Fashion has a waste problem, but what if the next big style statement is already hanging in a second-hand shop, sitting in a forgotten wardrobe or buried beneath piles of unwanted clothing?
South African designer Craig Jacobs is exploring that possibility with THE NEW EARTH, the latest transeasonal 2026/27 collection from Fundudzi. Presented at South African Fashion Week at Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre, the collection challenges the idea that great fashion must begin with brand-new materials.
Instead, Jacobs is looking at what already exists — and imagining what it could become.
Turning Fashion Waste Into Creative Possibility
The fashion industry thrives on constant change. New collections arrive, trends move on, and garments that were once desirable can quickly become unwanted. From fast fashion to luxury labels, the pressure to keep producing and consuming raises important questions about what happens when clothing reaches the end of its commercial life.
With THE NEW EARTH, Fundudzi approaches this challenge through dismantling, reworking and reconstructing pre-owned, surplus and discarded garments, creating new pieces from materials that might otherwise be overlooked.
Rather than treating unwanted clothing as useless, the collection positions it as a starting point for creative exploration.
For a generation increasingly interested in personal style, conscious consumption and making more intentional choices, this presents a compelling alternative to the endless cycle of buying what’s new and discarding what’s old.
The idea is not simply to make old clothes fashionable again. It is to reconsider the value we assign to the materials already around us.
Southern Africa’s Landscapes Inspire a New Aesthetic
Sustainability does not have to mean sacrificing individuality or expressive design. THE NEW EARTH makes that clear through a visual language inspired by Southern Africa‘s geological landscapes.
Muted shades of earth, stone and weathered terrain inform a collection that brings together tailoring, denim, knitwear and sheer layers. The resulting silhouettes move between everyday wear and more expressive fashion, showing how reclaimed materials can support different approaches to dressing.
The collection’s aesthetic also connects to a broader conversation about African design: how local landscapes, cultural perspectives and resourcefulness can shape contemporary fashion without simply following international trends.
For Fundudzi, the material itself becomes part of the story. Each reconstructed garment carries the possibility of a different future, challenging conventional ideas about what makes clothing desirable.
A South African Fashion Story With Purpose
Founded by Jacobs in 2004, Fundudzi has built its identity around telling African stories through cloth while maintaining an ecologically sensitive approach to design.
THE NEW EARTH continues that commitment, with formative parts of the collection produced at Ananse Studios Johannesburg in Rosebank’s Design District. The project was made possible through a donation from television producer and creative-industry patron Alan Ford, while Luxity supported the collection as its Official Accessory Partner, providing footwear.
These contributions highlight the collaborative effort behind a fashion collection, bringing together design talent, production capabilities and support for the creative industries.
They also place the conversation about sustainable fashion within South Africa‘s own creative economy, where designers and makers can explore new approaches to materials, production and artistic expression.
Can Fashion Learn to Make Less?
Reworking discarded clothing will not solve textile waste on its own. The scale of the problem demands broader changes in how garments are produced, purchased, reused and disposed of.
But collections like THE NEW EARTH offer a valuable starting point: questioning the assumption that creativity always requires something new.
For young South Africans navigating tight budgets, evolving trends and the desire to express themselves, that idea has relevance beyond the runway. Thrifting, repairing, customising and restyling existing pieces can all become ways to develop a distinctive wardrobe while extending the life of clothing.
Fundudzi’s latest collection ultimately invites us to look at fashion differently. Perhaps the future of style is not only about what designers can create from scratch, but also about what they can rescue, rethink and rebuild.
Sometimes, the most exciting new thing is something the world has already thrown away.
Images by Eunice Driver Photography.
