Pick n Pay Clothing this week launched the latest Futurewear designer collaboration collection with designers Thando Ntuli and Kiav Mitoo.

According to the retailer, Futurewear is dedicated to finding the new guard of South African creatives.

Despite the two designers never meeting in person, the Thando Ntuli x Kiav x Pick n Pay Clothing collection is a fusion of youth, creativity, and empowerment, the retailer said.

Ntuli, a 26-year-old fashion designer from Soweto, designed the clothing, while Mitoo, a 20-year-old graphic design student and artist based in Cape Town, designed the print for the fabrics.

‘’They united under the mentorship of acclaimed designer Gavin Rajah and Pick n Pay Clothing through the Futurewear programme, which was introduced in 2020 to provide a platform for young creatives to thrive in the competitive local fashion industry,’’ it said.

Pick n Pay general manager Hazel Pillay told Business Report that with the tough economy, customers faced many different challenges every day.

 ‘’Our main purpose for our customers is to try to make their everyday life easier, and to do this is to make good products of good quality more accessible to them, so in our every day range, we have tried our best to hold prices as much as we can.

‘’There is still a customer who wants to be fashionable at an affordable price. This is where designer collabs come in. It's a unique product which is on demand for a short period,’’ she said.

Pillay said the range would be available in stores for about ten weeks.

‘’What we are proud of is that the designers are local, everything is produced locally, and that means it is sustainable and from sustainable fabrics. So in this way, we are responding to consumers to say even if you don't have a lot of money, you can go to Pick n Pay and buy something that makes you stand out in the crowd,’’ she said.

Pillay said every product line was different, and while Pick n Pay clothing mostly used locally produced fabrics, sometimes South Africa wasn't geared up to manufacture some intricate products or very highly designed jackets, for example. If these were not available in the country, it was sometimes cheaper to get them from China.

Ntuli's description of the range as a ‘’kaleidoscope for women’’ aptly captures the essence of the collection.

She said she was inspired by generations of strong women in her family, from her mother to her great-grandmother. Ntuli's creations bridge the gap between ages and lifestyles.

The collection comprises five versatile pieces, including a blazer, tailored pants, wrap dress, Peter Pan collared jacket, and pleated dress, all adorned with Mitoo’s intricate, flowy and floral graphic prints.

‘’The outfits are designed to empower both the young and the mature, combining strength and femininity. These pieces effortlessly transition from the office to the comfort of home,” said Ntuli.

Mitoo created a print to amplify Thando’s clothing inspiration and symbolise women's multi-faceted nature.

‘’The flower motif represents the woman's strong-willed side and blooming alongside the softness and delicacy of a woman’s femininity. The colours chosen combine vibrant tones and softer colours to contrast these great qualities of being a woman,’’ he said.

Pick n Pay also unveiled its newly revamped store in Sandton City.

BUSINESS REPORT