SAFW AW25: Isuzu Makes Moves Into The Fashion World
Day two of SA Fashion Week saw Isuzu South Africa take to the runway with designers Floyd Avenue, Belhauzen and House of Olé. Yes, the floor at Melrose Arch was zooming and vrooming with the Isuzu Luxury Collection debut on Friday, 27 September 2024.
The Ins And Outs of Isuzu’s Luxury Collection
This year, Isuzu wanted to challenge designers in the industry by merging motoring with fashion, something that they believe goes hand in hand, at least for their brand.
Nandi Matomela, the Senior Manager for Brand Strategy and Field Marketing at Isuzu, said: “[Isuzu] makes products that embody style and comfort. As with fashion, we strive to perform and function to perfection in all we do. This partnership embraces the synergy between the automotive and fashion worlds, representing a fusion of design, functionality and lifestyle.”
Ultimately, the car you choose and the clothes you wear are all extensions of yourself – a form of self-expression. Interestingly, but not necessarily surprisingly, what were once two mutually exclusive ideas have now intersected in a way never quite seen before. The Isuzu Luxury Collection wanted to see the brand’s legacy of durability and reliability enter the realm of fashion and style.
Matomela says they wanted to highlight “the bold creativity in the South African fashion industry; a harmonious match for the bold vehicles [they] create.”
Floyd Avenue Apparel: In Funk We Trust
The runway lit up with reds, greens and blues when Floyd Manotoana’s designs strolled down the ramp. Inspired by African cultures, customs and traditions, Manotoana wanted his androgynous pieces to indicate multifaceted ideologies.
With the Isuzu Luxury Collection theme being athleisure, Manotoana said Floyd Avenue’s foundation was quality and comfort, which is similar to the ideals of Isuzu.
He was crowned the winner of the competition and thanked Isuzu for showing him the freedom movement can create.
Belhauzen: Sustainable Luxury at SA Fashion Week
Belinda Venter, Founder and Director of Belhauzen, debuted her ‘Sakura Drive’ collection in partnership with the Isuzu Luxury Collection competition.
She wanted the collection to embody elegance and endurance; to pair luxury with functionality and confidence with grace. In essence, this is what connected her line to Isuzu, along with the values of sustainability and boldness evident in brands.
Inspired by nature and engineering excellence, Japanese cherry blossom prints, intricate details and contemporary designs were the foundation of the ‘Sakura Drive’ collection.
House of Olé: Wearable Art
Ole Ledimo, Founder of House of Olé, and Mihlali Madikare, a design intern at the company, partnered to create an art-in-motion collection that wooed fashion afficionados’ hearts.
Ledimo said his brand came about because their “past clothing became a way in which a brutalised and dispossessed people began to gather their dignity.” He wanted to take clothing pieces and encompass them with cultural significance and spirituality.
Madikare explained her inspiration came from the shape of the Isuzu MUX model and its embodied agility and strength. At the same time, she wanted to create something luxurious, yet sporty.
Isuzu’s Luxury Collection was a huge success with the audience buzzing with excitement at the end of the show.
The boldness of Belhauzen juxtaposed the bespoke suits of House of Olé, which opposed the artistic flare of Floyd Avenue. All that, while taking inspiration from the same source: Isuzu.
Whilst Floyd Avenue walked away with the prize of R50 000, the real winners are definitely society.
