Meet our True Fashion, Try on Green Mentees

Earlier this year, the French Institute of South Africa and the Goethe Institut South Africa, with the support of the Franco-German Cultural Fund, conceptualised a fashion mentorship programme through a call for applications to identify and support young emerging designers who are the future of sustainable South African fashion.

Joined by an esteemed jury of experts in the fashion industry; Buki Akomolafe (Germany- Nigeria), Lukhanyo Mdingi (South Africa), Nadine Gonzalez (France) and Olga Pham (Germany – France), we received an overwhelming response of projects from around the country for the True Fashion, Try on Green programme. After a tough deliberation process, the jury proudly selected Burton Miles, Khumo Morojele, Nkosazana Hlalethwa, Xola Maxoba and Zovuyo Mputa, whose project proposals were the strongest in addressing some of the most urgent issues concerning building sustainable design practices.

For the last few months, each of the selected designers has been fully immersed in the True Fashion, Try on Green programme, which has included ongoing mentorship by the judges as well as a cluster of workshops that have helped each mentee to think deeply about sustainability from a business, content, material and theoretical approach. Join us over the next few weeks as we profile each of the sustainable designers and their work.

Watch this video to find out more about True Fashion, Try on Green

Video credits:

Score: Albany Lore

DOP: Robin Taylor

Assistants: Alex Zonomessis and Keenan Brown