When I think of the sheer dynamism that it takes to evolve a fashion label authentically in accordance with its designer’s own evolution – I think of Neo Serati Mofammere’s brand, Nao Serati. With a slight alteration to his birth name, Neo becomes Nao – and within this landscape of a ‘brand’, or rather a artistic enclave,  Neo shapes a world in which he can seek continual creative solace – and hurdles – exhuming his creative viewpoint from all the known and unknown crevices that such creative energy lays in wait, for us to take it up and channel it towards its rightful place.

Nao Serati’s origin year is often written as 2014 – but as Neo tells me, he feels its actual origin is perhaps a few years later. Another fact often attached to Nao Serati is the term ‘athleisure’ – a realm in which Neo’s initial design dexterity first appeared – the functionality and boundary-dissolving aspects of this category, later used as formidable assets for Neo’s ascent as one of the most indelible garment constructors that I have seen in some time. This is where the dynamism comes in; for Neo, it’s not about shedding an ‘athleisure’ tagline – rather, it’s about taking those formative codes, and applying them to his present, changing viewpoint. I’m talking pieces that instantly strike one as arising from complex patterns – cut-outs, collaged fabric, oversized and billowing sleeves, the symmetry of those seams – and yet, in its final form, every Nao Serati piece is effortless. To strike at the heart of effortless and complex, from a design viewpoint, is the route to mastery. To me, a mastery that Neo is fast approaching.

“I must admit, 2014 is probably when I was in third year – so I was a bit too ambitious, maybe, but the concept for Nao Serati had definitely been born by then, at least – I was entering competitions then, I think. It’s probably only a few years later that the brand became a fully-fledged business. I went to art school, and after I was finished – I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. We had fashion shows at the school, and it was one of the experiences I loved the most about art school. Around that time, 2011 and 2012, was a really exciting time for fashion – I think what we are experiencing now in fashion in the country, it’s important to remember it was seeding during those years.” Neo says in our conversation – and I ask him what his perspective has been, seeing fashion shift from a decade ago to where it is now, “I think our world has become much smaller. There is more within reach and closer to us than ever before – so many designers we know and have access to have gone overseas, and done amazing things internationally, and it’s made the world seem so much closer. Your customer isn’t just in South Africa, they’re everywhere. The South African fashion industry is still a very small environment, but I think everyone is excited to learn new things – I’m seeing a beautiful synergy among older and newer designers, all pursuing new ways of designing and selling. Thula Sindi has a store now – those things are possible.” 

Neo is that unusual fashion force for which styling and design are pathways of mutual experience; you will find his garments moving, and his styling work breathtaking – this is rare. In this year’s summer of Dazed Magazine’s quarterly print – Volume V – Neo was the stylist behind ‘The Law of Desire’, a poignant essay-meets-interview on Desire Marea; singer, sangoma and visionary. The spread, written by Nkgopoleng Moloi with vivid images shot by Tatenda Chidora – Neo’s styling suffused his own brand with Prada, Thebe Magugu – YSL – and all in conveying the richness and texture of Desire’s story. Reflecting on this moment, Neo says “That specific shoot was an important one for me. I was at school with Desiree, and we’d always sit and edit out our school uniforms – it was an incredible moment of affirmation of who I had decided to become, and for both of us, actually. Being able to do that with a close friend – it was an exceptionally full circle moment. I also think seeing it in print – a rare format, these days – made the work so alive and special in the world.”  

Another full circle for Neo has emerged in the form of a collaboration with Reebok – released in October, and as a celebration of South African Pride Month. In this way, the codes of athleisure are always on hand – and pulling up codes of formative years for later year’s work, exemplify Neo’s ability to channel the Nao Serati lens in multiple ways. On this, he says “Just as I was about to sort of quit fashion – Reebok called me and were like, ‘hey, do you feel like doing a little thing?’. This was before COVID happened, and we ended up working on it throughout the pandemic. I think this was a collaboration I needed, especially for my confidence and a hug of recognition. When you run a small business, it’s easy to forget the world – or to really know who sees you and appreciates you – the daily routine of staying afloat. It was never really my goal, but working with Reebok on a global level, brought a new framework for how I can go forward seeing the brand exist.” I ask Neo about his current perspective on the fashion industry right now and his role in it, “Everybody that’s ever tried to intern for me, I’ve been clear that I don’t take interns – it’s not how I work – but I will definitely become friends with you, and have a coffee with you and share the things I’ve learned. I think because I feel like I am still learning, I’m not ready to sit down and say ‘here’s a handbook’ on how to do it.” As for the future of our industry, Neo says “We need more fashion professionals. We need people to take fashion as a part of their career – we need fabric developers, technicians, journalists – we have so much room in South Africa and Africa. The more the merrier. We also can’t all be good at the same thing. A friend of mine was saying that they work in the embroidery department at a big fashion brand – I’m like, is there a whole department dedicated to embroidery? That’s how nuanced the roles can become in this industry.”

Nao Serati doesn’t follow seasons or a collection schedule – one of the freedoms that Neo has given himself, a timeline in which work happens as it comes; a collection will take place, he says, as a way to solidify the ever-evolving vision of the label. I know, no matter what it is, that it will deeply assert Neo’s journey towards wonderful things – and secretly I hope that he will never quit fashion. At least not for a long time.

Written By Holly Bell Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Luxury and streetwear are now fully integrated terms – and a full scale concept, executed more and more on the runway, both locally and internationally. Recently, SA Fashion Week returned with another standout showcase of the best designers and labels in the country – and this season, REFUSE Clothing brand, founded by Malcolm Mokgope and Minenhle Memela proved among stars of the week, winning the ‘Scouting Menswear 2022’ competition. As alumni of Durban University of Technology renowned Fashion & Textiles department – which I argue is one of the best fashion schools in the country – Malcolm and Minenhle are forces to be reckoned with in African sartorial story-telling through a contemporary lens. Post-DUT, the duo are heading towards scaling REFUSE in Joburg; and their vision for Zulu-enriched streetwear is set to form a critical part of our country’s immense ascent in fashion. We are incredibly honoured to share the first look at their winning AW23 collection, and with REFUSE archiving and creating culture simultaneously – I caught up with Malcolm to discuss the brand’s origin, winning the prize and what lies ahead. 

In Chapter 06 ‘The Ascent of Streetwear’ of Interlude – our monthly fashion column – I noted the mysterious nature of REFUSE, albeit incredibly intriguing, saying, “Refuse boasts some of the most intriguing and varied array of garments we have seen in a while – with an editorial and brand identity that is incredibly strong. The design nuances of their collections in the last few years have seen the brand drop suits, bags, shirts – alongside streetwear staples like tees and trackies. Their discreet brand story leaves the brand a mysterious enigma in the local scene – whatever the story is, it’s working overtime.” and it turns out, the mystery was the brand’s behind-the-scenes build up to this year’s AW23 at SA Fashion Week. I remember when writing Chapter 06, how distinctly REFUSE stood out as well-fabricated and constructed streetwear offering – now, with the knowledge that both Malcolm and Minenhle are trained designers emerging from DUT; this is not simply tees and hoodies territory- REFUSE is laying down a realm of accessible, luxury ready-to-wear conveyed through their viewpoint of streetwear. 

“Minenhle and I started seeding this idea in varsity, at DUT. During our first year, we each had our own brands – but it became clear that if we partnered, we could build something great. The name itself, ‘REFUSE’, is a play on what people view as trash. We started thrifting in varsity, but as a way to investigate garments – we would deconstruct them, open them up and see how we could apply our findings towards other garments. We like to challenge the notion of channelling trash to luxury – you know, taking the principles of perfectly great clothing that’s been thrown away, and elevating it. The name is a double-pun too – ‘REFUSE’ is also our statement against what society tells us we should be, or how we should be. We want our label to push originality.” Malcolm explains, and offers a sense of clarity around why REFUSE comes off, instantly, as an expression of streetwear that is technically advanced from a construction standpoint. Defining themselves distinctly as streetwear, REFUSE is honing on their set of design codes that invest in high quality – with the vision for Malcolm and Minenhle asserting itself alongside Palace, Daily Paper and Rhude. Regarding the label’s roots in KZN, Malcolm says, “The brand originates in Durban, but we are slowly moving the brand to Joburg. Durban is quite slow when it comes to fashion – and there’s nothing wrong with that, too – and so much of our viewpoint was enriched by Durban and KZN. I think where we see the brand heading – nationally and then internationally – we want REFUSE to be a South African brand as a whole, and not confined to one part of the country.”

Regarding perseverance – a key asset of any designer heading towards big things – REFUSE stunned at SA Fashion Week in late October, winning the ‘Scouting Menswear 2022’ competition. Interestingly, Malcolm tells me, this win comes at a major shift that he and Minenhle had to make – refining the label’s position and story-telling, “We entered the competition last year, and we didn’t win. I don’t like defeat – I take it as a challenge to do better, and get better. So we had to do it again. We fixed our loopholes and came back with a stronger story – we showed up much better prepared. Last year, we were very anxious – so this year, we came in with a renewed confidence, and I think the clothes really speak for themselves.” With a key focus on story-telling – a defining feature we are seeing of leading designers like Thebe Magugu, Wanda Lepotho and Lukhanyo Mdingi – REFUSE have spent the last year, leading up to this season, honing in on what they aim to communicate with their clothing, “When we went up this time around, we unpacked our culture in a really deep way. With REFUSE, we tell a KZN story – specifically Nguni, Zulu – so each garment represents a Zulu / Nguni story, and then the larger story of the collection. We wanted our culture to form the codes of the collection, and the theme of the competition was “sports” – this gave us a space to translate our cultural expression through a very functional, clean canvas of sports and utility dressing. Last year, we focused on sustainability in our collection as quite literal – this year, we showcased sustainability as ‘designing for the future’ – what about cultural and community sustainability?  With sustainability defined by long-lasting, quality fabrication.” 

The pieces themselves are reflective epitaphs from Malcolm and Minenhle to their ancestry and lineage – with knitwear developed to honour Zulu King, Cetshwayo – and another traditional knitwear, Ingwe, which is worn during events like weddings and gatherings, on this Malcolm says, “We wanted to see these aspects of our culture be able to exist in a contemporary, modern way. There’s another two pieces in the collection, featuring ancient Zulu Kings and Queens – and I made it abstract, so you wouldn’t be able to tell unless you knew. I also put us, our team behind REFUSE, into the print – to unify us with our lineages, as we are leading for the future like kings, too. During SA Fashion Week, we had an amazing response – with buyers talking to us about what the steps would be to get this to Paris and London.” With the brand seeing through a path from runway, to being stocked at Merchants on Long (luxury, South African design’s favourite home) – it feels like the journey is incredibly powerful and clear for Malcolm and Minenhle. South African sartorial consciousness & streetwear – soon to be seen as a jewel in the crown of African design, all over the world. REFUSE Clothing Brand reminds me why I return to fashion, again and again. 

Editorial Credits:

Creative Directors:

Minenhle Memela 

Malcolm Mokgope 

Art Director:

Minenhle Memela 

Lungelo Shezi 

Photographer:

Tatenda Chidora 

Videographer:

Emihle Dlamini

Styling:

Mfundo Memela 

Khanyi Mdletshe 

Makeup:

Aime Lekota 

Talent:

Onke Mpokeli 

Clifford Zulu 

Moshito 

Thami Ndlovu 

Written By Holly Bell Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Heysous Apparel’s second instalment was heavily inspired by 90’s street, skate and club culture. We were going for a nostalgic feel, apparel that serves to give the user an embrace from their youth. Our goal with this drop as well as our company ethos is to always be inspirational, positive in message, and invoke a state of confidence, joy, love, peace and respect. Do with this message what you will. Have fun, and be free in your interpretation. And most of all know that we are incredibly grateful for your contribution. – Marco De Sousa & Deeva Merwe

The city of Cape Town sprawls further than the CBD, Woodstock & the Southern Suburbs than we might recognise; with 4.7 million folks stretching across the peninsula, we are a city of dreamers – ‘chilled’ – with a reputation for seeding some of the best brands that reflect these precise sentiments. We may not be as fast-paced as our kin in Joburg, but we certainly get it done. Heysous Apparel is a passion-project brand drenched entirely in this spirit; and at CEC, we have had them on our radar for a while. For our monthly fashion column, Interlude, they were one of the local streetwear brands I wrote about for our ‘Ascent of Local Streetwear’ edition, – saying, “Heysous hail from sunny Cape Town – a colourful, joyful ode to friendship and fun, alongside a wonderful size inclusivity. Their offerings are notable for the graphic print tees (our favourite is the Abra A Sua Mente tee depicting consciousness awakening) and bubble style typography, with mantras like “change cometh” and “guided by love”. Priding themselves on responsibly sourced fabrics and local production; we love to see the spirit of Cape Town’s textile heritage celebrated in a youthful way, for everyone.”

With summer ahead, and for their second drop ever, ‘More Spirit Than Flesh’ Capsule 02 Heysous’ co-founders Marco de Sousa and Deeva Merwe continue their joyful charge – and for their campaign, exclusively launched here on CEC, we are thrilled to showcase the work of a dear friend of the publication, Koos Groenewald. In a truly Capetonian style of collaboration – Koos, Deeva and Marco met synchronistically at Stellski’s in Woodstock – and thus, ‘Promdate’ was eventually born. With equipment, models – and Disco Creative’s Founder Candice Hatting in tow (as Koos says, far too qualified to be his assistant, but too fabulous in her ability to make people feel excited and welcome) – Koos captures the energy of Strand promenade – inviting people on their daily mission to join in on the fun. We can’t think of a more delightful way than to spread the intention of Heysous – and celebrate the city and its people. 

Koos explains, “Heysous is a passion project – and so the capsule campaigns felt like it should reflect that, too. We wanted to focus on showing the brand’s ethos of encouraging people to creatively express themselves. I told them about this idea that I had, to go to the Strand and do a street-casting shoot because there’s always such amazing people there. I know the area because my parents moved there 10 years ago, and whenever I visit – I’ve always said I wanted to document the people. There’s such a richness and realness in the people and characters cruising along the promenade.” The result is brightly lit images evocative of that feeling of being by the sea on a summer’s day – when the sand is reflecting its luminescence in lieuw of the sun, and the air is salt-stained and fresh. With beautiful, redheaded models – and appearances from the incredible people of Strand, the campaign is nostalgia & newness effortlessly synthesised – beckoning us to dive into the season ahead with utter gratitude for being alive, and for being South African. Koos says on the task of street-casting, “We bought three cast models with us, to make sure we had people to work with – so we didn’t leave it entirely up to chance-casting – in the end, we didn’t need models because everyone was so keen to be shot. What was an unexpected and beautiful turn of events, is that the models and people ended up being shot together – there was such a sense of unity in how it all worked out.” 

Marco reflects on the drop tself, “This is our second drop, and we’ve been around for a year. This round, we wanted to do something really punchy and small-scale, with the view to drop bi-annually or tri-annually. We wanted to reference 90s, skate and club culture – invoking a sense of nostalgia – so playing in that space, and having that conversation with Koos – his idea of going to Strand was perfect. We trusted him implicitly to do whatever he wanted with it. Heysous is about spreading light, love and happiness – and the campaign reflects that perfectly.” For Marco and Deeva, Heysous is a ‘side’ project (thought no less important, just parallel to their respective businesses and work) – so the brand itself is a critical space in which they can both have total free reign with, creatively. The capsule features an array of tees, plaid and corduroy pants – fit for function, and fun. A notable thread throughout the Heysous design code is the feature of epitaphs – both in English and Portuguese – the latter, a nod to Marco’s heritage. On this, he says, “I add a lot of Portuguese sayings that family used to say to us – they’re personal nods. One of the phrases in this drop, “Quem vê cara não vê coração” is Portuguese and translates to “He who sees a face does not see a heart.” Sometimes I try to disguise the emotion with the Portuguese. I know we can’t always be happy, but I think we can have meaning close to us, especially with what we wear. I find people shy away from the vulnerable embrace or openness in fashion, so this is our way of doing that.”

Some notes personal notes from Marco on the featured garments: 

All our fabric is sourced, dyed and produced locally.

Quem Vê Cara – T

“Quem vê cara não vê coração” is Portuguese and translates to “He who sees a face does not see a heart. 

– Pearl of wisdom taught to me by my Portuguese grandparents. 

Show Me Love – T

Based on the 90’s club track from Robin S, “Show me Love”. 

– The lyrics are all about self-respect and self-worth, ideals that we want this brand to stand for. 

More Spirit Than Flesh – T

No two atoms ever touch, we are more spirit than flesh.

– I like the idea of looking at science and an ethereal lens 

Shop the ‘More Spirit Than Flesh’ Capsule 02 here

CREDITS

Client: Heysous @heysous

Photography & Creative Direction: Koos Groenewald @koooooos

Production & Casting: Disco @discocreatives / @discocasting

Talent: My friend Ned @myfriendned

Models:

Robin @ruobing_j

Dean @_dean_hunter_

Thomas @thomasfartstern 

With special thanks to the people of Strand. 

Written By Holly Bell Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za