GQEBERHA – Eastern Cape Fashion Week (ECFW) broke new ground with the launch of its first pop-up edition in Gqeberha.

Designed as a more accessible and immersive experience, the pop-up edition on Sunday, 26 April, aimed to spotlight emerging designers while building momentum toward ECFW’s fourth official showcase.

According to ECFW organiser, Busisiwe Nxele, the concept was inspired by the need for greater accessibility and continuity within the province’s fashion ecosystem.

“This edition embraced a more intimate, stripped-down format that placed the focus firmly on the garments, the craftsmanship, and the stories behind them,” she shared with the PE Express.

Unlike previous large-scale productions, the pop-up edition introduced a curated fashion market, a daytime showcase, and a non-competitive runway focused purely on creative expression.

The format encouraged direct engagement between designers and attendees, creating a more personal fashion experience.

The event took place at The Gallery on Produce, an industrial-style venue that complemented the conceptual direction of the showcase, blending raw aesthetics with contemporary design.

This year’s theme, “Fashion in the Age of AI: A Glitch in the Stitch,” explored the evolving relationship between technology and human creativity.

Nxele explained that the theme invited designers to interrogate ideas of authenticity, authorship, and craftsmanship in an increasingly digital world.

“It spoke to the beauty of imperfection — a creative tension between innovation and tradition, machine and maker,” she said.

Eight predominantly emerging designers from across the Eastern Cape showcased their work, selected through an open call process based on originality, versatility and creative excellence.

The lineup reflected a diverse range of voices from five regions in the province.

Featured designers included Onela Joni (OJ Designs), Thakazelwa Mhlomi (Msaba Emporium), Thandile Ndamase (Thee Kings Inc.) and Mfundo Phama (Love).

For designer Thakazelwa Mhlomi, founder of Msaba Emporium in the OR Tambo District Municipality, the theme resonated as both a creative and philosophical challenge.

“It meant disrupting the norm,” she said. “Artificial intelligence can never supersede human intelligence — it’s about going back to the basics of true artistry.”

Mhlomi’s collection reflected this approach through handcrafted techniques, including hand-weaving, painting, and braided textures — emphasising the value of human skill in an AI-driven era.

She also highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by emerging designers in the province, including limited funding, a lack of manufacturing infrastructure, and insufficient platforms to showcase their work.

“We don’t have factories to produce at scale, and many designers are forced to leave the province for opportunities elsewhere,” she said. “There’s also a perception that what we do is just a hobby, rather than a livelihood.”

As a non-profit initiative supported by the National Arts Council of South Africa, ECFW continued to prioritise development within the creative sector.

Beyond the runway, the pop-up edition’s fashion market allowed attendees to engage directly with designers, purchase garments, and build meaningful connections — bridging the gap between creator and consumer.

Ultimately, Nxele said, the goal was to redefine how fashion is experienced in the Eastern Cape.

“This was about making fashion more personal, more accessible, and deeply rooted in storytelling,” she said.

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