South African designer David Tlale has spent more than two decades establishing himself as one of the country’s most recognisable fashion names.
His latest capsule collection, unveiled at Sun City, celebrated luxury through a South African lens, drawing on craftsmanship, production and the symbolism of royalty.
After the presentation, Tlale spoke about why he believes African designers should focus less on chasing international validation and more on serving local audiences, rebuilding the country’s textile industry and proving that world-class luxury can be proudly made on the continent.
You’ve shown your work in many settings over the years. What made Sun City the right venue for this particular presentation?
Sun City was the perfect setting because this collaboration was about celebrating one of South Africa’s iconic destinations. It represents pride, heritage and excellence, particularly for the North West province.
When you think about the people who have walked through Sun City’s doors — from Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey to Nelson Mandela — it has always been a place associated with stature and prestige. To showcase a David Tlale capsule collection there was a dream come true.
Sun City embraces the idea of royalty in everything it does. Whether you’re enjoying a royal breakfast or a royal spa experience, that sense of grandeur is everywhere. The elephant, which inspired aspects of the collection, also carries that symbolism of strength and royalty. Presenting the collection in the Royal Palace felt like a natural fit.
When people saw the garments on the runway, what did you hope they would notice that might not be obvious at first glance?
I wanted people to experience the elegance, luxury and sense of royalty that define the David Tlale brand.
The audience’s reactions were incredibly rewarding because emotion cannot be manufactured. You could see the surprise, excitement and admiration. The response was also a celebration of proudly South African craftsmanship. These are products made here, demonstrating that local fashion can deliver the highest standards of luxury.
You often design for South African women. How does that influence the way you approach silhouette, fit and construction?
As a brand, we have always designed with South African and African women in mind because we understand their proportions, their lifestyles and their sense of style.
Every garment is created to celebrate the wearer, making her feel beautiful, comfortable and confident while expressing luxury. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing an African woman wearing a David Tlale piece that has been designed specifically with her in mind.
What conversations were you having with yourself creatively while developing the collection?
The collection was about showcasing what can be achieved through products proudly made in South Africa. We wanted to celebrate local textiles, craftsmanship and the depth of creativity on the continent. Every garment was designed to demonstrate that South African fashion deserves to be recognised for its quality, innovation and artistry.
Ultimately, the collection was about raising the standard even higher and redefining what the brand represents while showing the world who we are as Africans.
Many South African designers feel pressure to create work that looks “globally relevant”. Do you ever feel that tension?
We’ve never designed with the goal of becoming globally acceptable. Instead, we’ve focused on building an aesthetic that has defined the House of David Tlale over the past 23 years.
For us, the real priority is being relevant across Africa because this is where our customers are. These are the people who have supported the brand from the beginning.
We’ve shown at New York Fashion Week, we’ve presented internationally and we’ve learnt from those experiences. But the conversation needs to shift. Instead of constantly asking how Africa can fit into the global fashion industry, the world should be coming to Africa to appreciate what we create here. As we continue educating consumers and growing the industry, we also need to encourage people to buy products that are proudly made in South Africa and proudly made in Africa. The quality is there. The craftsmanship is there.
If we satisfy our customers at home, international audiences will discover the work naturally.
You’ve been one of the most visible figures in South African fashion for more than two decades. What has changed dramatically in the industry during that time and what hasn’t changed enough?
The biggest change has been that the industry increasingly understands fashion as a business rather than simply a creative pursuit.
Collections today are designed not only for the runway but also for customers. Designers are thinking more carefully about products, services and building sustainable businesses.
It’s also been encouraging to see so many young people entering the industry. Since launching the David Tlale internship programme in 2012, we’ve trained more than 350 young designers across South Africa, many of whom have gone on to establish successful careers. Through the David Tlale Academy, in partnership with Absa and supported by the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority, we’re training another 148 young people.
Fashion is much bigger than clothing. It’s an entire value chain that stretches from agriculture and fibre production to textile manufacturing, design, retail and distribution. If we strengthen every part of the chain, we strengthen our economy.
What needs to change is our commitment to rebuilding South Africa’s manufacturing capacity. Too many textile mills have closed. We need to reignite the industry.
We should be introducing young people to clothing and textile manufacturing earlier through our education system so they understand the opportunities available before they reach university.
The clothing and textile sector has enormous potential to create employment. If we invest properly in skills, manufacturing and local production, we won’t simply be making beautiful garments — we’ll be building an industry that supports thousands of livelihoods.
When international audiences encounter your work, what do they most often misunderstand about South African fashion?
One of the first questions people ask is whether the garments are really made in South Africa. Many international audiences expect South African fashion to be limited to obvious stereotypes like traditional prints or lower-quality production. They don’t expect sophisticated luxury garments that can compete with the best in the world.
While we do import some raw materials, every print we use is developed in-house and the specialised treatments are done locally with South African partners to achieve the quality we want.
That’s why rebuilding our textile industry is important. We need to reopen mills, invest in new technology and develop the next generation of skilled craftspeople. The more we strengthen manufacturing, the more confidently we can say the garments are proudly made in South Africa.
That, ultimately, is the message I hope people take away. We need to pay attention to rebuilding the entire value chain from raw materials to finished garments, because South Africa has the talent and the capability to produce fashion that stands proudly on the world stage.