Essie Apparel, founded by Actress and Designer Enhle Mbali presented its highly anticipated autumn and winter collection at the SA Fashion Week at the Mall of Africa last night 21st October 2022 and we dare say it is ridiculously hot and very much her. If you know her, you will make sense of her designs and if you don’t you will still fall in love with her work.

Essie’s AW23 is inspired by the unique qualities of winter in Africa; cold nights, chilly mornings and balmy afternoons. The new collection, made entirely in South Africa, interrupts established ideas about what winter colours and winter wear should be, introducing bold colours and unapologetically unconventional designs for both women and men. This is the first time Essie showcased menswear as part of its collection and it was just as impactful.

Developed with the fashion forward globetrotter in mind, Essie has established a dedicated following since the launch of its first collection, which featured faux leather dresses, catsuits, skirts, puffy jackets and faux fur coats. This bold new look caused a stir both locally and internationally and, since then, the label has gone on to feature in Italian Vogue and to garner its first international award, which was presented at Fashion Community Week in San Francisco in 2020. 

The fashion label is known for its fusion designs, which combine her own simple and classy style with just the right touch of African-inspired edginess. The new AW23 collection is set to top even the triumph of the AW22 collection, which brought to the catwalk an audacious new take on the safari look, effortlessly combining khaki, leathers, chiffon and other luxury materials in statement pieces that sent a clear message about the quality and innovation of high-end fashion in Africa today; fashion that has broken new ground since 2020. 

“Almost unexpectedly, interest in luxury fashion didn’t wane during the pandemic,” says Mbali. “In fact, it weathered the storm better than leading brands like H&M, Esprit, Gap, Zara and J Crew. Tech-savvy buyers moved seamlessly from the physical environment into the online environment, radically extending both reach and accessibility. Prior to 2020, it was unheard of to search for and purchase luxury brands online, but a dramatic turnaround in consumer behaviour and purchasing patterns over the past two-and-a-half years has changed all that.” 

The interest in innovative statement fashion, in particular, has skyrocketed. 

“The audiences that are attracted to our designs are looking for fashion that says something about who they are, where they come from, where they’re going and how they see the world,” says Mbali. “That’s why we combine our proven commitment to workmanship and quality materials with a distinctive creativity and our own special note of urban whimsy. It’s also why our collections speak to contemporary audiences in such a powerful way and why we’ll be making them available online from mid-November. And we’re actively promoting them across all social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.”

“The exciting silhouettes of the AW23 collection imagine new frontiers and are infused with our ethos of continually pushing boundaries,” says Mbali. “From a design perspective, they bring together the visual experience of living in contemporary Africa, an evolution of emotional experiences, the influence of travel and an innate passion for the arts.