2024 Threads of Resistance: A Retrospective Overview of Four South African Voices in Sustainable Fashion
In an era defined by haste and hurry, instant gratification, and the relentless demands of fast fashion, there is something profoundly grounding about the quiet defiance of those who refuse to participate in the cycle. A cohort of designers in South Africa is pushing against the status quo. Their work offers a rare, much-needed pause—a breath of fresh air in a world that glorifies instant gratification, a reminder that fashion can reflect culture and be a catalyst for change.
Bearing in mind that more than half of the world’s mohair is produced in South Africa, partnering with designers who eschew the lure of cheap, disposable commodities, Mohair South Africa advocates for a return to authenticity—a reclamation of natural fibres like mohair that embodies both tradition and innovation. These designers are not simply solving problems but crafting a new narrative rooted in resilience, sustainability, and creativity. Their work is a testament to the grit and ingenuity that defines South African design: a bold refusal to turn away from challenges and a refusal to compromise on the future.
In this spirit, we honour and acknowledge these designers and the ground they are cultivating—a space where heritage and inclusivity converge. By spotlighting four extraordinary designers —Gugu Peteni, Frances van Hasselt, Stephanie Bentum, and Kat van Duinen—we celebrate the syncopation of South African mohair into their collections this year, yielding not only sustainable designs but also accolades that speak to their vision and commitment. In their hands, mohair is not only a piece of natural fibre; it symbolises hope, creativity, and a more sustainable world.
Kat van Duinen
Kat van Duinen was named Glamour Magazine’s “Game Changer” of the year, an honour that follows the success of her “An Ode to Africa” show at the Norval Foundation, where she showcased African natural fibres such as mohair and ostrich feathers. You can read more about her collection in Glamour’s article here.
The “Luxurious an Ode to Africa” was a partnership between Mohair South Africa and Kat van Duinen. We are immensely proud to collaborate with designers who honour and celebrate these precious materials and play a key role in rewriting the South African fashion narrative in the global market.
Fusing African artistry with luxury fashion, Kat van Duinen remains committed to sustainable practices, fostering skills development, and promoting local production to elevate world-class African-made products on the global stage and a distinctly elegant collection that transcends borders. Each element in "An Ode to Africa" aimed to redefine luxury through a uniquely African lens, offering a fresh narrative that champions the continent's unparalleled contributions to fashion and design.
Mohair Designs in “An Ode to Africa”. Photographer: Lara Bredenkamp
Mohair Designs in “An Ode to Africa”. Photographer: Lara Bredenkamp
Mohair Designs in “An Ode to Africa”. Photographer: Lara Bredenkamp
Mohair Designs in “An Ode to Africa”. Photographer: Victoria Show
Mohair Designs in “An Ode to Africa”. Photographer: Victoria Show
Mohair Designs in “An Ode to Africa”. Photographer: Victoria Show
Gugu Peteni
Gugu Peteni has had a triumphant year, presenting her collections at Paris Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week. She was recently awarded TWYG’s “Trans-seasonal Award”, which recognises a collection, garment, or brand that promotes trans-seasonal, multi-functional, and versatile style. Regarding her SS25 collection, “Echoes of Self”, Gugu explains, “Drawing inspiration from the rich, layered aesthetic and innovation of merino and mohair, the collection revels in the beauty of complexity, inviting the wearer to tell their own story through fashion.” This collection delves into the evocative notion of "Assorted Identity." It's a fashion exploration of the multifaceted nature of self, celebrating the unique tapestry woven from our experiences and influences. The garments become narratives, reflecting the fluidity and dynamism of identity as we navigate the world and embrace the multitude of personas we embody. Drawing inspiration from the rich, layered aesthetic and innovation of merino and mohair, the collection revels in the beauty of complexity, inviting the wearer to tell their own story through fashion.
GUGUBYGUGU SS25 Paris Fashion Week. Photo Supplied.
GUGUBYGUGU Mohair Sweater. Photo Supplied.
GUGUBYGUGU SS25 Mohair Sweater. Photographer: Cayly Warner
GUGUBYGUGU SS25 Paris Fashion Week. Photo Supplied.
GUGUBYGUGU 100% Mohair Scarf. Photo Supplied.
GUGUBYGUGU SS25 Mohair Sweater. Photographer: Cayly Warner
Frances van Hasselt:
Frances van Hasselt (FVH) is a designer, producer, and entrepreneur whose work with mohair textiles pays homage to craftsmanship and terroir. In collaboration with a team of women artisans in the Karoo, they weave a narrative honouring the origins of textiles, blending the rich textures of local fibres with the rugged beauty of South Africa’s landscapes.
Raised on an Angora goat farm in the Karoo—home to one of the oldest mohair studs in the world—FvH has long been immersed in the world of mohair. Her brand, rooted in a deep reverence for nature, celebrates the artistry of handwoven mohair textiles. From the spinning of yarn to the meticulous finishing of each textile, every step of her process is carried out by hand, preserving an ancient craft in a contemporary context. Her designs, inspired by the sweeping plains of the Karoo, are a tribute to the land: textured wovens made by a collective of local women artisans, alongside knitwear all imbued with a sense of place, patience, and purpose.
“The piece is a combination of the finest kid mohair and silk detail, raw undyed mohair directly from our farm and a multitude of different hand-spun and hand-dyed yarns (…)The use of mohair in all its forms an illustration of what a single material can do when you understand its composition and character. There are hardly any sections of this piece that is woven by a singular yarn, except for the ecru, natural border; Our textile canvas.” Describes FvH.
Good Hope Tapestry - A watercolour woven mohair art piece in collaboration with artist Graeme Black. Photographer: Sam Reinders
Frances VH Mohair Spider Knit Jumper. Photographer Stephanie Veldman
Frances VH Mohair Spider Knit Jumper. Photographer Stephanie Veldman
Frances VH Mohair - SOFA Mohair Blankets - New Tekkies in die veld. Photographer Sam Reinders
Frances VH Mohair - SOFA Mohair Jacket. Photographer: Stephanie Veldman
FvH received the Scape award, “Collab of the Year”, for an immersive architectural installation for Kate Otten Architects, “Threads”, composed of a mohair woven and beaded work by The Herd Designs, and runner-up for the “Maker of the Year category” at the Scape Awards of Excellence. This award is awarded to visionary pioneers who redefine excellence in South Africa’s design industry.
Stephanie Bentum
Stephanie Bentum is an artist who has handmade textiles from natural fibres and custom designs for fashion and interior since 2009. The handmade nature of her designs reflects a commitment to a sustainable approach, coupled with a desire to develop textiles based on innovation and experimentation in the design and manufacturing processes. Her work has been featured in international Vogue editorials and on international runways.
Stephanie was recently awarded the Twyg Award for Innovative Design and Materials 2024, presented by POLO. This award recognises a designer of clothes and/or textiles pioneering sustainable practices or technologies. Therefore, it is unsurprising that her latest range, Marcus Rothko-inspired throws, are created from dead stock or end-run colours. They are hand-knitted and then felted. Mohair helps to prevent pilling that would occur with 100% wool and adds iridescence to the textiles.
Bentum explains, “As a textile designer and maker, I aim to continue exploring and creating contemporary textiles for the fashion, interior and film industries. My current Rothko Collection, in collaboration with Merchants on Long, is inspired by the colour blocks of artist Marcus Rothko. Knitted and felted throws are infused with an indigenous palette, drawing creative inspiration from the natural surroundings of my home studio at the foot of the Cape Fold Mountains in Somerset West.”
The Marcus Rothko throws are aptly named after a Russian/ American abstract painter best known for depicting rectangular and irregular styles, using broad strokes of colour. Where Rothko's vast colour fields invite viewers into what he called 'the dark light of existence,' Stephanie Bentum's mohair throws capture light's mercurial nature in fibre form. Each throw presents colour not as flat planes but as living gradients that shift with every movement, every change in light. The mohair's natural structure—scales that refract light differently based on angle and wear—creates what artists call 'optical mixing,' where colours seem to vibrate against each other, much like Rothko's famously fuzzy boundaries between his colour blocks.
Bentum's choice of dead-stock yarns adds another layer to this dialogue with Rothko's work. While Rothko mixed his own pigments in search of transcendent colour, Bentum works within the constraints of discarded materials, finding transcendence not in the perfect hue but in the transformation of the rejected into the sublime. This approach embodies Bachelard's concept of 'material imagination'—the idea that physical substances carry their own poetry, their own dreams.
In her hands, mohair becomes both a medium and a metaphor. Its natural iridescence suggests possibilities hidden within limitations, while its felted surface—achieved through agitation and pressure—speaks to transformation through adversity. Where Rothko's paintings ask viewers to lose themselves in colour's vastness, Bentum's throws invite a more intimate transcendence: the daily ritual of wrapping oneself in colour that changes with every fold, every touch, every shift of light.
Sumendra Chetty of Merchants on Long, the stockist of Bentum’s current range, states, “Stephanie Bentum is a truly one-of-a-kind artisan. Her exquisite hand-felted and hand-knitted throws, created exclusively for Merchants on Long, evoke pure emotion through her masterful use of colour, inspired by the depth of Rothko paintings. Each piece is a testament to slow fashion, heritage, and the artistry that defines her work.”
Stephanie Bentum Rothko Throws. Photographer: Brandon Kondo
Stephanie Bentum Rothko Throws. Photographer: Brandon Kondo
Stephanie Bentum Rothko Throws. Photographer: Brandon Kondo
Stephanie Bentum Rothko Throws. Photographer: Brandon Kondo
Stephanie Bentum Rothko Throws. Photographer: Brandon Kondo
As UNESCO aptly states, “African fashion is a powerful vehicle for expressing, identifying, and transmitting heritage while projecting a confident image of the continent’s future." The latest Textile Exchange Materials Market Report shows that 84% of mohair produced in South Africa was certified to the Responsible Mohair Standard.
Using mohair—a natural fibre rooted in South African soil—as a medium to craft narratives of resilience, culture, and forward-thinking design, these designers create more than just garments; they create a reimagined future for fashion that honours both tradition and nature. They are reshaping the global conversation on sustainability, proving that fashion can be a powerful force for cultural expression and environmental change.
These designers' work suggests a radical proposition: that true innovation might lie not in disruption but in the patient art of preservation. Their use of mohair—a fibre that carries centuries of cultural memory—offers a different metric for progress. While the fashion industry races toward synthetic futures, these creators demonstrate how looking backward might be our best way forward. Their work poses an essential question for our time: What if the future of fashion isn't about inventing new materials, but about remembering old wisdom? In their hands, each mohair thread becomes not just an object but an argument for a world where progress is measured in possessions rather than seasons, where innovation serves tradition rather than replacing it.