Fashion - The Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival

THREADS OF TIME: AFRICAN TEXTILES PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

Fashion at the Standard Bank Luju Festival is a bold celebration of African creativity, identity, and self-expression. As a core pillar of the festival, fashion comes alive through dynamic runway showcases, curated marketplaces, and style-forward festivalgoers who turn the grounds into a living fashion gallery.

From established and emerging designers to sustainable and culturally inspired collections, Luju spotlights the richness of African fashion narratives - past, present, and future. Attendees are encouraged to express their individuality, blending heritage with contemporary flair, while supporting local and regional creatives.

With fashion shows, industry conversations, pop-up shopping experiences, and the iconic Best Dressed competition, the Standard Bank Luju Festival positions fashion not just as an aesthetic, but as a powerful cultural and economic force at the heart of the Luju experience.

THREADS OF TIME: AFRICAN TEXTILES PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

LUJU FASHION INDABA

The Luju Fashion Indaba is a deep dive into the heart of Southern African style and sustainability. Bringing together designers, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs, it features workshops and panel discussions on best practices and emerging trends.

Hosted ahead of the festival, the Fashion Indaba fosters collaboration, promotes SME growth, and offers partners strong brand visibility in the region’s vibrant fashion landscape. Applications to attend the Luju Food Indaba will open in 2026.

Headline Designer

Thula Sindi

Thula Sindi, a distinguished South African fashion designer known for his elegance and sophistication, has captured the spotlight with his remarkable designs since 2006. Born in Klerksdorp Northwest in 1983 his keen interest in Fine Art led him to study at The Nation School of The Arts in Johannesburg & later on study Fashion Design at LISOF. His contributions to the fashion industry, especially his women's clothing lines featuring bold prints, clean aesthetics, and meticulous detailing, have garnered recognition both locally in South Africa and on the international stage. Thula Sindi's impact on African fashion is widely acknowledged with multiple awards and a thriving business which includes AFRICARISE: a retail concept store that houses over 60 proudly African designers work along with Art, accessories and books all created on the African continent

2025

LUJU DESIGNER CALLOUT

Open to emerging Eswatini fashion designers – the Luju Fashion Program is a unique opportunity for Eswatini fashion designers to elevate their brand with regional media exposure, design mentoring, access to industry experts & like-minded artists, as well as the ultimate runway showcase experience. Fashion program supports local designers, with a focus on their journey to showcasing at the Luju Fashion Show . Through this platform, designers are encouraged to use fashion as a medium to tell African stories, and to drive awareness on environmental sustainability in fashion production and consumption. Luju is looking for fashion designers to create & showcase a high quality, unique & directional collection to captivate at the Luju fashion show.

LUJU FASHION INDABA

Following the success of the inaugural edition of the Standard Bank Luju Food & Fashion Indaba, House On Fire and Standard Bank Eswatini will once again reinforce their joint committment towards developing Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and creative industries in Eswatini in 2025.

The Luju Fashion Indaba invites stakeholders from Eswatini's growing fashion industry for a day of knowledge sharing, capacity development and masterclasses. Local fashion designers, Fashion and Creative entrepreneurs, consultants, local finance and education institutions, government agencies, local NGOs, and others with a stake in the future of fashion in the Kingdom are invited to apply.
Applications for the second edition of the Luju Fashion Indaba will open in 2025.