A Night of Elegance and Triumph: The South Africa Fashion Awards 2025 Celebrates the Icons and Innovators Defining a New Era of Style

Last night, beneath the dazzling lights of Hotel Sky Sandton, the South Africa Fashion Awards 2025, in association with MondayRepublic.com and Mentos, unveiled the names shaping the future of African fashion. From established icons to rising stars, the evening was a luminous celebration of creativity, identity, and craftsmanship, bringing together designers, models, influencers, and cultural pioneers from across the nation.

Hosted by the charismatic Samkelo Maluleke, the awards delivered a captivating mix of glamour and authenticity. Presenters including Ayanda G. Thabethe, Munaka Muthabi, Siphesihle Ndaba, Zenande Mfenyana, Thabiso Bapela, and Linda Mtambo took to the stage to honour the individuals and brands that have elevated South African fashion onto the global stage.

The evening opened with a powerful tribute to the transformative force of African design, reminding audiences that "the world cannot celebrate what it cannot see". That sentiment carried through the night as the South Africa Fashion Awards spotlighted a generation determined to make fashion both a creative and cultural force.

2025 Winners

Best Fashion Designer 2025 sponsored by Mentos – Rich Mnisi

Best Stylist 2025 – Thobeka Mbane

Best Fashion Influencer 2025 sponsored by Monday Republic – Boity Thulo

Best Fashion Icon 2025 sponsored by Skin Functional – Kim Jayde

Best Make-up Brand 2025 – Creative Glamour

Best Skincare Brand 2025 – Skin Functional

Best Fashion Retailer 2025 – THE FIX

Best Fashion E-commerce Brand 2025 – Dunns

Best Male Model 2025 sponsored by Avante Brandy – Rasaq Akinwunmi

Best Female Model 2025 – Nondumiso Beattie

Best Emerging Fashion Designer 2025 sponsored by Black Crown – Katlego Mokwana

Best Hair Stylist 2025 – Jawad Maphoto

Best Fashion Photographer 2025 sponsored by Los Lacos Tequila – Pierre Van Vuuren

Best Sustainable Fashion 2025 – Yarnh

Best Modelling Agency 2025 – ICE Models

Best South African Jewellery Brand 2025 – Jenna Clifford

Best Streetwear Brand 2025 – Boys of Soweto

Best Footwear Brand 2025 – Bathu

Best Makeup Artist 2025 – Vuyo Varoy

Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – David Tlale

Outstanding Contribution to Fashion Award 2025 – Laduma Ngxokolo (MAXHOSA AFRICA)

Outstanding Contribution to Fashion Award 2025 – Gert-Johan Coetzee

Outstanding Contribution to Fashion Award 2025 – Refilwe Modiselle

An Evening of Vision and Vitality

The night was more than a ceremony; it was a manifesto for African fashion. Each winner reflected a growing movement that fuses tradition with innovation, spotlighting homegrown excellence with global resonance. The partnership between MondayRepublic.com, Africa's fast-growing marketplace platform, and Mentos, known for its vibrant spirit and optimism, symbolised the synergy between commerce, creativity, and confidence in the continent's cultural future.

Live performances, cinematic visuals, and heartfelt speeches filled the Opera-style venue with emotion and pride. When David Tlale accepted his Lifetime Achievement Award, the standing ovation captured three decades of his impact on couture, mentorship, and global representation of South African fashion.

As the lights dimmed, attendees raised a toast to a new chapter — one where South Africa doesn't merely follow fashion but leads it.