Local designer stores

Shine Shine duffel bag, photo courtesy Shine Shine

Cape Town boasts many upmarket malls and shopping centres where shoppers are truly spoilt for choice. Yet sometimes you’re searching for something that little bit different. Why not pay a visit to some of the Mother City’s designer outlets, where exclusivity is guaranteed and African style abounds?

Leading the way in Afro-chic is Shine Shine, www.shineshine.co.za, at 45 Leeuwen Street in the Bo-Kaap area. Shine Shine’s colourful, African-inspired fabric designs and products – including cushions, aprons and bags – are bold, unique and stylish. They make wonderful, functional mementos of a trip to Cape Town.

On the corner of Church and Long streets, you’ll find Imagenius, www.imagenius.co.za. This is a uniquely Cape Town store that sells quirky accessories and jewellery, as well as fabulous home accents, artworks and novelty items. Spend time browsing in this three-storey shop and discover hundreds of one-of-a-kind treasures.

At Collage Fashion Deli on Long Street, cool new clothing concepts by fresh indigenous designers are displayed in deli fridges, cooldrink crates and shopping trolleys – fresh from the deli. Catch up with the latest news at Collage Fashion Deli by visiting www.proudlyafrikan.org.

Local designer Stefania Morland operates from her shop at African Pride 15 On Orange hotel, a relatively new Cape Town style icon, set in the upmarket Gardens suburb at the base of Table Mountain.

o.live, chemistry of living – situated at 8 Kloof Street, Gardens, +27 (0) 21 426 5773 – is the go-to place if you’re in search of stylish homeware and accessories. o.live’s shelves are packed with vintage and modern knick-knacks that make fabulous gifts for friends or add old-world style to your own home.

Well-known South African store Big Blue, www.bigblue.co.za, is jam-packed with weird and wonderful items. The chain sells everything from quirky kitchenware and clocks to locally designed fashions and frog-shaped handbags. Big Blue is home to everything you didn’t know you needed.

Hip Hop, www.hiphopfashion.co.za, is famous for elegant evening wear. The brand’s glamorous gowns – as well as its chic everyday wear – make Hip Hop the first choice for many Cape Town fashionistas. Hip Hop clothing is available at Hip Hop stores, Stuttafords stores and other stylish boutiques across the Mother City.

Gavin Rajah, www.gavinrajah.com, is one of South Africa’s most celebrated designers. Rajah – whose designs have been featured in Vogue, Elle and Cosmopolitan and worn by the likes of Beyoncé and Cameron Diaz – works from his studio at 112 Buitengracht Street.

If you’re in the market for unique and colourful fashions, Maya Prass, www.mayaprass.com, is the label to lust after. Prass hand-makes each item and favours bold prints and luxurious fabrics. Her garments are available at upmarket retailers across the city.

The Klûk & CGDT boutique, http://kluk.co.za, is owned by Malcolm Klûk and Christiaan Gabriël du Toit. The pair has become famous for sophisticated and elegant clothing that has graced the pages of international publications such as Harper’s Bazaar and Elle. The popular boutique is located on the corner of Main and Upper Portswood roads in Green Point.

Former Fair Lady fashion editor Jenny Le Roux is the driving force behind Habits, www.habits.co.za, a popular Cape Town boutique. Described as a “ready-to-wear range somewhere between chain store and couture”, Habits – located at 1 Cavendish Close, Cavendish Street, Claremont – is home to stylish and classic garments.

At Sun Goddess, www.sungoddess.co.za, clothing is luxurious, sophisticated and uniquely African. Sun Goddess celebrates African style by using “fabrics, silhouettes and palettes” inspired by the continent. These uniquely local fashions can be purchased at El Rio, 315 Main Road, Sea Point.

Dark Hose Design in Kloofnek Road is becoming well-know for its tables, seats, lights and bags.

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