Style is no longer limited to what you wear. It also lives in the technology you carry, the tools you use and the way you express yourself every day.
That idea takes centre stage as HONOR South Africa joins GQ Best Dressed 2026 as headline partner. The partnership brings the HONOR Magic V6 into a platform that has spent two decades celebrating individuals whose personal style reflects their confidence, influence and cultural relevance.
Now marking its 20th anniversary, GQ Best Dressed continues to recognise people shaping South African culture across entertainment, sport, fashion, business and the creative industries.
The collaboration connects two worlds that increasingly overlap: personal expression and technological innovation.
20 years of celebrating South African style
For two decades, GQ Best Dressed has recognised people who understand that style goes beyond clothing. Individuality, confidence and the ability to make a statement without speaking have remained central to its identity.
The 2026 partnership introduces premium technology into that conversation. It explores how design, innovation and personal expression influence the lives of today’s tastemakers.
For HONOR South Africa, the collaboration also creates an opportunity to connect with an audience that values both aesthetics and performance.
HONOR CEO Fred Zhou said technology has become part of how people express themselves in an increasingly connected world.
“In an increasingly connected world, personal style extends beyond clothing. The devices we carry, the tools we use to work and create, and the way we move through our daily lives have become part of how we express ourselves,” Zhou said.
He added that people balancing demanding careers, creative pursuits and busy social calendars expect technology to deliver on both form and function.
According to Zhou, the HONOR Magic V6 reflects this shift through its slim design and features focused on productivity, creativity and everyday multitasking.
GQ Best Dressed meets premium technology
For Molife Kumona, Editor-in-Chief of GQ South Africa, the partnership reflects how personal style has evolved.
“GQ Best Dressed has always been about more than what you wear. It is about individuality, confidence and how you express yourself to the world,” Kumona said.
He explained that bringing HONOR South Africa and the HONOR Magic V6 into the anniversary edition allows the platform to explore style through a contemporary lens.
The partnership also recognises a generation that moves between fashion, business, sport and culture, with personal expression extending into the choices people make across their lives.
Meet the HONOR Magic V6
Launched in South Africa in August 2026, the HONOR Magic V6 is the brand’s flagship foldable smartphone.
The device measures 9mm when folded and 4.1mm when unfolded, according to the supplied specifications, and weighs 224g.
Its foldable design allows users to move between a compact smartphone experience and a larger 7.95-inch inner display. The expanded screen provides more room to work across applications, manage tasks and engage with content.
Under the hood, the smartphone features the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform and a 6,660mAh silicon-carbon battery.
It supports 80W wired and 66W wireless HONOR SuperCharge. AI-powered features enhanced by Google Gemini are designed to support smarter workflows, while its 64MP Ultra Sensing Periscope Telephoto Camera with advanced stabilisation is built to help users capture detailed images.
These features place productivity, creativity and everyday convenience at the centre of the device’s proposition.
Designed for durability and connected living
A premium device must also be built for everyday use.
The HONOR Magic V6 features HONOR’s Anti-scratch NanoCrystal Shield and Super Steel Hinge, which has been tested for up to 500,000 folds. The device also carries IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance ratings.
Its connectivity features extend beyond the HONOR ecosystem. Through HONOR Connect and HONOR Share, the device supports interaction with products including iPhone, Mac, AirPods and Apple Watch.
This reflects a connected lifestyle in which people often move between different devices throughout the day.
The combination of a foldable design, expanded display and AI-assisted capabilities brings together several considerations that influence how consumers choose the technology they carry.
The faces behind the HONOR Magic V6 campaign
The HONOR Magic V6 campaign features a line-up of South African ambassadors from entertainment, sport and business.
They include legendary screen icon Connie Ferguson, former Miss South Africa Mia Le Roux, Legends Barbershop founder Sheldon Tatchell, Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams, South African cricket captain Temba Bavuma, South African rugby vice-captain Eben Etzebeth and 100m record holder Akani Simbine.
The campaign sees the ambassadors discussing the role helpful technology plays in their professional and business lives, including how devices can help them manage daily responsibilities.
Their involvement connects the smartphone with individuals whose work spans different areas of South African public life.
When style meets function
Luxury is increasingly associated with the experience a product delivers, rather than only the name attached to it. Design, functionality and the ability to make everyday life more seamless all contribute to how people assess the products they choose.
The HONOR Magic V6 brings these ideas together through its foldable form, larger display, AI-assisted features and cross-device connectivity.
Its role in the GQ Best Dressed partnership places the smartphone within a broader lifestyle conversation that includes fashion, travel, culture and professional identity.
For HONOR South Africa, the collaboration offers a way to present technology to an audience that appreciates the relationship between appearance and performance.
A new chapter for GQ Best Dressed
Reaching its 20th edition gives GQ Best Dressed an opportunity to reflect on how South African style has evolved, the people who have influenced it and those who will shape its next chapter.
The partnership with HONOR South Africa brings that legacy into conversation with a new generation of premium technology.
As fashion, culture and innovation continue to intersect, personal style increasingly reflects more than a single interest or pursuit. It can be seen in how people work, create, connect and move between different parts of their lives.
With the HONOR Magic V6 taking a central role in the 2026 partnership, GQ Best Dressed celebrates 20 years of individuality and confidence while exploring what modern self-expression looks like today.
