LARA KLAWIKOSKI
What do you design?
I create bespoke womenswear from recycled and upcycled materials. I love using unusual materials, transforming them into wearable materials for clothes. At first my designs were avantgarde and I wanted to use fabrics no-one else would think of. I designed with the inner tubing from truck tyres, bicycle tyres, melted ice-cream cups, dishwashing sponges and earbuds. But through years of experimentation and maturity as a designer, the recycled panels I now create for clothes are wearable, comfortable, durable and machine-washable and I’m able to use the textiles in ready-to-wear garments. I focus more on using industry waste, like recycled plastics and fabric off-cuts, and make a conscious effort to be more eco-friendly.
When did you win the award, and what did it mean to you?
I won the Twyg Innovative Design & Materials award and the Twyg x Country Road Changemaker award in 2020. As an independent designer with a small business, it meant a lot to have my work recognised by Twyg, the leading magazine in sustainable fashion design in South Africa, and by Country Road, an international fashion retail giant. The interest in what and how I design soared. I was featured in publications, on podcasts, and in student projects and master’s degree theses.
How has focusing on sustainable practices informed your creative process?
Sustainable practices have made my work more creative, thought-provoking, distinct, experimental and progressive.
What projects have you been involved in since winning?
I was invited to show a collection at the SAFW virtual shows in 2021. I started stocking at Plain Tiger, a sustainable slow-fashion online platform, and Merchants on Long, an African concept store. I designed collections for the invited designer showcase at the Hollywoodbets Durban July this year and last year. I had my first solo exhibition at a gallery (Young Blood) during women’s month this year, and I exhibited my work at the Woolworths Fabric & Innovation Indaba last week. I won a silver award in the Fashion & Lifestyle category at the Enviropaedia Eco-Logic Awards two weeks ago.
Advice for designers who are thinking about entering?
The Twyg awards will magnify what you’re doing. When it comes to sustainable design, every small step helps.
What are you working on now?
A collection of womenswear and hats, titled Wycinanki, inspired by my Polish heritage, and Polish folk floral art.
MBALI MTHETHWA What do you produce and how did you get into this work?
The Herd is a collaborative platform that works with Nguni women based in rural KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. We create handmade contemporary pieces: wall hangings and neckpieces made from glass beads. Our pieces are inspired by and pay homage to the iconic beading culture pioneered and mastered by Nguni women.
What do you love about designing?
Being transported to a creative world that has no boundaries.
When did you win the Twyg award? What did it mean to you?
I won the Changemaker Award in 2021. It meant all the work we’re creating is seen.
How has focusing on sustainable practices informed your creative process?
Black African cultures and traditional ways of making things have always been informed by sustainable practices. It’s been a process of unlearning the toxic Western-centric/capitalist systems and leaning into traditional practices.
Did winning the award have a positive effect on your career?
Yes, in so many ways. It gave us confidence to create more. After winning we got the attention of people we’ve been dreaming of working and collaborating with.
What projects have you been involved in since winning?
The most significant project was a 6m beaded tapestry commissioned by Nike and Futura Design Agency. Shapa is at Nike Soweto Football Stadium, Klipspruit, Soweto.