National retailing chain, Legit, will soon reveal a capsule collection created in collaboration with South African designer David Tlale.

The designer recently returned from New York, where he showcased his “Glam-Intersections” collection at the South African Consulate General.

Next up for the fashionista is the Johannesburg Fashion Week, where he will present his latest collection.

In teaming up with Tlale, clothing retailer Legit will follow in the footsteps of Swedish company H&M, which has collaborated with designers Alber Elbaz, Karl Lagerfeld and Donatella Versace in the past.

The idea is to bring high fashion to the masses at an affordable price, by using more affordable fabrics and less sophisticated production methods.

“We wanted to offer our customers something new and David Tlale is hot property in terms of South African fashion design,” said Legit divisional buying manager Hazel Pillay, speaking to TimesLIVE.

From May on, David Tlale’s clothing range ‘Van der Tlale’ will be selling out of approximately 180 Legit stores nationwide.

“Van der Tlale has always been around, we just hadn’t activated it,” explained the designer, who rumoured to be facing financial difficulties last year.

“So, after much thought and asking questions like, ‘Are we going to disappoint our DT clients by going this route?’ we decided this was a great opportunity to finally launch an affordable ready-to-wear range.”

The winter range will be sold at prices comparable to Legit’s usual stock, allowing the average fashion fundi to acquire a DT garment without breaking the bank.

Tlale was adamant that in catering to the common man, the essence of the brand would not be compromised.

“We’ve really focused on not losing the essence of the brand,” he said.

“I can’t exactly ask for feathers, for example, but we are definitely doing it in such a way that it can be in the Legit price bracket without losing the David Tlale signature.”

Tlale said he would aim to satisfy the demands of the market without producing derivative clothing.

“Trends are what people want,” he added.

“We have to be in line with that but still have the element of freshness.”

The range, which is once-off and never to be repeated, will hit stores on May 4.