TWYG explores a critical question facing African fashion designers: does the visibility gained from fashion weeks actually translate into tangible business value?
In this thought-provoking piece, the article examines the complex relationship between runway exposure and commercial success, featuring insights from Naked Ape's showcase at South African Fashion Week in collaboration with Cruz Vodka.
The discussion delves into whether the investment in fashion week participation delivers real returns for emerging and established African designers, or if the industry needs to rethink how visibility converts to sustainable growth.
It is a question that every independent African designer must eventually confront. The runway is a powerful platform — a moment of visibility, of cultural statement, of creative declaration. But visibility alone does not pay studio rent, source sustainable materials, or fund the next collection. The gap between being seen and building a sustainable business is one of the defining challenges of African fashion today.
For Naked Ape, the answer has never been to chase visibility for its own sake. Shaldon Kopman's approach to fashion week participation is strategic and intentional — each showcase an extension of the brand's broader narrative, not a performance disconnected from it. The collaboration with Cruz Vodka at SA Fashion Week was a case study in how partnerships, when aligned in values and vision, can amplify both the creative and commercial dimensions of a collection.
TWYG's analysis raises important questions about the infrastructure that surrounds African fashion weeks — the buying networks, the press ecosystems, the retail pipelines that either exist or don't. For a brand like Naked Ape, which operates on a slow fashion, made-to-order model, the value of fashion week lies less in immediate sales conversion and more in the long-term brand equity that comes from being consistently, authentically present in the cultural conversation.
The visibility question is real. But so is the answer: visibility, paired with a clear philosophy and a committed community, does translate. It just takes time, patience, and the courage to build something that lasts.
Explore The Naked Ape Collection — handcrafted African luxury fashion by Shaldon Kopman.
About the Author
Shaldon Kopman — Founder & Creative Director, Naked Ape Official
Shaldon Kopman is the Founder and Creative Director of Naked Ape Official, a South African premium ethical fashion brand guided by the Ethi-Eco² philosophy. With over 15 years in African fashion design, Shaldon has showcased at South African Fashion Week and been featured in Rolling Stone Africa, Mail & Guardian and more.