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around the large retailers supporting local design was inauthentic, as there was a sense
that these corporates had to “be seen to be doing it”. He said that the retail chains
“dictate the terms to the designer. They will approach a designer and say, we’ll carry your
label but we’ll only pay you X, because we need to make Y profit on it, and the only way
to make Y profit is to have your designs made in China or India or some other developing
country. Their attitude is that if the designer doesn’t like this, they’ll find someone else.
There are many designers who think that getting into bed with the big retail chains is their
ticket to success” (Interview, 18/7/06).
The respondent from Woolworths (Interview, 8/6/06) a national retail outlet that supports
local designers said that this initiative, as evident in their flagship stores, has been
reasonably profitable. The respondent stated that they run about 200 units of each design,
and that production is “100%” South African, with the response from their customers being
very positive.
In response to a question posed about what designers could do to make themselves more
competitive in a globalised economy, The executive suggested that designers should
come together to combine their skills or outsource production and business management
collectively, and use economies of scale to meet the price demands dictated by the
global economy and consumers.
Responding to a question about the criteria designers need to fulfill in order for the retailer
to support them, the respondent from Woolworths said that designers need to have brand
recognition, proven business skills “professionalism and a reputation.” His view was that all
new designers should strive towards these goals if they wish to gain mass-market
penetration through South African retailers. Successful designers who have grown their
business over many years and have a solid reputation of quality and service would benefit
from these market opportunities.
In summarising the experiences and comments of the designers who participated in this
study, a number of related issues are highlighted in this chapter. All the designers concur
that it is imperative to strike a balance between their creativity and the commercial
imperative of design to become successful within the South African market. Gert van Zyl,
the Executive Director of the Cape Clothing Association sums up this view when he stated
“speed, flexibility and value added will make the clothing industry competitive” (Pursuit,
2006: 23). Through feedback gleaned via fashion events, they also confirm that there is a
need for business skills, or a training body that would support and assist them in acquiring
and updating these skills, as well as in marketing and growing their labels.
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