confections x collection | chulaap

Confections x Collections, presented by the Belmond Mount Nelson and curated by Twyg, is an annual showcase of a new wave of designers on the African continent who have emerged with a multiplicity of stories in the form of textiles and fashion. 

Marking his return to the showcase this year was Thailand-born, South African-based designer, Chu Suwannapha, fondly known as the ‘Prince of Prints’. Before starting his own fashion label in 2016, Chu worked as an editor for several fashion magazines, including Fairlady, YOU and Drum. By incorporating traditional techniques of origami, batik and embroidery with African print, Chulaap is representative of the rich cosmopolitanism and diversity of the African continent. Chulaap is renowned for its eclectic patterns and mismatched style. By playing around with patterns and textures, Chu finds a perfect harmony within the mixed, or ‘clashing’, patterns.

Suwannapha blends the visual vernaculars of his home country with his adopted home of Cape Town. Inspired by anything from majestic Cape nature to how people dress at the city’s taxi rank, his collections have a thoughtful and often profound connection to place.