Pick n Pay Clothing Launches Emerging Designer Mazhar’s First National Fashion Collection
Pick n Pay Clothing Launches Emerging Designer Mazhar’s First National Fashion Collection. Emerging South African fashion designer Mazhar has achieved a major career milestone with the launch of his first commercial clothing collection in Pick n Pay Clothing stores across the country, following his participation in the retailer’s Futurewear talent development programme.
Just over a year after graduating from fashion school, Mazhar has introduced Homegrown Heirlooms, a collection inspired by personal experiences, cultural heritage and South African design influences.
The launch marks the latest success story from Pick n Pay Clothing’s Futurewear programme, which aims to equip aspiring designers with practical industry experience while helping them transition from fashion education into commercial retail.
Raised in Durban in a South Asian family before moving to Cape Town to study fashion, Mazhar said his upbringing shaped his appreciation for craftsmanship, history and storytelling, influences that are reflected throughout his debut collection.
He described fashion as a way to bring together art, culture, identity and history through clothing.
The Homegrown Heirlooms collection draws inspiration from tiled family homes, heirloom embroidery, Cape Town’s botanical landscapes and South Africa’s diverse cultural heritage. The designs combine colour, texture and pattern with garments intended for everyday wear.
Through the Futurewear programme, Mazhar spent several months working alongside Pick n Pay Clothing’s design, buying and production teams, gaining first-hand experience in the commercial side of the fashion industry.
He said the programme provided valuable insight into every stage of bringing a collection to market, from initial concepts and garment design to production, pricing and retail.
Mazhar added that one of the most important lessons was learning to balance creativity with commercial practicality by considering customer preferences, fabric selection, garment fit and production requirements.
Pick n Pay Clothing Managing Executive Hazel Pillay said Futurewear was created to address the gap between creative talent and the practical experience required to succeed in the fashion industry.
She said many young designers possess strong creative abilities but have limited opportunities to understand how collections are developed and brought to consumers through national retail platforms.
Now in its sixth year, the programme was established in 2020 by Pillay and South African designer Gavin Rajah, who continues to mentor participating designers.
Rajah said Mazhar’s collection demonstrates how personal stories can be transformed into commercially viable fashion while remaining authentic to the designer’s creative vision.
With Homegrown Heirlooms now available nationwide, Mazhar’s collection represents the latest example of how industry partnerships can help emerging designers gain practical experience and introduce their work to customers across South Africa.
