Fashion
South African Fashion Week Makes Its Return
South African Fashion Week (SAFW) will return in April 2026 after a year-long break. This event is not just coming back, it promises to appeal to more people.
The South African Fashion Week was founded in 1997 with the goal of connecting designers and investors. It is held twice a year in Johannesburg to transform creative collections into fashion businesses. It promises to put South Africa designers on the global stage.

Photo: Instagram
However, the decision to pause the event in 2025 was to make it more sustainable. According to SAFW founder and director Lucilla Booyzen, the conventional system of large runway shows no longer reflected the current realities facing designers.
“After 28 years of shaping the South African designer fashion industry, I began to notice a gradual but unmistakable shift in how fashion operates,” Booyzen tells Vogue Business. “Instability in the supply chain has made fabric sourcing unsustainable, unpredictable and costly. Production costs have increased, while opportunities for visibility and retail presence for designer-led brands have reduced.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is another factor that contributed to the pause. Many South African designers shifted to digital sales models like Instagram and WhatsApp. Consumers now prefer buying directly through social media apps which pushed organisers to rethink strategy.

Photo: Instagram
Read Also: 3 Fashion Trends We’re Glad to Leave Behind in 2025.
The event now has a hybrid structure which combines physical runway shows with expanded digital participation. This digital participation includes livestreamed runway shows, where collections presented on the physical runway are broadcast online in real time and enhanced social media integration where backstage moments and interviews are shown on TikTok and YouTube. This will give South African designers more global exposure.

Photo: Instagram
Initiatives such as the New Talent Search and national student competitions will be introduced to support creatives. By changing its format, SAFW hopes to position South African designers to make them compete favorably with their peers around the world.
This new hybrid format will allow digital participation, enabling wider international access and South African designers reach new markets.
Fashion
Thabee Happy’s Little White Dress Delivers Big Style Energy
Thabee Happy has built a reputation for making simple outfits look refined, and her latest look proves exactly why her fashion content continues to connect with audiences online.
The influencer and content creator, recognised for beauty-focused content and fitted, high-glamour outfits, kept the styling minimal in a white mini dress that still stood out. With more than a million followers across social platforms, Thabee has become recognised for turning clean, straightforward pieces into memorable fashion moments.

Thabee Happy – Instagram
The dress is simple but distinctive. The halter neckline includes soft floral detailing at the collar, while the draped front brings shape to the look without taking away from its clean structure. Rather than relying on heavy embellishments or layered styling, the outfit is defined by fit and tailoring.
White dresses can easily look bridal or overly predictable, but this version feels current and refined. The mini length gives the outfit a sharper edge, while the draping softens the overall look without overpowering it.
Her styling choices also stand out. White strappy heels continue the monochrome look, and the structured brown designer handbag introduces contrast that breaks up the all-white styling.

Thabee Happy – Instagram
The outfit works because it does not rely on trend-heavy styling or excessive accessories. Instead, it shows how a well-fitted dress and careful styling can still feel fresh in a fashion space often dominated by louder trends.
Thabee’s content largely focuses on glamour, beauty and fashion, and this outfit fits naturally within that direction. At the same time, it reflects a more restrained approach to dressing that allows the clothing itself to remain the focal point.
No dramatic layering or excessive accessories. Just a little white dress proving that simple styling can still feel modern.
Fashion
Tyla Wears Peacock-Inspired Custom Valentino at the 2026 Met Gala
South African star Tyla arrived at the 2026 Met Gala in a custom Valentino creation designed by Alessandro Michele. While many guests chose a more expressive styling direction for the night, her look prioritised texture, structure and fluid motion in the fabric.
The design paired a peacock-blue satin skirt with a thigh-high slit and a long trailing hem. The bodice carried crystal chains, silver beadwork and sheer panels, giving the upper section a jewellery-like finish. Instead of covering the entire gown in decoration, the detailing was concentrated around the bodice.

Tyla – Instagram
Following her arrival, several fashion publications pointed to the peacock reference behind the look. Tyla described it as a peacock-inspired Valentino piece with crystal embroidery and feather-like accents. Tyla referenced the inspiration during carpet interviews.
The turquoise satin skirt provided contrast to the heavily detailed upper section, keeping the design structured overall. Blue heels, layered diamond jewellery and hanging crystal accessories supported the styling choices without taking focus away from the gown.

Tyla – Instagram
This appearance continues Tyla’s developing approach to Met Gala dressing. In 2024, she wore the widely discussed Balmain sand dress that was altered during the event. In 2025, she shifted towards tailored design in a Jacquemus outfit inspired by André Leon Talley. The Valentino look for 2026 brought together aspects of both years, combining bold decoration with a cleaner, more refined shape.
The 2026 Met Gala theme, “Fashion Is Art”, encouraged guests to interpret fashion through creative direction. Tyla’s Valentino outfit stood out through its crystal work, structured form and peacock-inspired tones, becoming one of the night’s most talked-about fashion moments.
Fashion
Bonang Matheba Reinterprets Miranda Priestly at “The Devil Wears Prada 2” Johannesburg Premiere
At the Johannesburg premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2, Bonang Matheba did not simply follow the theme; she approached it with precision. While the event invited guests to interpret the world of high-fashion authority, her appearance stood out through structured tailoring and a clear reference to the film’s visual language.
She wore a sharply tailored black pinstripe suit, designed with details that pushed it beyond a standard power suit. The jacket carried exaggerated, sculpted shoulders that shifted focus to the upper body. A deep plunging lapel opened into a corset-style bodice, creating contrast between coverage and form. The styling reflected the controlled authority associated with Miranda Priestly.

Bonang Matheba – Instagram
The pinstripes shifted in direction and spacing, narrowing at the waist to define the shape. Around the bust, the lines broke into circular formations, creating a graphic, high-contrast effect. This detail moved the outfit away from a corporate reference into a more stylised direction.
The skirt followed a long, pencil cut, maintaining a clean vertical line. There was no added volume or layering, keeping the overall finish precise and direct.

Bonang Matheba – Instagram
Her accessories aligned with the look. Narrow black sunglasses referenced the character’s signature detached presence. A bold red lip added contrast to the monochrome outfit, while her hair was pulled back tightly to keep attention on the structure of the outfit.
Footwear followed the same sharp direction, with pointed black heels that extended the clean lines.

Bonang Matheba – Instagram
The look worked because of its reference point and its restraint. In a setting where many leaned into themed dressing, this approach avoided excess. It showed clear direction and strong styling choices while still feeling current.
Among multiple interpretations in the room, her look felt less like imitation and more like reinterpretation. It reworked a familiar fashion idea into something suited to her public image, while keeping the original influence clear.
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