Why South Africans should support local brands

The South African fashion and design industry is growing rapidly. South African designers such as Sindiso Khumalo, Thebe Magugu, Rich Mnisi, Maxhosa Africa, David Tlale, Gert Johan-Coetzee, Biji La Maison and Lukhanyo Mdingi, to name but a few have proven that local designs can compete on the international market.

However, as the saying “charity begins at home” goes, more South Africans need to get into the habit of supporting local designers.

They don’t have to support the designers mentioned above per se but can support other designers, especially emerging designers, so that they too can grow in the craft.

We have organisations like Proudly South Africa, which are dedicated to pushing local brands by promoting them to the local market by hosting annual events like the Proudly SA Local Summit and Expo, a two-day platform renowned for its innovative convergence of manufacturers, buyers, government officials, policymakers, decision-makers, consumers and business development agencies who all play a fundamental role in the quest for localisation.

On why should we support local designers, Happy MaKhumalo Ngidi, the Proudly South Africa’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, asks, “Why shouldn’t they?”