Created by South African women artisans through the Bush Whisper Foundation, the collection brings together the distinctive patterns and heritage of Shweshwe with contemporary handbag design.
The result is a collection that carries a distinctly South African identity while being created for an international fashion audience.
For Oosthuizen, however, the significance of the Paris showcase goes far beyond fashion.
It is about the women behind every piece.
From South African Hands To Paris
The handbags were custom-made specifically for the Paris showcase.
South African women artisans used their sewing skills to transform Shweshwe fabric into bespoke fashion pieces that will now be presented on an international runway.
Oosthuizen says the decision to take the collection to Paris was rooted in a desire to showcase something unmistakably South African.
“I wanted to take something unmistakably South African to Paris.”
She says the handbags carry South African heritage and creativity while highlighting the skill of the women who created them.
That craftsmanship is at the heart of the collection.
Rather than separating the finished fashion pieces from the people who made them, the Paris showcase puts their work and story firmly in the spotlight.
Shweshwe With A Contemporary Fashion Lens
Shweshwe is central to the collection’s identity.
Known for its distinctive patterns and heritage, the fabric has been brought into contemporary handbag design, creating pieces that connect South African tradition with modern fashion.
The collection is deliberately rooted in South African identity.
Its purpose is not to make the handbags blend into the international fashion landscape. Instead, the pieces carry their South African character with them.
For Oosthuizen, that identity is something to celebrate.
“We have so much talent in South Africa. We don’t have to leave our identity behind to be part of the international conversation.”
She says South Africa can take its culture, creativity and pride into the international fashion conversation without leaving its identity behind.
The Women Behind The Collection
The journey to Paris began with the women who turned their sewing skills into the bespoke handbags.
Through the Bush Whisper Foundation, South African women artisans created the pieces that will now travel beyond the country.
Oosthuizen describes taking their work to Paris as a privilege and says the collection is about demonstrating that South African craftsmanship belongs on the world stage.
“There are incredibly talented South African women creating beautiful products with their hands.”
That sentiment gives the collection a meaning beyond its visual appeal.
Every handbag represents the craftsmanship of the women who helped bring the project to life.
A Paris Opportunity With New Romantics Couture
The opportunity to showcase the collection in Paris came through Nadene of New Romantics Couture.
Oosthuizen worked alongside the New Romantics team and Bush Whisper Apparel to conceptualise and create the bespoke collection.
The collaboration brought together the fashion expertise behind the Paris opportunity with the craftsmanship of the South African women artisans.
Together, they developed handbags specifically for the showcase.
Representing A Different Side Of South Africa
As First Princess Mrs South Africa, Oosthuizen says the collection gives her an opportunity to represent another side of the country internationally.
That representation is centred on creativity, heritage, entrepreneurship and the skills of South African women.
It is a story that begins in South African sewing rooms and travels to one of the world’s most prominent fashion stages.
The handbags are more than accessories within that journey.
They are a vehicle for showcasing the hands, heritage and creativity behind South African craftsmanship.
South African Women On The World Stage
As the collection reaches the Paris Fashion Week runway, the spotlight ultimately returns to the women who made it possible.
Their sewing skills have been transformed into bespoke fashion pieces carrying Shweshwe’s distinctive identity into an international setting.
For Oosthuizen, taking those creations to Paris is a celebration of what South African women can create with their hands.
And that journey — from South African sewing rooms to the Paris runway — places their craftsmanship at the centre of the story.
South African heritage travels with every stitch.
