All Eyes are on South Africa with the world cup set to start the global football mania on Friday, but for those who want to explore the new cultural phenomena of South Africa, which has galvanized, organized & produced Africa’s go to fashion week to rival New York, London, Milan & Paris right in the heart of Johannesburg- look no further than the homegrown designers who are also set to take on the world stage.

The Smarteez, Kepi, Sibu, Floyd and Thabo are a collective of young DIY fashion designers from the township of Soweto, who represent a new post Apartheid decadence of young South Africans who embrace their freedom in creativity, nonconformity & partying like rock stars.

Check out their upcoming feature in the June South Africa Issue of Dazed.

Sun Goddess is a creation of the husband & wife design duo, Thando and Vanya Mangaliso. Sun Goddess has become one of South Africa’s iconic brands that has paved the way for the new kids on the block like Smarteez. Sun Goddess has built an empire that includes womenswear, menswear, children’s wear, bridal wear, swimwear and accessories strictly focused on celebrating African heritage.

“Fashion success is largely measured by international standards & for the most part those international standards are largely considered European or American. At Sun Goddess we shrug that off, we realize that we are creating something totally new. We’re creating African success which has existed for centuries. We’re inspired primarily by African- ancient African stories, ancient African costumes, ancient African culture. We are trying to preserve or rejuvenate clothes as people used to wear them it in prehistoric times, that’s our main source of inspiration… We make African clothing for African people.. preserving & celebrating African heritage so that’s the first foundation & Sun Goddess doesn’t move away from that. When you are secure in your identity & you are secure in where you come from people are attracted to that…”

David Tiale is by far one of the most prominent South African designers & a new global fashion darling who creates Haute Couture designs to rival his European counterparts. David Tiale is truly stepped up the game for African fashion creating fashion as art. Tiale has shown his collection in Paris, London & New York as well as doing his first ever fashion as art installation as the world renown MOMA (Museum of Modern Art).