There is a particular magic to the Mount Nelson. The Nellie’s pink blush exterior, luscious gardens, and the glorious Table Mountain that flanks it provide the perfect backdrop for showcasing the best in African creativity.
Now in its fourth year, this year’s Confections x Collections (CxC), which started as a showcase to celebrate African LVMH Prize winners, embodied a true homecoming. Hosted by Seth Shezi, the event unfolded over three acts, each asking us to return to what anchors us: culture, craft, and community.
Act I: Soil opened with an almost meditative stillness as Yoshita 1967 by Anil Padia took to the runway. Anil’s Paris-trained sensibility met his Indo-Kenyan heritage in garments adorned with hand-crocheted glass mirrors and delicate silver bells. The soft chimes echoed around the fountain as the models walked, creating a hypnotic sensory experience. Having recently dressed Solange Knowles for her feature in Love magazine, Anil brought a global refinement that still felt deeply connected to African craft traditions.
While setting up his section at Merchants on Long – where you can purchase the creations – I told him I could imagine Erykah Badu wearing his designs, as she’s known to wear garments that make sounds as she moves. Alongside him, Connade’s Shelley Mokoena presented Hand in Hand – fresh from her landmark debut at Milan Fashion Week. Seeing her sculptural pieces on African soil for the first time proved just how expansive contemporary African design has become.
Act II: Threads was the act that struck me most emotionally. Uni Form by Luke Radloff explored what he calls “emotional tailoring”, and within the serene, silent space curated by Bee Diamondhead, the meaning of that phrase became clear. The act unfolded around the true pace of creation, made visible through a live installation by master weaver Tivane Mavuma of Barrydale Hand Weavers. Watching him hand-spin thread — each movement intentional, each fibre coaxed into life — while singer Muneyi’s ethereal soundscape played, felt like witnessing the intersection of art and spirituality. There were a few tears shed during that show. It was a moving reminder that garments carry the imprint of the hands that made them.
The final act, Awakening, belonged to MaXhosa Africa by Laduma Ngxokolo. Vivid Xhosa prints, bold knitwear, and intricate beadwork defined the SS25/26 collection, Izipho Zabadala (A Gift to the Ancestors). The atmosphere in the room shifted — joyful, charged, celebratory. And with whispers of MaXhosa preparing to open a new store in New York, the collection’s global resonance felt especially powerful.
My personal highlight was joining a walking tour of fashion designer Sindiso Khumalo’s favourite spots in Cape Town. From hidden gems to collaborating on eco-sunnies with Ballo, the tour ended with a quick visit to her flagship store in the new Longkloof precinct, which also houses the Tashas Group’s Café Sofi and Ongetem by Chef Bertus Basson at the Hilton Canopy in Gardens. “I was one of the first tenants here, and I needed to trust the vision because there was dust everywhere,” chuckles the LVMH Prize winner.
As the event drew to a close under the soft twilight of the Pink Lady, I felt that CxC had once again succeeded in more than showcasing fashion. It reaffirmed the value of intentional creation, fashion as wearable art, and the shared pride of seeing African excellence step confidently onto the world stage.
