A little earlier in the year, a mysterious campaign cropped up on my feed. A brand simply titled ‘KADE’, the campaign featured South African fashion titans like Chloe Andrea Welgemoed (Thebe’s art director), Tamara Moeng (model extraordinaire) and more – shot by Aart Verrips. The images depict a brand so startling, original, colourful and exemplary of good craftsmanship, that I simply had to know more. Cue, this conversation with Skyler Kade Williams – the designer behind KADE and one half Joburg fashion scene’s cult-secret (not-so-secret, secret), Stylist’s Own. This wardrobe studio is one of the strongest weapons in the arsenal of many of Joburg’s best stylists, offering rentals of pieces by young designers – with some stylists even keeping their own archives on the rails for rental. By stylists, for stylists…the dream. 

Not many stylists can be designers; usually, the symbiotic relationship between stylist and designer are perfect in that they fulfil different roles in the realm of sartorial expression. One creates the vision, the other brings that vision alive through campaigns, commercials, editorials and so on. When a stylist does dare to venture to the cutting room floor, one hopes for a foolproof articulation of garment creation. KADE, it seems, is precisely that. As Skyler says on the relationship to styling as his foundational learning in the fashion industry, “ ‘Stylists Own’ is a space that caters to young designers, offering them the opportunity to have their brands rented by stylists for shoots. We show them how the system works and connect with stylists on their behalf, and in return they receive a commission for the rentals of their pieces. Being in this kind of space really inspired me to start designing.” Stylist’s Own is the brainchild of South African fashion veteran, Nola Williams. As Skyler’s mom, the two now run the space, as he says, “my mom has been a stylist for thirty years so I grew up being on set and being fascinated with that world. I actually ended up doing a biomedical degree after school, but I would find myself skipping lectures to assist stylists for shoots. That grew and grew, I started getting my own jobs and meeting people in fashion.”

Few designers get the kind of go-ahead to take the plunge. For Skyler, the proverbial nod of approval came from none other than  Rich Mnisi. What more could one ask for? “I met Rich on a Johnny Walker job a few years ago when I was assisting Bee Diamondhead and he was really lovely. I had made this one floral satin shirt – which was the first thing I had ever made – and I went to ask Bradley, his brand manager, what he thought. Rich answered the door and he asked me to make matching pants, and he wore that to Paris Fashion Week as one of his looks.” This moment had a lasting effect on Skyler’s vision for creating a brand that wove together his instincts as a stylist and his talent for construction, “KADE is born from my fascination with upcycling. It’s hard to scale it, so it’s a work in progress in terms of my business model, but to create once off, customised pieces that are up-cycled is the primary focus of KADE.”

On the genesis of KADE’s first campaign, Skyler explains that “I pulled in our community to create KADE’s first campaign – Aart (Verrips), Chloe (Welgemoed) and so on. Fashion is a competitive space but I am so grateful to be part of a community of fashion creatives who live and work in these spaces as friends.” The first pieces showcase stunning up-cycling feats; the inspiration which feels equally cyber as it does street-relevant. Sklyer says of the motivations behind KADE’s design language, “I grew up as a dancer so KADE is very inspired by 90s music, New York street culture and the freedom of expression in those spaces. I have four or five rails of denim that I’ve thrifted so the next collection will be dedicated to my love for denim – there are different dyes, colours and textures so I’ll be using those to create different ways through upcycling.”

In addition to the launch of KADE, Stylist’s Own is preparing to launch a retail space. This will serve as a continuation of their support for young designers and their commitment to fostering ways and means for stylists, designers and consignor’s to earn money on archives of collections that tend to not have a platform to be sold from. As Skyler says, “we are launching an online retail space called SNATCH which is going to be a retail arm of what we do. We will be encouraging designers to create pieces that are once-off, sustainable and made through up-cycling or regenerative means. South Africa’s thrifting community is huge and I think the next step is for up-cycling within brands to be an extension of that. SNATCH will focus on pre-loved pieces, local designers, upcycling and consignment for anyone who has really cool pieces that they’d like to sell but are finding it hard to do so.” What more could one ever want, than to shop from a platform curated by stylists? Stylists are the backbone of the fashion industry. Truly some of the most industrious, thrifty and dynamic visionaries of sartorial expression, I ask Skyler how being a stylist has informed KADE – to which he says, “there is a big responsibility on stylists to support local designers and to be a part of how local design grows. Being a stylist myself has informed the way in which KADE will interact with customers, respect timelines and qualities – these are all key for designers to be able to deliver on.”

Regarding South Africa’s future of fashion, Skyler affirms the importance of this moment in the industry from the vantage point of Stylist’s Own and SNATCH – in which he interacts daily with people committed to the success of fashion in the country; “I’m very excited about the future. Just this last month with Rich and H&M or Thebe and Orlando Pirates, Wanda and Savanna Dry and Nao with Reebok – these collaborations are really showing us the possibilities ahead. I think it’s interesting to see how bigger, established brands are providing some of the resources or infrastructure for local designers to realise some of their visions. At Stylist’s Own, We see firsthand how these moments can have such a profound impact on young designers who are navigating a really difficult industry.” 

KADE offers the promise of up-cycling, while Skyler exemplifies what it means to be of service in South Africa’s fashion industry. Few are as committed to actionable, sustaining and community-centric network building. Certainly, watch this space.

Campaign Credits ///
Photographer: Aart Verrips @aart.verrips
Art Director & Videographer: @chloeandreawelgemoed
Creative Director: Nola Williams @stylistsown_
Stylist: Skyler Williams @skylerkadewilliams
Make Up HOD:  Annice Roux Gerber @annicemakeup
Hair: Tienie Richards & Gareth Strydom @hairystyles_za & @gigi.hairdid
Video Editor:  Jacob Claassens @jjclaass
Photographer Assistant: Zwele Buthelezi @izwele
Make Up Assistant: Boiketlo Mokoena @boiketlo_mokoena
Make Up Assistant: Kayla Macedo @kaylamacedo.makeup
Stylist Assistant: Jackson Setati @jksnstyles
Production Co-Ordinator: Sophia Lee @sophiatheasian85
Creative Studio: Spaanspeck @spaanspeck
Studio: @sunshinecoza

Written by: Holly Beaton