Rather than trying to retrace steps with each collection, Jacques van der Watt takes an evolutionary approach to design at Black Coffee, building upon what came before. Black Coffee AW2023 focuses on reimagining closet basics. The clothing pieces are combined with bags and accessories that eschew animal products, and express a consideration for our coexistence on the planet.  The collection traces a metamorphosis from utilitarian shapes at the offset to floating exaggerated silhouettes at its completion – from structured confinement to something more ethereal. Underpinning the design is van der Watt’s ongoing re-evaluation of shape as it conforms to normative definitions of male and female. That’s not to say there is no feminine quality to the garments. Black Coffee has always been adept at creating a fluidity between accepted masculine and feminine forms in fashion. ​One of the most satisfying aspects of this collection is how it resolves the distance between the two, drawing elements from men’s attire, and applying these to feminine silhouettes. The clothing in this collection evokes a sense of longing for space, for breath and air, heightened by a period of urban confinement. This is a collection rooted in nature, but designed for an urban sensibility.