As the fashion world shifts towards authenticity and craftsmanship, the Cape Town inner city continues to attract couturiers whose work defies fast fashion.
Haute couture, often associated with Parisian ateliers and Milanese runways, has long held a firm seam in Cape Town’s CBD. Bree Street – voted one of the world’s coolest streets by Time Out – and surrounds, has attracted major luxury designers over the last decade-and-a-half.
“Cape Town is a drawcard in itself,” shares Philipp Althof, director of BUDISM COUTURE. Together with co-founder Budi Adji, Althof relocated from Hong Kong in 2014 to Cape Town in 2022, opening the atelier at 88 Bree Street.
“We saw a rare opportunity to restore a 240-year-old building, while infusing it with a modern couture sensibility,” explains Althof. “Many of our international clients choose to visit us here because it’s also become one of the world’s top holiday destinations. The vibrant energy of the CBD, coupled with its architectural authenticity and proximity to exceptional local talent, made it the perfect canvas,” Althof notes.
EXQUISITE GOWNS
The house prides itself on artisanry associated with real haute couture, specialising in hand-embroidered gowns for all occasions, alongside daywear couture and accessories. “All dresses are custom-made entirely by hand, employing unique techniques passed down through generations. We have close relationships with French artisans who create gowns for the best designers in the world,” Althof says.
BUDISM COUTURE’s clients, many of whom live in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, are women who “value haute couture craftsmanship and the appeal of having unique pieces that are tailor-made to their dreams and desires.”
Malcolm Kluk and Christiaan Gabriel du Toit from KLûK CGDT also instantly fell in love with Bree Street, buying a building in 2010 to establish their atelier. “It was everything we dreamed of,” says Kluk. “It fulfils our vision of being the South African version of an international luxury brand.”
Their customers of this award-winning fashion house, which epitomises luxury, sophistication and uncompromising quality, are seasonal. “Customers come from Joburg and Cape Town all year round, but also international tourists from Europe, America and the Middle East,” comments Kluk, adding that the atelier is recognised internationally for African luxury.
The duo previously had stores in Gauteng, but the allure of Cape Town saw them change tack.
LOCATION IS KEY
Warrick Gautier, who hails from France and has worked for big names like Chloé and Louis Vuitton, believes the inner city is the ideal location for his atelier as it blends heritage and modern aspects of haute couture.
His uncle, Paul Gautier, introduced French menswear to Cape Town in the late 1960s and 1970s, a revolutionary move at the time. “He made the tailored French gentleman style accessible to all his clients. His impeccable style and the iconic Gautier stores in the CBD and Claremont left a lasting impression,” he says. It’s a family tradition; a heritage Gautier is proud to continue.
Working from the heart of the CBD has been advantageous for Gaultier’s business. “The city has grown dramatically over the past few years and we’re seeing that designer wear is sought throughout the year; it is not so seasonal anymore.”
HISTORY MEETS MODERN SOPHISTICATION
For Gautier, the energy and vibe in the CBD are “incredibly inspiring, rooted in its 300-year-old history” with Bree Street possibly its best address.
Both KLûK CGDT and BUDISM COUTURE were also drawn to the charm of Cape Town’s history combined with its modern sophistication, as well as the ease of being based in the city centre.
They also salute the work of the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), a not-for-profit private-public company which has worked night and day, in partnership with SAPS and the City of Cape Town, to create a safe, clean and business-friendly CBD. Says Kluk: “Security in the CBD is good, and the city centre is always busy.”
Cape Town’s fashion style is unique, understated and cosmopolitan, attests Gautier. “Like the city’s art, architecture and cuisine, its fashion attests to a sophisticated style that has international appeal.”
In the Cape Town city centre, fashion isn’t just something you wear; it’s something you experience. As the world looks to slower, more meaningful expressions of luxury, the Mother City’s couturiers are setting the standard, one stitch at a time.
IMAGES: Carmen Lorraine, Sharon Sorour-Morris, Budism Couture
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