Images by: kennevergowrong

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being in the world of fashion, not the fast, seasonal, forgettable part of it, but the nostalgic, intentional, crafted part — it’s that some things deserve to be experienced, not consumed. Some things deserve space, time, curation and people who “get it.”

That’s where The Link Up comes from. It’s a curated slow-fashion gathering where people who understand fashion beyond what gets forced onto us can meet each other, meet the clothes and meet the culture. 

Brought to you by Thriftplek and iThriftClothes, two vintage stores you’ve trusted for years. The Link Up exists because there is a growing culture in South Africa that believes in ethical fashion, conscious consumption, sustainability and storytelling.

“We do this for the vintage collectors, the curators, the conscious designers… the people who treat fashion as an art form” 

This upcoming Link Up is a continuation of everything the gathering has been from the start, intentional and rooted in culture. This time the collective calls out summer. With this theme they’ve put together a line-up of niche, archival Y2k stores and curators who are currently redefining what vintage can look like in South Africa, offering pieces you simply can’t replicate. 

The choice of venue continues to echo their ethos. Rollers Skateboarding Shop in Gardens, Cape Town has been a home for subcultures and independent voices. Hosting the Link Up there emphasises exactly what makes it special: a gathering built by people who care about the craft, shared with people who understand it. A space that feels, in every way, for us, by us. 

If this sounds like your kind of space, you might want to find yourself there