The rise of refined fashion at SA Menswear week
- Mkhetwa Baloyi
- Nov 10
- 2 min read
A new calm is taking over South African fashion. Not the silence of stillness, but the kind that comes after noise, when trends settle and style begins to make sense. Across runways, studios, and streets, refinement is emerging as the defining language — subtle, deliberate, and unapologetically confident.
Precision Over Performance
South African fashion has long celebrated bold gestures and expressive energy. Now, a different rhythm is emerging: one where precision and clarity take center stage. Silhouettes are straighter, cuts cleaner, and every detail feels intentional.
Brand: Idol stitches
On the runway at SA Menswear Week SS26, Ara Kani demonstrated this perfectly with sculptural tailoring and muted tones, showing that structure itself can command attention without shouting.
Brand: forge studios Brand: Ezokhetho Brand: forge studios
Thoughtful Construction
Refined fashion is not just about what is visible — itʼs about how garments are built and layered.
Craftsmanship and construction are now key signifiers of taste. Forge Studios exemplified this with cropped jackets, broad shoulders, and layered proportions that balance utility with elegance.
Here, refinement is expressed through methodical design rather than extravagance. Emotional Intelligence in Design Refinement also extends to how garments interact with the body and emotion. Clothing can feel intimate, soft, and alive without sacrificing sophistication.
Idol Stitches brought this quality to SS26 with sheer textiles and body-conscious silhouettes that merge precision with subtle sensuality — a reminder that elegance can coexist with vulnerability.
Brand: Haku
Energy with Intention
Even in collections that celebrate movement and bold expression, refinement is about direction and purpose.
Hakuʼs vibrant colors and dynamic shapes might appear chaotic at first glance, but each piece performs with methodical energy, channeling youth culture into compositions that are as considered as they are striking.
Heritage Meets Modernity
Finally, refinement in South Africa is deeply tied to culture, history, and identity. Itʼs a balance between honoring heritage and speaking to contemporary sensibilities.
Ezokhetho captures this tension effortlessly: measured tailoring, thoughtful color shifts, and urban accessories create a sophisticated narrative that bridges past and present, local and global.
Beyond the Runway
The rise of refined fashion in South Africa isnʼt limited to SS26 or a few standout collections. Itʼs influencing streetwear, editorial imagery, and the choices emerging brands make about silhouette, color, and craft. Itʼs a mindset shift: from spectacle to understanding, from noise to nuance, from proving to knowing. South African fashion is speaking a new language. one of restraint, precision, and quiet authority. And while designers like Ara Kani, Forge Studios, Idol Stitches, Haku, and Ezokhetho give it form on the runway, the movement itself is larger, shaping the way style is conceived, worn, and understood across the country.
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