incredible Papama Mtwisha, a renowned SA fashion entrepreneur and founder of @africayourtimeisnow and Butter Pudding.

With over 20 years of experience, Papama Mtwisha is a force to be reckoned with. Her journey is a testament to her determination and passion. "I started it with my own savings, and I started small. My business concept was living on my iPad for 7 years, and I kept on refining it," she reflected.

South Africa is a country with rich textile heritage. Before the rise of fast fashion and expansive global production, South Africa used to have a thriving local textile economy and was known as a garment production hub. According to a recent research report delivered by the South African Cultural Observatory, the fashion design sector contributes R1 billion to the South African economy and has a strong entrepreneurial drive and high levels of innovation.

The discussion was bright and lively from the start, with Papama sharing her insights on the industry. The Q&A session sparked enthralling debates on topics such as Africa-centred design, creative independence, and the role of social media. Papama emphasised that "Africa Your Time is Now, is not just fashion or design to me, it is a calling, it is to awaken my fellow Africans."

The South African, and African, fashion design sector has great potential for growth. While the sector is clustered in Johannesburg and Cape Town, fashion designers are present even in smaller cities, which suggests the potential for their role in more balanced regional development. As there is a growing realisation of the importance of embracing local production and celebrating local designers, South African sustainable fashion brands are reclaiming the local production space and encouraging us to cultivate local fashion role models.

The South African Cultural Observatory is committed to providing a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and support for the creative sector. Our series of discussions to engage with the creative sector, including guests’ speakers like Papama Mtwisha, Zandile, “The Black Mermaid” Ndhlovu, the first black female free-diver, and well-loved South African author, Khaya Dlanga, aim to demystify and provide information on SA's cultural industries for a national audience. We look forward to continuing our support for local creatives and contributing to the growth and development of the SA fashion design sector and the Cultural and Creative Sector as a whole