Local designer discusses intricacies in his latest fashion line

Born in Kensington, Cape Town, Reid moved to Joburg at the age of nine. At 23, the clothing designer has made it to the final stages of the South African Fashion Week Scouting Menswear Competition where the pre-recorded shows will be available on YouTube.

Reid’s journey in fashion began when he was walking home from an extra maths lesson and wandered into a local designer’s store. The then Grade 10 learner began to converse with the designer who encouraged him to immerse himself in the world of fashion to gain experience. Reid interned for the designer until his first year at Villioti Fashion Institute, where he completed his degree in fashion design.

“I am a very detail-orientated designer. It normally starts with the idea and then it moves onto a tangible form of that idea,” he said.

The thread which weaves all fashion shows in the competition together is sustainability, and Reid’s show revolves around the Circle of Life. The young designer’s collection features 3D printed buttons which were made specifically for the line and can be created into another object at a later stage. Another standout feature of Reid’s line was the material used for the looks. Pieces of material from previously discarded garments also played with the idea of resuscitation of the old.

Although Reid’s line falls in the menswear category, it was important for him to emulate ‘soft masculinity and strong femininity’ in his clothing. For Reid, this represented the boldness that his generation has embraced and the multidimensional layers which collide to form the individual.

“My clothing is for people with a certain outlook. People who value experiences… They are comfortable about who they are and with being who they are.”
The winner of the competition will be announced on 13 November.