David Tlale's fashion tribute to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela launches ahead of Freedom Day
Fashion designer David Tlale dresses models in his Winnie Madikizela-Mandela tribute fashion line being launched in Cape Town.
Image: Yazeed Kamaldien
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela would have turned 90 this year and while her life was remembered this week with a new documentary series, a fashion tribute is also under way.
Streaming service Netflix launched the seven-part series ‘The Trials of Winnie Mandela’ globally on Thursday, while South African fashion designer David Tlale plans to launch his latest fashion collection celebrating Madikizela-Mandela on Saturday evening.
Fashion designer David Tlale with models wearing his latest clothing collection, which celebrates the life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. It is launching this weekend in Cape Town ahead of Freedom Day.
Image: Yazeed Kamaldien
Tlale included looks from his tribute to the late political giant and fashion icon at his show at the South African Menswear Week (SAMW) autumn/winter showcase in Cape Town this Saturday evening.
The collection will be available at his store at Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, from next week.
Madikizela-Mandela, who campaigned throughout her life for the release of her husband Nelson Mandela, passed away in 2018. The two divorced shortly after Mandela was released from prison, in the lead up to the fall of apartheid South Africa.
Tlale said he wanted to launch his collection ahead of Freedom Day on 27 April, which marks the date of South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994.
“April is Freedom Month. We are reminded of our origins as a country; this journey reflects how we arrived at this point,” said Tlale.
“Now there’s a beautiful era of celebrating Mama Winnie. We celebrate and appreciate everything she has done for this country.
Fashion designer David Tlale with models wearing his latest clothing collection, which celebrates the life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. It is launching this weekend in Cape Town ahead of Freedom Day.
Image: Yazeed Kamaldien
“What really stands out for me about Mama Winnie is the role she played in fighting for the rights of women in this country, fighting for the youth, and standing by Nelson Mandela for 27 years while he was in prison.”
Tlale already has the ‘Winnie Mandela Azania Dress’ for sale on his website for R9800. It shows a portrait of an older, smiling Madikizela-Mandela with the quote “To those who oppose us, we say, “Strike the woman, and you strike the rock."
“In this collection you will see her journey from the young Winnie, the revolutionary, the matriarch and the regal Winnie in a Xhosa outfit. We are communicating the beauty of Mama Winnie,” said Tlale of the images used in the collection.
“It’s not just dresses. It’s blouses, skirts. We have a fantastic blouse. We call it the member’s shirt. We are going to make it accessible. We will do some T-shirts.”
Fashion designer David Tlale backstage with models at a fitting for South African Menswear Week, a three-day fashion event ending on Saturday night in Cape Town.
Image: Yazeed Kamaldien
The Madikizela-Mandela collection will make its debut on the runway alongside Tlale’s menswear at SAMW. The three-day fashion event started on Thursday night at Longkloof Precinct in Gardens.
The line-up of fashion designers include Ruald Rheeder, Toi Toi Apparel, MaxJenny! from Sweden and a host of African designers.
SAMW organisers say they are the continent’s “only stand-alone platform dedicated to the development and promotion of menswear within Africa”. The event is scheduled twice a year to reflect seasonal collection from fashion designers.