confections x collections

The third annual CONFECTIONS x COLLECTIONS was a much-anticipated fashion showcase, celebrating the continent’s leading slow fashion designers. Curated by Twyg, an independent fashion and sustainability publication, the five-day event aligned with the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel’s 125th anniversary, cementing its position as one of Cape Town’s vibrant cosmopolitan hubs.

This year’s line-up included two South African designers: LVMH Prize winner and 2023 Amiri Prize winner Lukhanyo Mdingi, who blends artisanal craft with modernity; and Johannesburg-based designer RICH MNISI, known for his bold expression of Tsonga culture and craftsmanship. Also on the list this year was Nigerian-based designers Bubu Ogisi of IAMISIGO, known as a ‘fibre artist’ for wearable art that brings ancient African textile techniques to the fore, and 2023 International Woolmark Prize winner, Adeju Thompson of Lagos Space Programme, who explores the past and future through sartorial expressions of their Yoruba culture. Celebrating 125 years of Mount Nelson, the fifth and final evening of this year’s CxC edition will saw a group show that brought together previous and current CxC designers. Including the aforementioned designers as well as VIVIERS Studio, CHULAAP, Wanda Lephoto, MANTSHO by Palesa Mokubung, Sindiso Khumalo, MmusoMaxwell, and MAXHOSA AFRICA.

With the growing global interest in young African talent, I am excited to bring together South Africa’s new wave of designers with two of our West African counterparts. At its core, CxC is underpinned by excellence in sustainable design and a diversity of fashion storytelling, and we aim to honour and celebrate these enduring qualities, once again, this November,” says Jackie May, founder and editor of Twyg. 

From the fashion on offer to the style of the guests, the event was a visual feast that celebrated bold expressions and refined elegance. Guests showcased their unique flair, donning everything from avant-garde silhouettes to timeless classics, blending textures, colours, and cultural influences.