Cape Town-based FIELDS Store is making waves with elevated basics & splashy collabs with local African artist
Brand: FIELDS Store
Designer: Mikael Hana
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
The FIELDS Store brand effective use of local materials and artist collaborations to drive global popularity should come as no surprise, given the resume of founder Mikael Hanan. Mikael is a Cape Town native who, in 2012 after graduating from the University of Rochester in NY, moved back home to help build Superbalist – which went on to become the largest online retailer in South Africa, selling major international brands like G-Star RAW and Diesel.
Superbalist was founded in 2010 as flash-sale site called Citymob – but was rebranded (right around the time Mikael joined in 2012) as Superbalist. The rebrand included a dramatic change in direction – Superbalist was now a full-fledged online retailer focused on curating fashion for South African millennials and offering access to well-known global brands. In 2014, Superbalist was acquired by Takealot Group – if, like me, you had never heard of Takealot it looks like they are a straight rip off of Amazon with a specific focus on the South African market. While the purchase price for Superbalist is not public it’s probably safe to assume it was in 10’s of millions of dollars. Tiger Global, the US hedge fund, made a $100mm minority investment in Takealot in 2014 valuing the business at ~$250mm – providing the war chest needed for the acquisition.
In any event, Mikael & his partners at Superbalist stuck around for ~3 years following the acquisition. Mikael ultimately left in March 2017 and by early 2018 had already begun to plant the seeds for what would become the FIELDS Store. The vision was clear from day one – create a menswear brand rooted in the very best that South Africa has to offer. From local farmers & textile producers to artists & fashion designers, each piece was to be thoughtfully constructed to ensure that no matter where in the world it was worn – South Africa (and more specifically Cape Town) would be represented. Mikael travelled to the Eastern Cape to visit multiple factories, speak with local craftsmen and meet with farmers (to check in on how the goats were treated, amongst other things).
Since the FIELDS Store’s formal launched in 2019, it’s hard to find a single collection that has not delivered on that original vision. FIELDS releases a seasonal collection (spring/summer and fall/winter) twice a year. From a design perspective, each collection is comprised of elevated basics, designed to be worn alone or layered. Attention to detail and expert tailoring create incredible fits perfect for daily wear – from clean-cut jackets to form fitting sweaters and uplift trousers. Each garment is constructed from sustainable, local textiles and sewn up in Cape Town by experienced craftsman
FIELDS collaborates with a new African artist each season to translate their work into limited edition pieces. These pieces uniquely reflect the specific experience and talents of each artist and have become somewhat of collector’s items for FIELDS supporters across the globe
While not a household name by any means, FIELDS Store is building a growing base of fashion enthusiasts across the globe. FIELDS pieces have become favorites of local celebrities like Maps Maponyane (South African actor), Khaya Dlanga and Ethan Kieffer (South African YouTubers). The ultimate nod came in 2023, when Trevor Noah rocked a FIELDS Pineneedle Field Shirt and the Blue Weekend Trouser for his “Welcome to South Africa” tourism advert.
Checkout the FIELDS Store’s most recent Collection, “In Focus”. The Spring / Summer 2024 line provides a mix of elevated basics as well as a number of signature pieces. In addition to the slightly reconfigured Daily Trousers, the Collection includes multiple soft denim shirts and practical leather accessories
And, as always, the Collection includes an incredible local artist collaboration. Andile Deyalvane is a renowned South African ceramics artist whose striking design work is highlighted in a wool & mohair constructed round neck sweater piece.