Fikile Sokhulu discusses her latest collection with GLAMOUR'S fashion director

Fikile Sokhulu is a Durban based designer who has garnered a veritable number of accolades over the years, one of which was a GLAMOUR Woman of the Year award in 2023. She recently unveiled her latest collection that was designed using knit fabrics and inspired by femininity. In an interview with GLAMOUR she shares her insights in to becoming a successful designer in South Africa and what inspired this latest collection.

Glamour: You recently released a new collection which is absolutely stunning. Can you share the design process behind this collection?

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Fikile: For the first time we wanted to create a collection using knit fabrics. But we still wanted to incorporate our design identity which is to be gentle, calm and feminine. We wanted to make a collection of dresses that would make a woman feel comfortable, and truly at peace with herself and how she feels.

G: Every designer that designs a collection is essentially a story teller. What is the message of this story?

F: To be gentle, to be calm, to be feminine was the first emotion we wanted to explore with this collection. And we were lucky to be able to work with fabrics that reflect soft and gentle palettes as well as create soft silhouettes

G: Where do you draw your inspiration from?

F: Our core identity is to be able to design for a gentle woman/girl who has a soft spirit for her femininity. I think she finds her power in being kind and gentle. That has been our main inspiration and nature is a core inspiration for us

G: How challenging is it being a designer in South Africa and what is needed to combat these issues?

F: I think much of the challenges arise from thinking that design alone will be enough, because it’s the main thing that is celebrated, and mostly spotlighted. I think there is a lot of gap that hasn’t been explored enough in business and brand building. But these are the things that you have to explore as a designer and teach yourself to first think business then design which seems reversed.

G: What has been your most significant piece that you have ever designed?

F: Our most significant piece we have designed, there is a lot, design is a domino effect in motion, one product design leads to another. On a day to day there are products which are significantly playing a huge role. We will pick based on the project. It’s a 2022 Mbalenhle Gold Dress we created for an exhibition project called “We are Culture”, a Standard Bank exhibition project. The exhibition was creatively directed and curated by Bee DiamondHead. We pick this piece because creatively, we really pushed ourselves, because it was an exhibition project.