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Abstract
A fundamental change in the global and textile industries took place on 1 January 2005, when the global
quantitative quotas were abolished. International retail buyers are now able to reduce the number of their
international suppliers, and can act on a preference to buy from suppliers anywhere in the world, offering
the cheapest price on international orders.
South Africa had been experiencing growth in cheaper imports, mostly at the lower end of the market, since
1994 when the political arena in South Africa changed, resulting in a reduction of its tariffs faster than the
World Trade Organisation required. The post-2005 environment has seen a rapid increase in imports into
South Africa, predominantly from Asia. This has resulted in numerous South African firms in the clothing and
textile industries having to reduce their labour, outsource part of their production, or close down altogether,
due to their inability to compete with their Asian counterparts.
One area of the clothing and textile industries in South Africa that has the potential to assist in the
sustainability of these industries is the development and growth of South African design content. Relatively
new to South Africa is the growth in and recognition of South African fashion designers entering the market,
which has resulted in the heightened visibility and activity of numerous inter-related industries, all servicing
South African fashion, such as: model agencies, hair-stylists, make-up artists, the fashion media, fashion
events and private boutiques.
This study explores the experiences of and problems faced by South African designers in producing
garments, meeting the price demanded by consumers, and being competitive in the current context of the
local market that is dominated by the major retail chains. However, as this research paper will show,
numerous South African designers are managing in different ways to succeed and in so doing, have created
viable and successful design operations in a very competitive industry.
The participants interviewed for this study are all independent designers and successful in their own right.
Some have been in the industry for many years, while others are establishing their names and brands in the
marketplace. All these designers manufacture from their own atelier (studio) or factory, thereby retaining
production control. As and when the need arises, some outsource part of their production to CMTs (cutmake-and-trim
specialists) or home-based workers. Many of the designers sell within both the formal and
informal economy, some sell their products through their own boutiques while others sell through private
boutiques.
A common theme of these designers’ success is that they grew their business gradually, learning
incrementally about the business of fashion and how to maintain control over their cash-flows while slowly
growing their visibility in the market. In the interviews, the designers reflected on the importance of
customer relations, the importance of Fashion Weeks for promoting their products, as well as the importance
of finding reliable suppliers. A common difficulty experienced by the designers is that of finding the correct
balance between creativity and commercial success.
The study concludes with some recommendations for the promotion and sustainability of South African
design content, such as the development of co-operative ventures or small clusters of designers working
together and creating economies of scale in order to wield greater influence in the value chain. Another
important recommendation made is that of designers finding suitable business partners, so that while the
designers focus on creative work, their partner drives the commercial and marketing arm of the operation.
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