The Bam Collective unofficially opened the new style season by showcasing its latest collection off-schedule ahead of SA Fashion Week’s (SAFW’s) triumphant return next week.
The demi-couture collection dubbed “Romanticism” was a love letter to all the theatre kids, the biggest one being the founder and creative director of the label, Jacques Bam.
With theatre marrying fantasy and fashion, the whimsical feel of the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography (Inside Out Centre for the Arts) in Joburg’s Forest Town was the superb backdrop for the show that unfolded in three magical acts.
Fantasy also met history on the night, as the works of fashion photographers Koto Bolofo, Steve Tanchel, Aart Verrips, Ray Manzana, Tatenda Chidora, Themba Mokase, Lethabo Machele and others decorated the walls of the gallery as part of the Fashion_The Image art exhibition, which runs until the end of May.
Whether intentional or coincidental, the theatrical and fantastical showcase comes on the verge of the annual Met Gala taking place in two weeks under the theme “Fashion is Art”.
While attendees waited in anticipation for the show to start, they feasted their eyes on international fashion photographer Bolofo’s work spanning over three decades. Then just after 6pm, guests were seated.
Spotted front row was Bam’s A-list clientele Khanyi Mbau (and daughter Khanukani aka “Khanz”), Kim Jayde, and Yasmin Furmie. The room faded to dark, preceded by a dramatic opera score. Then model Connie More, with blush-heavy cheeks to reference a porcelain doll, cascaded down the stairs with slow-motion strides.
The statuesque model was serving diva in an animal-print coat dress with over-the-top sculptural shoulders that were nothing short of godly.
Models Ponahalo Mojapelo and Mordecai Ngubane joined the spectacle on the runway to deliver an entertaining and enjoyable immersive experience.
But the real star was the clothes, which spoke volumes – literally – with exaggerated shoulder details, animal print, jewel tones, signature wavy pleated cuts, delicate lightweight fabrics, hand-dyed sheer lace, floral embroidery, fish scale peplum, deconstructed denim styles, and crocodile patent leather in lipstick red strutting down the runway.
The collection was one of the most solid for the rising designer, positioning Bam as a fashion force and way ahead of his peers. Sure, it delivered on theatrical escapism and retreat, but it was not lacking in craftsmanship. Each piece was stitched, beaded and pleated to perfection, with flawless technical finishing.
It was equally modern, wearable and high-fashion – a rare feat to achieve for a young designer. The looks were versatile, catering to different body types, sizes and occasions.
“Romanticism 2026 is my love letter to the fantasy that made me fall in love with fashion. It’s fashion as theatre, as escape, as transformation,” Bam wrote in his show notes.
“Independently produced, the collection marks the brand’s most theatrical and texturally indulgent season to date. Sculptural silhouettes grow more architectural. Colours deepen into richer, jewel-like tones. Embellishments intensify and add textures layers with intricate, hand-crafted details.
“The collection leans further into demi-couture, balancing exuberance with a modern severity: sharper lines, stronger structure and heightened presence… in a cultural moment dominated by minimalism and understatement, the Bam Collective chooses excess.”
SAFW’s spring/summer 2026 runs from April 22 to 25 in Hyde Park, with fashion designers Fundudzi by Craig Jacobs, Gert-Johan Coetzee, Helon Melon, House of Olé, Ephymol, Black Coffee, Naked Ape, and others showcasing their latest collections.
“It’s time that when sustainability is the subject, we recognise that in Africa this is not a new concept but something that forms part of the tapestry of who we were before colonisation,” Jacobs said.
“So, in returning to the SAFW ramp after an absence of 10 years, this collection isn’t about reinventing the wheel but turning back the dial to focus on our past to find a way to navigate the future.”
