Today is day 2 of SA Fashion Week and each day we'll be getting to know a bit more about the emerging brands on this season's schedule.
Today's brand? Klipa.
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Klipa is a menswear brand that takes formal wear and infuses it with the creative fashions of our townships. It is a mix between classic menswear and everyday streetwear elegantly executed. This is clear from the name. “My interpretation is that you put a clip on 10 x R10 = R100. With Klipa I’m developing a new identity for people to express what we are now as Africans” shares the founder, Carlo Gibson.
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“I was born a maker of things and have made things, by hand, since childhood,” says Carlo. His first memory with the craft dates back to when he was just 5 years old and learning how to crochet his little sister some baby boots.
Carl launched Klipa back in 2014. This is after a few roadblocks, failed labels and a lot of learning. He earned his qualifications from the University of Johannesburg and then moved on to teach at the University of Johannesburg and at the School of the Art Institute, in Chicago.
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Last year, Klipa won the Cape Wools x SAFW Designer Challenge. This collection showed his and his team's technical skill. The collection had raving reviews for the craftsmanship, quirky details, and designs that captivated the audience in a story of wild. Some were dressed in shape shifting garments made to appear almost mystical.
