Bodies change. It’s a simple truth, but one fashion hasn’t always made room for. At South African Fashion Week (SAFW) Spring-Summer 2026, though, there was a noticeable shift in mood: less about rigid ideas of fit and more about adaptability. Designers leant into pieces that move with the wearer with garments that expand, adjust, detach, and reconfigure.
Black Coffee
For Jacques van der Watt of Black Coffee, design felt like an ongoing conversation, with each collection building on what came before. In his Spring-Summer 2026 offering, Off Grid, that idea became more focused and functional. Working from a square grid, Van der Watt used pleats, pin tucks and panelling as tools of adaptability, allowing garments to shift, expand and settle around the body with ease.
While he is known for a restrained, neutral palette, this season opened up into something warmer, with butter and sunshine yellows, tangerine and earthy browns sitting alongside his signature black and white. Proportion and volume still anchored the collection, but here they felt more deliberate and resolved. Organic yet angular silhouettes took shape through structured quilting, dense pleating and sculptural layering. Oversized puffed sleeves and cascading ruffles brought a sense of movement, while the modular construction underneath pointed to a wardrobe designed to work across different bodies rather than just one.
Tell me a little bit about the concept behind the collection and where it came from.
I called the collection “Off Grid”, and I played with a square grid, and the idea was how it distorts to accommodate the body. The way we applied it was through cleats and pin tucks. Obviously, I like the dual meaning of Off-Grid because I do see myself as a sustainable designer, and the way we make things sustainable is [by using] natural fabrics, and we make clothes that are almost a continuum. One collection’s styles go with the next collection. So, they collect as pieces that you build rather than discard over time.
How does this collection reflect where you are personally and creatively?
It felt a little bit like a homecoming. I [drew] from traditional Black Coffee finishes that are almost historic for me, signature things that I’ve not used in a while like pintucks, and I even used some patterns from the past that I reworked in a fresh way.
It’s my first Fashion Week collection that I made from the [new] store, so that was quite special. I’m in a good place, and the collection went very smoothly, so I think it does reflect my state of mind.
Were there any elements, silhouettes or construction techniques that were new or that really challenged you this season?
The gradient proved to be way more challenging than I felt it would be. As a sustainable designer, the fabric sourcing is hectic, but normally you make a collection and you can [mix and match]. That was out the door, so the minute you didn’t like something, you just had to change it. Then also reining things in. I actually bought a green piece of fabric, but then I thought, “No, I’m not going to show green.” I didn’t want to dye all the fabrics, so I set myself a challenge to find it, which can be a bit hard in Johannesburg if you want everything natural.
Helon Melon
At Helon Melon, texture and surface detail took centre stage. The Cape Town-based label, long rooted in handcrafted textile development, carried that language into its Spring-Summer 2026 showcase, where mohair and lightweight raffia introduced a softer, more seasonal feel. The collection moved between structure and ease, pairing workwear references with a relaxed, hyper-feminine sensibility. Athleisure elements ran quietly through the looks, softened by fluid silhouettes including long bubble skirts, slouching harem trousers and a renewed take on the classic button-up shirt, all paired with Asics sneakers.
The shirt became a clear focal point, reworked through ruffles, ties and patchwork-like pockets into kimono-inspired wraps, cascading back hems and flared empire-line shapes. Each version leaned into adjustability and ease, suggesting pieces designed to be styled in multiple ways. Mohair, meanwhile, proved surprisingly versatile, appearing across biker jackets, cardigans, skirts, shorts, tailored pieces and accessories. This sense of fluidity carried through into the detailing, where floral embroidery appeared as appliqué-like badges layered against sheer organza and softened, cinched balloon trousers.
What is the central idea or emotion behind this collection, and where did that spring from?
The emotional core of this collection is absolute happiness. A number of years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer, and I spent a long period in recovery through chemotherapy and radiation. During that time, I made a promise to myself and to my team that when we returned, we would do so brightly, joyfully, and with a real sense of renewal. I believe this collection captures exactly that spirit. It is about resilience, radiance, and the beauty of coming back fully alive.
Were there any elements like silhouettes, construction techniques or other aspects in this collection that pushed you out of your comfort zone?
The starting point for this season was the mohair we had woven in the Eastern Cape. There is something deeply valuable about being able to work so closely with the source, to drive out, follow through, and remain connected to the making of the cloth. That proximity gives the work a certain integrity.
What pushed me most was the colour. I typically work with a very restrained palette, so introducing orange, yellow and other more vivid tones into the tartan was a deliberate departure for me. It felt bold, but also necessary.
We also worked with a combination of locally woven mohair and fabrics sourced internationally, and that dialogue was incredibly rewarding. The garments are joyful, fluid, and full of movement. The construction itself was particularly nuanced, because mohair and pure cotton lining behave so differently. Mohair is loosely woven and naturally mobile, while cotton is tightly woven and far more fixed. Bringing those two materials together required precision, but the result is beautifully resolved. I’m absolutely thrilled with the collection.
Adapted from the article first published in Sunday Times Lifestyle
