Source: ReDressConsultancy

South Africa's fashion sector once again missed anopportunity to highlight specific "fashion-nomics" that are hindering thisvital link within the apparel and textile value-chain.

Africa Fashion International through the AfricaFashion Awards could have used this platform to create awareness about oneissue that is impacting on the industry providing an educational platform forfashion consumers and that is the illegal imports flooding our country. Is thislack of dealing with fashion economic issues using the outreach that eventssuch as the Africa Fashion Awards presents is not addressed because it is notfashionable, glamorous and just very boring? Or is it because those involved inthe industry and socialites that attend these events either do not have acomprehensive understanding of the complexities that intertwines andcross-stitches our apparel sector and or just do not have an interest in thislayer of fashion?

Millions and millions of illegal fashion relateditems enter this country and find their way into both the formal and informalsector. Yes, government, SARS and other related bodies are attempting to dealwith the matter and yes containers of illegal good have been detained. However,our fashion sector that has an influential platform can find innovative ways tocreate more public awareness about the damage these illegal operations have onour designers not only in South Africa but across the continent as well as thenegative impact they have on the industry as a whole?

For these syndicates that operate and flood ourmarket with counterfeit products it is all a numbers game. For every containerthat is detained a number get through. We are still to hear of any company orindividual going to prison. Do they just get a fine and continue with theirillicit operations? They need to be named and shamed. We may all be surprisedif these organizations and suppliers were named to discover that we may beaiding them by using them as suppliers. A further question that is in need ofbeing asked is what happens to the tons of garments that are confiscated? Dothey somehow find their way back onto the streets; are they burnt or donated tocharities? Action against these syndicates must not only be at the point ofentry. We must find mechanisms to trace their Asian suppliers and isolate themas well.

At conferences, workshops and in the press wecontinually hear designers, the industry and the unions bemoaning the difficultiesour apparel sector faces yet as a collective the fashion sector as one entityof our apparel sector seems incapable of mobilizing and taking the initiativein contributing to curbing the surge of illegal counterfeit imports through themany fashion weeks we have in this country. It is time that developmentalfashion or as I coined it "fashion-nomics" becomes fashionable by creatinginnovative styles to tackle this one of many challenges fashion faces.

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Author is associated with ReDress Consultancy