These dresses say: “I´m no wallflower, and I don´t shop at Edgars.”

What they do, is reflect a deep love for heritage, culture and design. The result of these three things: total afro-chic awesomeness.

Total afro-chic awesomeness is an attitude as much as an outfit. To wear a dress like this means showing respecting to those who consider and try to keep their heritage alive, in a rather globalised world where most fashion comes out looking the same. They are not 60´s, 80´s, or minimalist. They just are.

What they also are, is the brainchild of a fashion company, Mzansi Designers, with a vision of creating a platform for young designers. Most come from a previously disadvantaged background, who want to interpret and express the modern day South Africa they have lived and experienced through fashion.

This raises the question, `How much of what we experience in modern day South Africa do we, wear as our sleeves?´ Do we live and love this beautiful country and then wear what represents the far north or far west? Understandably not all of our tastes are catered for in chain stores, though we do have one great advantage of many approachable, affordable local designers who can cater to our tastes when commissioned.

Total afro-chic awesomeness is a way to brand ourselves, by ourselves, ignoring the dictatorship of Paris runways and using clothes as a way to express our own experiences. We have had some great ambassadors and even greater designers. Let´s toy-toy in high heels for S.A. fashion and wear South African.