Rokisang, Thungisani! R50 000 in fashion prizes up for grabs – the 2026 Local Fashion Police is back!
The devil might be wearing Prada, but Proudly South African is gearing up to host the sixth edition of the Local Fashion Police, which celebrates the flair and the pizzazz of local fashion excellence and creativity at an exclusive media launch in Johannesburg on August 04.
The 2026 edition of the Local Fashion Police is sponsored by FP&M SETA, TFG, Nando’s and Krispy Kreme.
The Local Fashion Police is an annual celebration of local fashion, design, and creativity. The event provides a platform for emerging and established designers to showcase their work while inspiring audiences through innovation, craftsmanship, and style.
This year, the Local Fashion Police will chronicle the evolution of fashion and the programme, showcasing how this premier event in the local fashion calendar has evolved from a social media campaign into a recognised platform that has elevated local fashion from the periphery into the mainstream.
The Local Fashion Police goes beyond just a celebration of local sartorial elegance but is an affirmation and tangible support for the clothing, textile, fashion, footwear, and leather sectors that are buckling from the onslaught of the growth of offshore, e-commerce retailers, the influx of cheap textiles into the country, and the proliferation of illicit and counterfeit goods.
This year, the competition boasts an array of new, dynamic and trend setting array of designers that have won the hearts, minds, and wallets of a growing legion of fashionistas. The 2026 designers of the Local Fashion Police are:
• Ezokhetho, by Mpumelelo “Lele” Dhlamini
• Thabo Makhetha, by Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana
• Anel Botha
• By Waldo, by Rivaldo
“We are excited and looking forward to hosting another edition of the Local Fashion Police. This year, the Local Fashion Police promises to offer a sensory journey marking the key milestones of the event through an immersive fashion experience and a captivating fashion spectacle that will culminate in an engaging runway exhibition. More than the fashion, the Local Fashion Police campaign is also facilitating access to local excellence, encouraging consumers to make conscientious purchasing decisions, fostering job creation and increasing the uptake of locally produced products that are Loved Here. Made Here,” says Eustace Mashimbye, Chief Executive Officer of Proudly South African.
The panel of judges was unveiled at the media event, hosted at Artistry in Sandton, Johannesburg.
How to participate
As a consumer-facing activation, the Local Fashion Police provides consumers with an opportunity to actively participate in the competition. Being part of the competition is effortless.
Interested fashionistas should snap a picture or video of themselves rocking their favourite local outfit, post it on their preferred social media platforms, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or LinkedIn. Tag Proudly South African and FP&M SETA and use the hashtags: #LocalFashionPolice2026 #LovedHereMadeHere.
Four lucky winners will each secure R50 000 worth of fashion from a Local Fashion Police designer. The winners will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to strut their stuff on the runway dressed in the judges’ exclusive collection at the spectacular grand finale that will be held on 19 November 2026.
In line with its developmental agenda, the Local Fashion Police will also host a series of masterclasses across the country where the designers will share industry insights and practical advice with emerging peers on how to scale up their businesses and navigate the challenges they may encounter.
The masterclasses will be hosted in partnership with Durban Fashion Fair in Durban on 12 August, FEDISA in Cape Town on 28 August, and with FP&M SETA in Johannesburg on 10 September.
Interested participants in the Local Fashion Police can follow Proudly South African on its social media platforms, including X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube.
