Zeitgeist is a Cape Town-based menswear brand founded by Maxine Ginsberg and Wilko Risser. The brand aesthetic blends various global influences and has a strong gender neutral following of trend setters and influencers.
Designs feature unique detailing and a twist on classic silhouettes that sets Zeitgeist apart from other brands.
Zeitgeist’s clothing can be seen on some of Hollywood’s hottest stars and musicians who resonate with South African design aesthetics that fuse sophisticated streetwear with unique South African culture.
It is of paramount importance to reduce throw away fashion and in order to extend their garment lifespan and therefore lessen environmental impact, the Zeitgeist colour palette is kept neutral and timeless. This allows for easy integration of fashion pieces from one season to the next.
Both Maxine and Wilko are passionate about everything South African, from designs to yarn. Their aim is to revive the local fashion industry through improvement of skills and to create jobs in South Africa by mannufacturing locally.
Zeitgeist manufacture all their garments within a 75 kilometre radius of its headquarters in Cape Town. This enables factory workers to stay employed and retain skill sets in an industry that has lost over 85 000 jobs to imports in the last ten years.
In many instances the workers are sole breadwinners and come from dire socioeconomic backgrounds where gangsterism, drugs, violent crime and abuse are the norm.
The flagship store is in the heart of Cape Town’s Central Business District at 167 Long Street. The area is known for being Cape Town’s bohemian haunt and Long Street is one of the oldest streets in the country.
Zeitgeist has also expanded its footprint to Gauteng with several outlets. Expansion to Europe (a store is already available in Belgium) is also being planned, as well as a luxury accessory line.
Zeitgeist (translates as Time Spirit/Spirit of Time) is the collective attitude or outlook of people and culture at a specific point in time.
Zeitgeist aims to elicit a more emotional response from their customers, they produce lines that tap into the customer’s aspirations and sentiments and through that enhance the essence of the individual.
For more information and to shop Zeitgeist’s new collection, visit zeitgeistmw.com.
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