In Anticipation of South African Pride Month in October, Reebok and South African athleisure brand Nao Serati unveiled a footwear and apparel collection last week. Nao Serati was founded by designer Neo Serati Mofammere in 2014 to create garments that explore the margins of gender, art and sexuality, all while staying true to Neo’s South African heritage. This collection draws inspiration from Neo’s bold, fun design style and his life as a queer person in South Africa as well as Reebok’s intention to inspire human movement for all.
To bring these concepts to life Neo worked with the Reebok team to create apparel that considers people of different sizes, shapes and gender identities. All apparel is available in non-binary sizing and was fit and wear tested by individuals from a variety of gender identities and sizes. The line features a range of tops and bottoms including the Woven Short ($50), Oversized Tee ($35) and adjustable Graphic Tank ($30).
Paired with the apparel is a footwear collection that includes some of Reebok’s most iconic lifestyle and fitness footwear models including the Nano X2 ($150), Classic Slide ($40), Club C ($100) and Classic Leather ($100) to ensure there is a silhouette for everyone. Each shoe incorporates a woven Reebok x Nao Serati badge on the tongue that includes all eleven colours of the Progress Pride Flag.
In further celebration of the collection and the LGBTQIA+ community in South Africa, Nao Serati will be hosting a fashion showcase outside of Johannesburg on October 13th. Guests will be invited to enjoy food, drinks and music, see the capsule and learn more about the inspiration behind each design from Neo. Following the show will be an exclusive after party to celebrate the partnership.
The Reebok x Nao Serati collection will be available here tomorrow (7 October 2022).
beginning October 7th.
Nao Serati is a contemporary athleisure brand based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded by designer Neo Serati Mofammere in 2014, the brand specialises in unisex garments that explore the margins of gender, art and
sexuality, while bearing in mind their South African heritage. Nao Serati is all about a dialogue which asks, dissects and often subverts what it is to be in modern-day Africa.
Neo Serati, a LISOF graduate, says of the brand, “My clothes are informed by South African youth culture, picking up on all the visual cues, the rebellious attitude and the spirit of innovation”. Merging conceptual fashion with a commercial air of democracy and accessibility is at the top of the brands agenda, “I enjoy partaking in fashion’s fluidity and its ability to swing between high-brow and lo-fi – and I think everyone deserves to enjoy it as well”. Nao Serati has shown at both Mercedez Benz Fashion Week Johannesburg and South African Menswear Week, the brand is enjoying attention across a variety of media and can be seen on the cover on Marie Clair South Africa April 2016.
