Orlando Pirates to make history with South African Fashion Week appearance

Orlando Pirates are set to become the first Premier Soccer League club to take part in South African Fashion Week when they appear at the event in Johannesburg on Saturday, 24 October.

The reigning Betway Premiership champions have hinted at a forthcoming appearance at South Africa’s leading showcase for fashion and luxury, although the details of their involvement remain limited.

The event will be held at The Forum, Hyde Park Corner, with this season’s edition bringing together established labels and emerging designers to present their collections for the 2027 season.

South African Fashion Week is staged twice a year in Johannesburg. The show involving Orlando Pirates is titled ‘Field to Fashion’ and is listed as the penultimate event of the season.

According to the South African Fashion Week website, the showcase will pair athletes with prominent South African stylists and designers, including Neo Serati, David Tlale, Good Good Good, and Yona.

“Sport has always dressed itself. The arrival, the tunnel walk, the post-match interview, and the stands have become stages of their own, and what gets worn on them shapes how South Africans dress far beyond the ninety minutes. Field to Fashion takes that instinct and hands it to South African designers, with leading stylists creating individual looks that carry personal style off the field,” the website said.

Pirates have previously linked football and fashion through their work with acclaimed South African designer Thebe Magugu. Magugu collaborated with the club’s kit sponsor Adidas on the team’s 2023/24 home and away shirts.

The home strip drew on the club’s “The Ghost” nickname, using black and white colours with a prominent skull and crossbones design on the front. The pistachio-green away shirt featured a custom Thebe Magugu signature on the back of the neck and a raised club crest. It was also accompanied by a reversible bucket hat.

The participation of Pirates’ first team players on the runway appears unlikely, however, with the squad preparing for a CAF Champions League match against African Stars on Friday evening.

Orlando Pirates hold a slender advantage in that tie after defeating the Namibian side 1-0 last weekend. They will reach the competition’s group stage if they prevent African Stars from scoring in the return fixture.

That schedule may rule out a first-team appearance at South African Fashion Week, although the possibility of seeing players such as Oswin Appollis on the runway would appeal to both football supporters and fashion followers.