The South Africa Fashion Awards (SAFA) has officially unveiled the nominees for its second annual edition — and the 2026 shortlist reads like a who's-who of contemporary South African style. With public voting now open across 21 categories, the awards return on Saturday 3 October 2026 at Hotel Sky in Sandton, Johannesburg, billed as a black-tie celebration of the designers, models, stylists, photographers, beauty innovators, retailers and executives shaping the country's fashion future.
Following a successful inaugural edition in 2025, SAFA has expanded its programme for 2026, introducing two new categories: Best Fashion Campaign, recognising outstanding fashion advertising, collaborations and cultural activations; and Fashion Executive of the Year, honouring the leaders behind the marketing, commercial strategy and growth of some of South Africa's most prominent fashion businesses.
The 2nd Annual South Africa Fashion Awards is supported by official partners Mentos, Madepossible.ai and Black Crown.
“Fashion is not only about what we see on the runway; there is an enormous ecosystem of creativity, marketing, retail, partnerships, technology and commercial strategy behind the industry.”
A Wider Lens On The Industry Kabelo, Head of Partnerships at the South Africa Fashion Awards, said this year's nominees demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of talent, creativity and business innovation within South African fashion.
“From internationally recognised designers and established fashion houses to emerging creatives, models, stylists, entrepreneurs, retailers and the executives working behind some of the country's most influential fashion businesses, the 2026 nominations represent an industry that continues to evolve and command attention globally.” He added that the new categories reflect a more complete picture of how fashion actually works in 2026. “Fashion is not only about what we see on the runway; there is an enormous ecosystem of creativity, marketing, retail, partnerships, technology and commercial strategy behind the industry. The South Africa Fashion Awards exists to celebrate that entire ecosystem.”
The Headline Categories The **Best Fashion Designer** longlist is typically where the conversation starts, and the 2026 line-up does not disappoint. Thebe Magugu — still the only South African designer to win the LVMH Prize — leads a field that also includes Rich Mnisi, Laduma Ngxokolo (MaXhosa Africa), Gert-Johan Coetzee, Mzukisi Mbane, Gavin Rajah, Thando Ntuli, Kat Van Duinen, Sindiso Khumalo, Thula Sindi, Lukhanyo Mdingi, David Tlale, Palesa Mokubung, Orapeleng Modutle, Ruald Rheeder, Londeka Buthelezi-Ndaba, Thabo Makhetha, Fikile Sokhulu, Ole Ledimo of House of Olé, Craig Jacobs of Fundudzi, and Robyn Agulhas of sinCHUI.
The Best Fashion Influencer category — sponsored by Mentos — is a celebrity-heavy field featuring Sarah Langa, Bonang Matheba, Kim Jayde, Ntandokazi Mzamo, Pamela Mtanga, Mihlali Ndamase, Boity Thulo, DJ Zinhle and Nomuzi Mabena, among others. The Best Fashion Icon shortlist overlaps with familiar names including Bonang Matheba, Nomzamo Mbatha, Nandi Madida, Minnie Dlamini and Somizi Mhlongo.
Beauty, Retail And The Business Behind The Brands On the beauty side, the **Best Make-Up Brand** nominees include Gloei Beauty, SwiitchBeauty, Creative Glamour and Lula Fox, while **Best Skincare Brand** pits SKOON. Skincare, Fundamentals Skincare, lelive, Skin Creamery, SKIN functional and Suki Suki Naturals against each other — a useful barometer of which South African-owned beauty houses are gaining cultural traction.
The retail categories are equally closely watched. Best Fashion Retailer nominees span Mr Price, Woolworths, Edgars, Foschini, The FIX, Markham, Archive, Sportscene, AYANA and Ackermans, while Best Fashion E-Commerce Brand features Bash, Superbalist, YDE, MyRunway and the online arms of the major high-street players.
The new Fashion Executive of the Year category puts the commercial side of the business squarely in the spotlight, with nominees including Kevin Smit (Managing Director, Mr Price), Bronwyn Pretorius (CMO, Ackermans), Tom Brown (Senior Director, Head of Brand, adidas South Africa), Rasheed Ferguson (Head of Marketing for Sportscene, Archive, Redbat & Anatomy at TFG), Simphiwe Pato (Interim CMO, Woolworths South Africa), and Brett Bellinger (Marketing Director, PUMA South Africa).
Best Fashion Campaign: Where Culture Meets Commerce The debut of **Best Fashion Campaign** may be the most telling new addition. The shortlist reads as a roll-call of the year's most talked-about brand moments: Foschini × Rich Mnisi (the Foschini 100 × RICH MNISI 10 capsule), Thebe Magugu's Mount Nelson suite and Magugu House, David Tlale's Gautrain “I Am Africa, Not African” Art in Transit project, MaXhosa Africa × Saso's Marquee Experience at the Durban July 2026, and the adidas × SoccerBible Bafana Bafana 2026 kit campaign.
Also nominated: Studio 88 × adidas (#OriginalCollective88), Skipper Bar × adidas (#WeOwnTheStreets), GALXBOY × Standard Bank (From Possible to More), Mr Price × Sphokuhle, Side Step × Blxckie (New Era), Proudly South African (Local Fashion Police), and Ackermans' Summer 2025 #MyAckermans campaign.
The Emerging Tier And The Craft Categories For industry watchers, the **Best Emerging Fashion Designer** category — sponsored by Black Crown — is the one to track for the next breakout name. The 2026 longlist includes Lucky Masemola, Mlungisi Ndlovu, Tanaka Magirazi Vengere, Dawn Nquma, Mihlali Madikane, Chanel Rautenbach, Kiyaan Pillay, and labels ANUNES, EMELIA D, VICTORI and ON DUTY JEANS.
The craft categories — Best Stylist, Best Hairstylist, Best Makeup Artist and Best Fashion Photographer — recognise the behind-the-scenes creatives whose work defines the look of South African fashion media. Photographers Trevor Stuurman, Imraan Christian and Aart Verrips are nominated alongside stylists including Lethabo “Boogy” Maboi, Bee Diamond Head and Thato Ndzimande (The Gmni).
Rounding out the programme are categories for Best Male Model, Best Female Model, Best Modelling Agency, Best Sustainable Fashion, Best South African Jewellery Brand, Best Streetwear Brand and Best Footwear Brand — where Bathu, Veldskoen and Drip Footwear will contest one of the most passionately debated categories of the night.
Special Honours In addition to the 21 publicly voted categories, seven distinguished figures will receive Special Honours at the 2026 awards. These honours are selected by the awards and are not subject to public voting.
How To Vote And Attend With nominees officially announced, the public can now help decide the winners of the 2nd Annual South Africa Fashion Awards. Voting is open across all 21 competitive categories at **safashionawards.co.za/vote**.
Tickets for the 3 October ceremony at Hotel Sky, Sandton are on sale at safashionawards.co.za/tickets, with a dress code of Black Tie / Fashion Glamour — which, given the standard of red-carpet dressing at the inaugural edition, is an instruction the room will take seriously.
Why It Matters For a Cape Town reader, the SAFA nominee list is more than a fashion roll-call. The Western Cape is home to several of the designers and creatives named across the categories, and the province's broader creative economy — from studios in Bo-Kaap to retail floors in the V&A Waterfront — is increasingly tied to the commercial machinery these awards now recognise. An event that elevates a stylist alongside a chief marketing officer is, quietly, making the case that South African fashion is an industry worth taking seriously on its own terms.
The 2nd Annual South Africa Fashion Awards takes place on Saturday 3 October 2026 at Hotel Sky, Sandton, Johannesburg. Official partners: Mentos, Madepossible.ai and Black Crown.
