ASA SADAN reveals its inaugural collaboration with none other than Xzavier Zulu, a creative consultant, art director and fashion designer who explores aspects of culture, fashion and music with established and emerging brands, platforms and communities to exchange practices, learnings and insights to sustain the developing dialogue on sustainability. He is also a conceptual and creative brand based in a global community led with the nuances of South African culture.
ASA SADAN is a heritage, luxury apparel brand based in, and operating out of Cape Town, South Africa. The brand references themes and motifs from South Africa’s rich cultural and political history, shedding light on the contributions of various ethnic groups and organisations in the struggle for freedom and liberation. The brand also serves as a medium through which the historical ancestral narrative and lived experience of the African-Asian diaspora may be told. Named after Mohamed’s grandmother, the name ‘ASA’ (pronounced ‘ay’ – ‘sah’) is a Malaysian/Indonesian adaptation of the Persian name of the same spelling (pronounced ‘ah’-‘sah’), with a multitude of meanings including: ‘beautification’, ‘adornment’, ‘might’, ‘power’ and ‘capability’.“
“The aim was to collaborate with someone perhaps unexpected at face value, yet truly aligns with the brand manifesto. Xzavier’s utilitarian approach to design complements the ASA SADAN design positioning at the intersection of form and function. The brand opened up its archive of silhouettes, which were redefined through the collaborative effort utilising ASA SADAN’s library of technical fabrics, with details incorporated through the lens Xzavier Zulu’s upcycling and customisation approach.” says Imran Mohamed, the Founder and Creative Director at ASA SADAN.
Taking everyday experiences informed Xzavier Zulu on how to approach and edit silhouettes within ASA SADAN’s archive, utilising the existing textiles library within the house, introducing unique details, resulting in the collaborative designs reflected within the Resort offering.
“Sizing was a huge factor for me when I thought about this collection. ASA SADAN was the first local brand that didn’t have to size me at a XXXL to make me feel comfortable in their clothes. I felt seen.” says Xzavier. “I wanted to highlight that, firstly. Secondly, coming from my time in Europe, I wanted to have the collection reflect my travelling woes – having clothes that could wash and dry within an hour, for example, was a big part of that process. The fabrication led to a nylon-based range, which is perfect for the summer-time. This is something for everyone,” Xzavier reveals more behind the inspiration.
With both brands having experience in creating moments between lifestyle and sustainability, “We wanted to create a Resort Capsule, as a perfect embodiment of the Cape Town summer time. An offering that allows for the creation of looks that move seamlessly between beach life during the day, to dinners on a warm summer’s evening.” says Imran Mohamed.
The capsule is available exclusively through AKJP, Cape Town
Campaign Credits:
Creative Direction: Imran Mohamed @i__h__m and Xzavier Kunene @xzavierzulu
Photography: Larnelle Bakala @lordnelle
Videography: Larnelle Bakala @lordnelle and Vahid Davids @vahiddavids Editing & Color Grading: Sulaiman Peck
Stylist: Imran Mohamed @i__h__m and Xzavier Kunene @xzavierzulu
Art Direction: Xzavier Kunene @xzavierzulu
Photography (Collection): Byron Geduld @byrongeduld
Model: Amy Florence @amyflorencex and Zandi Pretorius @zandi_pretorius
Copywriter: Lelo Meslani @lelowhatsgood
Written by: Holly Beaton
