ONEOFEACH takes home two well-deserved wins at 2024 V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Retail Awards

By showcasing African designs anywhere from the United Nations to Times Square in New York City, ONEOFEACH challenges global narratives that overlook the vibrancy of our continent’s cultures. Using beadwork, weaving and printing, the brand translates modern South African, Zimbabwean and Botswanan patterns onto its products, bringing relevance to traditional art and design. In recognition of its stellar work, the local fashion and homeware brand received the Empowerment Impact Award and the Global Brand Ambassador of the Year Award at the 2024 V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Retail Awards.

The awards ceremony was held at the stylish new restaurant Spyced in the Silo District in late September. The two categories in which ONEOFEACH received accolades were judged by Wakanda Founder Miles Khubekha, Cape Town Tourism CEO Enver Duminy and Wesgro Chief Tourism Officer, Monika Iuel.

‘ONEOFEACH exemplifies the V&A Waterfront’s core values, showcasing the best that South Africa is capable of,’ says V&A Retail Executive, Alex Kabalin. ‘As a woman-led business prioritising job creation and training through The African Academy of Fashion, the team is deserving of the Empowerment Impact Award. Its growing international presence, especially in New York, represents South African talent and the V&A’s commitment to innovation. We are privileged to consider ONEOFEACH our Global Brand Ambassador of the Year.’

While ONEOFEACH made its start in a shared studio space, today it operates across three locations: its Watershed store at V&A Waterfront, a shop in Woodstock, and a production studio on Loop Street in the Cape Town city centre which hosts its skill-building initiative, The African Academy of Fashion (TAAF). Here, a dedicated team of ten skilled craftswomen – eight trained at the academy – meticulously crafts every garment, accessory, and homeware item.

In 2020, ONEOFEACH partnered with Nando’s Canada to create a range of blankets for end-of-year gifting under the tagline ‘from South Africa to the world’. The brand won Top Young Entrepreneur at Africa’s Growth and Opportunity Act’s (AGOA) Exporter of the Year Awards in 2021 and was featured in Meta’s African gift guide in 2022. In 2023, founders Pauline Munemo Chirume and Tamburai Chirume spoke at the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations, discussing women-led innovations for equitable workforce development.

‘In essence, being an ambassador for African design and identities is about honouring our roots, fostering innovation, and paving the way for a future where African narratives are celebrated and valued worldwide,’ says Tamburai Chirume. ‘By nurturing the next generation of leaders, we promote diverse perspectives to challenge existing norms and drive social change. Ultimately, by investing in the youth, we are not just shaping the future of individual lives but also laying the foundation for a prosperous, inclusive, and dynamic South Africa that can compete on the global stage.’

Together with a driving force for empowering young women, ONEOFEACH is applauded for its socially and environmentally conscious practices and significant global impact.

Visit ONEOFEACH at Shop F43 at the V&A Watershed, which is open daily from 10h00 to 18h00.

For more information about ONEOFEACH go to https://oneofeach.co.za/ and learn more about The African Academy of Fashion on this website: www.taaf.co.za

For more about the V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Retail Awards visit: https://www.waterfront.co.za/tenant-awards/