Wanda Lephoto is central to the cohort of young South African designers reshaping fashion, both at home and globally. Renowned for his seasonal campaigns that tell homegrown stories, the Johannesburg-based designer’s AW25 narrative is his most collective yet. Named ‘Spirits’, it features other prominent South African designers and creatives as its subjects, wearing pieces from the collection and speaking about what’s important to them. This study in camaraderie takes Lephoto’s peers, such as milliner Crystal Birch and stylist Masego Morgan, and puts them centre stage as a way of reframing these would-be competitors as the friends that they really are.

“We are all in the same boat. If I’m struggling with something, I can easily pick up the phone and speak to Lukhanyo [Mdingi] or Sindiso [Khumalo] and ask them how they’ve navigated a particular situation, because we’ve all been through similar things. We all realise that success is a work in progress,” Lephoto tells us.

This exclusive story for Nataal picks up where the recent campaign left off. Shot by Elie Benistant and styled by Brigitte Arndt, it shifts the focus from the scene that bred it and on to the clothes that have sprung from it. “The editorial highlights the beauty of the products whereas our campaign highlights the beauty of the people, both are important to show the different ways in which we build our world. Beautiful products always shine through community,” explains Lephoto.

The brand’s hallmarks are all there: the bright stripes – which Wanda tells us are somewhat inspired by the South African flag – and relaxed separates that, though are often styled as a suit, can be easily mixed and matched with staples like shirts and tanks. “Wanda Lephoto is about taking something that you may see as traditionally western, such as a pyjama set, but infusing it with a spirit and an attitude that is uniquely South African,” says Lephoto. Take that ethos, mix it with the setting, a disused naval base in Simon’s Town dating back to the 1700s, and a wonderfully authentic vision of contemporary South African fashion is realised.