Hamethop SS23 collection.
Hamethop SS23 collection.
Image: Supplied

Hamethop is a South African contemporary ready-to-wear and accessories brand founded by Tsakani Mashaba. The brand explores the diversity of African art, textiles and architecture through fashion. 

Known for pushing boundaries and constantly evolving, the brand’s latest collection titled “Rat Race” epitomises this sentiment while exploring the concepts of time, escapism, rest, imagination, belonging and place. 

We recently sat down with Mashaba to talk through her approach to design, Hamethop’s recent showcase at the Tranoï Paris trade show in France and the inspiration behind the brand’s latest collection.

Tell us a bit about Hamethop and the ethos of the brand?

We envision ourselves as the embodiment of diverse realities through fashion and design disciplines, allowing those who engage with us to reflect on how they can define themselves. We celebrate consciousness alongside contemporary art, architecture and history. We gather examples from these overlapping disciplines and crafts to visually emphasise the liminal. Through collaborations between different art forms, we are constantly evolving and pushing the boundaries while radicalising into a new paradigm.

Hamethop SS23 collection.
Hamethop SS23 collection.
Image: Supplied

The brand recently showcased its latest collection at the Tranoï Paris trade show in France — can you share a bit about that experience?

Showcasing our new collection at Tranoï with the support of CANEX by Afreximbank (African Export — Import Bank) was a wonderful opportunity for us to expand Hamethop’s presence and unlock new business opportunities in the international market. As a growing fashion brand, we are always open to experiences that can help us expand our universe from both a creative and business point of view. Our goal now is to extend and engage our local, regional and international community through creative collaborations, art experiences, original content and an accelerated retail strategy that began with our newly launched retail space at We Are Egg in Rosebank.

What inspired your latest collection and how has it evolved from the previous ones?

My collections revolve around space, time, past or present experiences that may or may not have been lived by me. Our latest collection, Rat Race, is inspired by a deep state of limbo and a need to escape one’s conditioning. This collection explores the ideological aspects of the rat race (a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power) and the ways in which it has affected my life.

Hamethop SS23 collection.
Hamethop SS23 collection.
Image: Supplied

What makes this collection different is that it’s an ongoing body of work. Working on Rat Race was both a frustrating and fulfilling experience because the subject matter is so broad and very personal. To effectively capture the concept, I collaborated with a writer named Linathi Makanda, who helped put my vision into words. The collection launched with a booklet that investigates the concept of the rat race and the various themes that exist in that world.

How would you describe your approach to design?

I have a deep appreciation for generational knowledge and craftspeople. As an avant-garde brand that’s deliberate in its processes, my natural instinct is to integrate our designs into an interdisciplinary multiverse to magnify our passion for innovation and craftsmanship. Furthermore, I believe my job is to allow myself to create from different states of mind. My approach is not always linear; it comes from different interactions whether positive or negative, past or present, fantasy or real, visual or auditory. Being vulnerable in these states allows me the freedom to create.

Hamethop SS23 collection.
Hamethop SS23 collection.
Image: Supplied
Hamethop SS23 collection.
Hamethop SS23 collection.
Image: Supplied

How have your broad experiences within both skincare and fashion shaped your practice?

The disciplines are different, however I have come to realise that in both skincare and fashion I have followed the same set of values, which are storytelling, sustainability, quality, collaboration and locally sourced and produced products. Fashion design allows me more freedom to express myself and explore a wide range of ideas and opportunities with each collection.

What type of consumers do you design for and what do they represent?

We design for people who are highly curious, always evolving and appreciate meaningful storytelling and craftsmanship. They express themselves in unconventional ways and represent an individualistic spirit unbounded by restrictions.

Hamethop SS23 collection.
Hamethop SS23 collection.
Image: Supplied

What are you looking forward to in the future?

There’s a couple of projects in the pipeline, most of which I cannot share yet. But you can expect more innovative designs, in-person experiences and collaborations across disciplines — into new areas like furniture design.

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