Couture vs. Counterfeit: SA Designers Take a Stand Against Fake Fashion

On Monday, the 17th of March, some of the country’s most celebrated fashion designers —usually seen commanding attention on catwalks, red carpets and glossy magazine covers—used their voices and their style, to take a stand against the growing threat of counterfeit fashion.  

Gathering outside the Sandton Convention Centre during the Buy Local Summit & Expo, designers, industry leaders, and fashion entrepreneurs marched in the Take A Stand March, an initiative by Proudly South African to call for stronger protections for local talent and businesses. Designers like David Tlale, Palesa Mokubung (Mantsho), Craig Jacobs (Fundudzi), Otsile Sefolo (Otiz Seflo), Ouma Tema (Plus Fab), Londeka Buthelezi-Ndaba (Malondié), Mzukisi Mbane (Imprint Za), Mpumelelo Dhlamini (Ezokhetho), Ole Ledimo (House of Ole), and Vanya Mangaliso (Sun Goddess), alongside TV personalities such as Sophie Ndaba and Lenore Goss-Matjie, marched with bold placards declaring “Shein and Temu [are] Fong Kong” and “Local is Lekker”, the protest was both a statement of resistance and a celebration of authentic South African craftsmanship.  

Participating in the march was renowned designer David Tlale, who emphasised the importance of this movement. “Do I think this activation is successful? I don’t know,” he admitted. “But the thing is, we’ve started and I believe in big movements. For them to take off, you have to take the first step.”  

Fake Fashion, Real Consequences

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The rise of counterfeit and mass-produced fast fashion has had devastating effects on South Africa’s fashion industry. These illicit goods, often sold at a fraction of the price of locally made designs, undermine authentic brands, exploit workers in unethical supply chains and strip away opportunities for job creation in the country.  

The reality is that many South Africans opt for counterfeit or fast fashion products not out of choice, but out of necessity. With a struggling economy, high unemployment rates and an increasing cost of living, affordability becomes the deciding factor for many consumers. Global fast fashion giants like Shein, Temu and other unregulated online retailers offer stylish, trend-driven clothing at rock-bottom prices, making them hard to resist, especially for young shoppers looking for the latest looks on a budget. However, this comes at a steep economic and environmental cost.  

The Hidden Cost of Fast Fashion

While fast fashion may seem like an accessible option, it fuels a vicious cycle of exploitation and waste. The business model relies on cheap labour, often in sweatshops with poor working conditions. Workers, particularly in countries like China, Bangladesh and Vietnam, are paid meagre wages to produce enormous quantities of clothing at an unsustainable pace.  

In South Africa, this has led to a decline in the textile and manufacturing industries, which once thrived as key contributors to employment and economic growth. Local designers and artisans cannot compete with the prices of mass-produced imports, leading to factory closures, job losses and a shrinking market for proudly South African fashion.  

At Modern Opulent Gazette, we are committed to supporting South African designers, advocating for local craftsmanship and sustainable fashion over mass-produced fast fashion.

The environmental impact is equally concerning. The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters in the world, with fast fashion brands producing enormous amounts of textile waste, polluting water sources with toxic dyes and contributing to carbon emissions through overproduction and long-distance shipping. Many counterfeit goods are made with low-quality materials that deteriorate quickly, leading to increased waste and a culture of disposable fashion.  

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“This is a beautiful conversation we’re having here and a nice, peaceful protest,” said fashion entrepreneur Thami Dish, highlighting the urgency of the issue. “It’s about time we got together and helped shape the economy of our clothing, textile, leather and footwear industry.”  

South Africa’s fashion industry isn’t just about creativity, it's a critical economic sector. Every locally made garment represents employment, skills development and a supply chain that supports countless businesses. However, as Malondie founder, Londeka Buthelezi-Ndaba pointed out, the industry faces significant threats from unchecked imports.  

“Part of fashion designing and manufacturing has to do with the South African growth. We need to teach our people skills, we need to reopen the manufacturers and the industries, and we need to grow this economy through jobs, through increasing equality”, she urged.  

Publicist, Simphiwe Majola, shared a similar sentiment, adding, “We’re always complaining about unemployment, which is very strange because we’ve got so much talent, power and business. Now it’s time for South Africans to take ownership, to take a stand and to say ‘buy local’.”  

From Protest to Policy: The Road Ahead

The Take A Stand March was more than just a symbolic gesture, it was a call to action. Proudly SA used the moment to urge the government to enforce stricter regulations on counterfeit imports while also making it easier for local businesses to thrive.  

Palesa Mokubung, creative director of Mantsho, highlighted the long-overdue nature of the protest, saying, “It took us 20 years to have the first march that addresses the issue we have with counterfeits and just the lack of support from the government for the fashion industry. All the labels, all the top designers that you see in the country are self-made. The government didn't get us here. And we are here to say, ‘Look, we've done it, but we need help.’”

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Echoing the urgency of the moment, Happy Makhumalo Ngidi, CMO of Proudly SA, stressed the importance of accountability: “We need to have these discussions. We need to have the right policymakers in the room. We need to hold people accountable, because this economy is not going to sort itself out.”  

She further emphasised the need for visibility and unity within the industry, adding, “We need to be out there. We need to be seen by consumers, by the media, as a collective.”

The protest coincided with the 13th Buy Local Summit & Expo, where industry leaders, designers and policymakers gathered to discuss the future of South Africa’s creative economy. With nearly 200 exhibitors and a strong focus on local procurement, the summit served as a crucial space to push for real change.  

A Movement, Not a Moment  

The Take A Stand March sent a clear message: South Africa’s fashion industry is ready to fight for its future. This is about more than just clothing—it’s about identity, economic empowerment and protecting the integrity of local talent.  

As David Tlale put it: “Today is the first step. We want the government to work with us. We want the community at large to work with us. More than anything else, we want to say that we are Proudly South African, and we have what it takes.”  

The question now is, will South Africans rise to the occasion and choose local fashion over fast fashion?