Exclusive: Inside David Tlale’s NYC Showroom
Renowned designer David Tlale has recently unveiled his new showroom in the heart of New York City. The proudly South African designer, who made his debut at NY Fashion Week in 2012, now boasts a permanent presence in the fashion capital.
“This journey started out actually in 2023. We were looking for space in the city. New Jersey, Queens, and everything else. And for me it was like, you’ve got to be in the heart of the fashion industry. You’ve got to be in the Garment District,” Tlale says, while speaking to OkayAfrica at the unveiling.
Photo by Nadia Neophytou.
When David Tlale walked into the building that would house his future showroom, he knew that was where he was supposed to be.
On December 28th, 2023, while visiting friends in New York, Tlale unexpectedly stumbled upon the building that would become his future showroom. “I walked in, and I was like, ‘This is it.’ And now we’re here in this proud moment. We’re here, and we are doing it. It’s mind-blowing,” he says.
Over the past two decades, Tlale has established himself as a prominent figure on the local and international stage, winning prestigious awards and showcasing exquisite collections at prestigious runways around the world. While his head office remains in South Africa, he views his New York showroom as an extension of his operations. “I commute between New York and South Africa and many other parts of the world where we’re doing business. For me, this is the first step. We are now here, we have an address in New York, and let’s see what God unveils,” he says.
Photo by Nadia Neophytou.
David Tlale’s next big goal is to have a store in New York.
Tlale says that “his biggest dream [for the brand] in the next eighteen months,” is to have a store in New York. “We just have to trust God and the process,” he adds.
Toasting to his latest achievement, Tlale says, “I could’ve been a fabulous auditor, but I bless the day I said I’m not going to be [one].”
We bless that day too.
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