Line-up announced for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

The Fashion Week will feature collections from designers such as Gavin Rajah, KLûK CGDT, Stefania Morland, Fabiani and Craig Port, as well as many promising newcomers.

"Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Cape Town is an opportunity for both established and aspiring designers from all over South Africa to showcase their new spring/summer designs and we are pleased to announce that there is an exceptional array of talent lined up for this year's event," said Sizwe Nzimande, spokesman for MBFW organiser and fashion authority, African Fashion International (AFI).

A number of the designers and their labels - including Shana, W35T, Lara Klawikowski, Pichulik, Nicholas Coutts, Michelle Ludek, Tart, Ruald Rheeder, Non-European, Spilt Milk, Lo, Lazuli, Danielle Margaux & Selfi, among others - hail from the Mother City, while Durban's Leigh Schubert and Joburg's Loin Cloth & Ashes will bring top fashion from further afield.

A uniquely engaging element

"As Cape Town enjoys its status as World Design Capital 2014, AFI is celebrating creative freedom under the pillars of fashion, art and design, with various exciting developmental platforms to add a uniquely engaging element to the event," added Nzimande.

As part of AFI's mandate to foster creative independence amongst new talent in the fashion and design industry, rising South African design stars Nicholas Coutts, Alexandra Blanc (Blanc), Ernest Mahomane & AFI Young Designer of the Year 2014, Eleni Labrou (Akedo) - will bring their collections to the ramp at the AFI Next Generation show, one of several AFI platforms that provide opportunities, support and exposure to up-and-coming designers.

The AFI Fastrack programme will also bring fashion's future to the fore, with a striking installation by the 2014 winners, Rich Mnisi, Tuelo Ngunyuka, Jessica Ross and Naazneen Kagee, who were all crowned Fastrack winners at MBFWJ earlier this year.

Another innovative element of Fashion Week will be a special edition of AFI's popular FashionTalks seminars. This year's conversations about how best to commercialise creativity will include the South African premiere of exciting international fashion documentary, Advanced Style, as well as an conversation with the film's creators and local industry leaders on how an innovative approach to growing a small idea can turn it into an international success.