Daniel Sher is the unofficial mayor of Bree St, as far I’m concerned. This could be seen as a relatively new occurrence – since his concept store, Duck Duck Goose, was only officially born on the 15th December 2020 – but already the space functions as a nexus for the city’s creative community, while showcasing a very refined study on why brick-and-mortar remains critical for fashion, design and retail. This launch date is correct – I am not kidding in stating that Daniel opened Duck Duck Goose at the strained apex of the pandemic; a wild decision rooted in a optimistic, fervent imagination of the future; but if you know Daniel, this boldness is part of who he is; a creative instigator juggling many projects, collaborations and ideas held within his vision – and making them happen, too. Positioning DDG opposite Clarke’s Diner and next to his friends at Max Bagel’s / Leo’s Wine Bar, the store is a Daniel-esque spin on a flagship store for his much loved brand, Good Good Good, and a home for some of South Africa’s most critically acclaimed designers – from Thebe Magugu, Wanda Lephoto, Beau Beau to Asa Sadan and more. As far as being the mayor, I say this as there is a certain imprint that Daniel leaves across the city, one that can be most centrally felt at the stretch of Bree where no.120 is located, but that has a far reaching effect on the sort of design and creative scene many of us wish to see (and are seeing) established in Cape Town and South Africa at large.
Chatting to Daniel for this interview perched at a table outside Clarke’s, he is multi-tasking our conversation, a lager and and greeting friends passing by – social and assured, there is always a sense that Daniel is up to something – which is part of why this conversation is occurring at this time, in which there is a moment to breathe; a time to reflect and introspect on Duck Duck Goose and everything before it, and what is to come. Candice, our publication’s founder, created CEC for this very reason; to tell stories of pioneers in South Africa’s creative scene. As far as the store is concerned, Daniel says “Duck Duck Goose is the place where most of my focus and energy is going at the moment. Good Good Good had a really big year last year, and I actually got so burnt out that I couldn’t go into the factory for three months – as I was at a point where responding to simple emails was terrifying, because I was overthinking as a result of not being able to think. I really considered checking myself into a place… somewhere for people who work too hard on too many projects and reach the dead-end which I now know as burnout. I spent those months looking after my son, and trying to recalibrate my dedication to these various spaces.”
Last year was not only packed for the brand, but for the other production that Daniel oversees at his wife, Paige Sher’s, family factory – one of the last manufacturers of local clothing left in Cape Town’s heritage textile landscape. In this way, there is a roadmap for Daniel’s pathway as a designer and businessman; the preservation of the heirloom factory, Jacqui Couture, with Daniel’s primary focus as the section newly named Together MFG. From this vantage point, Good Good Good was born – a menswear (although their collections are typically fluid in silhouette and form) label that spent many years on the SA Fashion Week circuits, garnering a cult-like following from creatives on the scene. In relaying the events of last year, Daniel recalls, ‘’In March last year, we were featured on Vogue Italia for the Hope Collection launch, with a collaborative film featuring the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Then we did the April’s Fool Collection with our friend Willy Hobson – and even at that point, with the obsession for detail that the team has, each product is scrutinised over, and over again. So what seems like a really fun, tongue-in-cheek drop or beautiful story – which they are in essence – also has a lot of blood, sweat and tears put into it. I think any local designers or brand will tell you the same; how much is really required to bring these ideas into being, and make them feasible for the longevity of the brand’s financial and creative health. We also care about our products standing alongside international expectations, there is no reason why South African design shouldn’t be in Dover Street Market – and that’s already happening.”
Daniel’s earnestness is always a pleasure to listen to, and always delivered with a dose of humour. A huge moment punctuating 2021 was Milan Fashion Week, and Daniel let us in on the lead up to that defining moment; “I actually tried to pull out of Milan, I CC’d everyone into an email a month before saying we couldn’t do it. They came back to me and said they’d put us on the press release, that the announcement had been done – we were on the bill – and it was really clear there was no backing out. Sara Maino the editor of Vogue Italia had put us on, but the dread and sense of defeat I was experiencing was debilitating. At that point I entrusted most of what was ahead to Masego (Morgan), our former creative strategist, and Lazola (Gola) – I had no creative juice, and they really put something together that was testament to why the brand is what it is; it’s for our friends and community, and their ability to take the reins when I couldn’t is something I am eternally grateful for. Even in the film, you can see me trying to muster up some kind of enthusiasm that just wasn’t there.” While brand building is difficult anywhere in the world, this story somewhat speaks to the gaping void in South Africa’s fashion industry for support, infrastructure and funding. Good Good Good, like many others before, alongside and ahead of it, is a brand built from the sheer determination of a small team of local visionaries – and it’s not always known just how intense that can be.
For now, Good Good Good is quiet on the social media front. Last year, the content was abundant and is always an in-house production – which is part of why Daniel is currently leaning on Duck Duck Goose. The space speaks to Daniel’s life in the way he exists in this part of town anyway, and creating a flagship store micro in size has allowed him to have a home for Good Good Good, while stocking other brands that strengthen and consolidate an experience of tactility for those who champion and support local design; “the store has become such a cool a way for us to find new ways of doing everything we wanted. We can have a sale at the store for all the rejects at the factory – rather than a fleeting pop up store. We can curate brands that are aligned with us, and in a way, hopefully contribute to a picture of what South African design looks like right now. The factory, the store and the brand is one big ecosystem, and a lot of people might not know that. I’m proud that we have a very clear, very clean supply chain that provides us with a sense of autonomy that is becoming increasingly difficult in the world today – and remains a positive contribution to local livelihoods.”
The store itself was totally gutted and built in line with what was needed – down to the intricate mosaic depicting the humour of Duck Duck Goose. The store comes alive on First Thursday, and the last time I was there I was quite emotional by the dynamic presence of people, drinks in hand, dancing outside outside 120 Bree after two years of lock-downs and isolation. On this, Daniel says, “We repurposed the windows and remodelled the latch window after a radio station in London called NTS – a crazy hole in the wall booth that everyone’s favourite artists and performers has done a set at. We built the desk to be able to fit decks – and our intention was to activate the space. I think having a physical space for brands is great and necessary, but giving city spaces a multi-functional purpose is what I see as the future. First Thursday gives us a free-pass with licensing, but the road ahead is to continue bridging the store and brand with music. That intersection of interests for me, personally, is part of what I have realised is going to keep me going.”
Daniel’s philosophy is to empower South African designers for a global audience, while creating a life in Cape Town that weaves effortlessly with his friends and peers. Duck Duck Goose is the third step on this journey – with many steps ahead. As a devotee of alliterative triptych, the number three feels like an auspicious one indeed. If you haven’t visited the store on a First Thursday; we urge you to go on 2 June. A mensch and a maverick, we can’t wait to see what Daniel does next.
/// Image credits:
Duck Duck Goose by @francesmarais
Daniel by@koooooos
Written by: Holly Bell Beaton
