It’s easy to lose hope in a world with so many issues, but when we observe the youth – today’s designers and emerging brands – we remember all is not lost. We turn our gaze now to KwaZulu-Natal, where we spoke to Alexandra van Heerden of VANKLAN, a fashion brand that champions sustainability and social transformation by developing exquisite and immaculately crafted one-off designs that all have a crucial story to tell.
Glamour: Your work is unconventional and exceptionally creative. When you observed the landscape of South Africa, what motivated you to produce this kind of work?
Alexandra van Heerden: I’ve always wanted my designs to represent what I stand for as an individual. I present my designs as an appreciation of the melting pot of cultures in South Africa. For example, my first collection in 2019 was inspired by the eccentricities and playfulness of the iconic Durban busker (men and women who paint themselves white and stand at robots entertaining local people). I enjoy using bold and eccentric colours as I believe they reflect our Rainbow Nation, our South Africa. I believe in telling stories. My most recent collection implements an unconventional form of fashion sustainability through collaboration with two local charities: the Kloof and Highway SPCA and the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust. Drawing inspiration from and collaborating with these influential South African non-profit organisations means my work becomes a visual representation of the work they do, which is really close to my heart, and that of many South Africans.
This story is from the Winter 2021 edition of GLAMOUR South Africa.
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This story is from the Winter 2021 edition of GLAMOUR South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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