SAMW AW26 Sets a new benchmark for African Fashion under The Week of Fashion South Africa

South African Menswear Week (SAMW), under the broader vision of The Week of Fashion South Africa (WOF), delivered a bold and undeniable statement with its Autumn/Winter 2026 collections, held from 24 – 25 April at the Longkloof Precinct. Featuring 33 designers, this season marked a defining evolution for the platform, positioning it firmly within an international conversation.

From elevated tailoring to experimental silhouettes, the collections moved confidently between heritage and modernity. There was a clear sense of designers not only refining their craft, but reimagining what African fashion can look and feel like on a global stage.

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Adding to the international narrative, newly crowned Miss World Tanzania 2026, Latricia Ian, opened the show for designer Lele Winnifred, bringing a moment of continental elegance and cross-cultural celebration to the runway. It served as a powerful reflection of the platform’s expanding reach and its commitment to spotlighting African excellence in all its forms.

This season has set a new benchmark, not only for SAMW, but for what The Week of Fashion South Africa is building toward. However, it does not stop here. The momentum now carries into the Spring/Summer 2027 collections, set to take place from 12 – 17 October at a new home following eight seasons at Wonderland Film Studios.

Closing the season will be a special event on 18 October, with further details to be revealed in due course, promising yet another layer to the growing cultural landscape surrounding the platform. As The Week of Fashion continues to evolve, so too does its ambition. What we witnessed this season was not simply a successful showcase, but the foundation of something far greater.

Leon Haasbroek, COO of The Week of Fashion South Africa, comments - “This season elevated the menswear narrative by seamlessly bringing South African Menswear Week and The Womenswear Collections into the broader vision of The Week of Fashion. While my focus as COO was largely on refining the guest and overall experience, it was about elevating the entire experience from not only the designer side, but those attending too. The collections resonated, the energy was felt, and there is a palpable excitement around how we expand the pillars next season.

I have also noticed that the evolution into The Week of Fashion still requires clarity. This is not one single platform, it is an ecosystem that houses key properties such as SAMW, The Womenswear Collections, and the wider cultural and commercial pillars we are building. For too long, our industry has operated in silos. The Week of Fashion is our way of reconnecting the industry under one banner, not only on this platform, but broader externally run projects that have similar objectives.

What sets us apart in Africa is having a global benchmark creative director like Simon. His international production standard ensures that we are not merely presenting local fashion but aligning with a global runway language. This season reminded me how strong our fashion community is. My vision is to leverage that strength, commercialize the platform, and bring the right partners on board to help transform Cape Town into Africa’s Fashion Capitol”