Iwisa No.1’s Fills Bold Designer Search proves heritage can drive creativity. The competition gives young South Africans the space, confidence, and backing to turn cultural identity into powerful streetwear — and opportunity.
Iwisa No.1’s first Fills Bold Designer Search has done more than name a winner. It’s set out to shift the narrative — showing that legacy brands can empower the next generation to create, express and build careers through design.
Pretoria designer Best Ncube, 29, was announced as the overall winner for his six-piece streetwear collection that reinterprets Iwisa’s 68-year heritage through modern graphics and symbolism. His designs feature protective hands, mielies and shields, evoking nourishment, care and resilience — the same values that have made Iwisa a staple in South African homes for decades.
Launched in May, the Fills Bold initiative called on young designers aged 18–35 to reimagine what “homegrown” looks like today. The challenge: create an original streetwear range inspired by Iwisa’s colours, history and community spirit. The response was overwhelming — proof that South Africa’s creative talent runs deep when given structure, purpose and recognition.
Ncube’s journey was deeply personal. Entering just two days before the deadline, he drew on childhood memories of meals and family connection. His concept merged that emotional thread with digital design and street culture — creating wearable symbols of shared identity. “I wanted South Africans to see themselves in the work,” he said, “to feel bold the moment they wear it.”
Premier Marketing Executive Sibongile Mooko said the initiative aimed to create a platform, not just a prize: “We wanted to give young creatives the confidence to express where they come from — to own their stories and show that culture is power.”
Second- and third-place winners Sashka Engels and Modise Sepeng also impressed, with collections blending heritage, pattern and contemporary form. Their inclusion underlines the contest’s wider goal — to spotlight local voices, build creative skills, and link cultural storytelling with economic opportunity.
For Ncube, the reward — a MacBook Pro, R20,000 and a professional fashion shoot — marks the start of a career. For Iwisa No.1, the message is bigger: supporting homegrown talent strengthens communities. Fills Bold isn’t a campaign — it’s a call to build confidence, culture, and creative economy from the ground up.
