Shelflife Presents: Trendsbyafeez x AWIF Joburg Pop-Up
In our ongoing mission to bring the global streetwear community closer together, we have partnered with Trendsbyafeez by Afeez Amao and AWIF by Mateki2Shoes to debut their iconic caps to the streets of Jozi.
This Thursday, our Joburg store is excited to host an in-store pop-up where you can cop the distinctive Incognito Caps, as well as partake in a free screen-printing session alongside Afeez and 2Shoes.
As culture specialists in their own right, Afeez and 2Shoes have played a fundamental role in building communities centred around streetwear and culture, no matter where they’ve been or where they may go. Now, with both of them putting down roots across Europe, their influence continues to grow and have brought us the caps we know and love. Started off by Trendbyafeez, this statement design has expanded past its original camo and brown palettes to be reimagined through a South African lens in two exclusive colourways.
POP-UP DETAILS:
When?
Thursday, 24 October 2024
Where?
Shelflife Store, Shop 280 & 308A, Rosebank Mall, Rosebank, Johannesburg
Time?
12:00 – 17:30
Price?
R1000 per cap
(See screen-print workshop details below)
In anticipation of the pop-up, we chatted to Afeez to find out a little bit more about his design journey, his collab with 2Shoes and a sneak-peak into Thursday's pop-up at Shelflife.
THE INCOGNITO CAP
The cap originated from my love of travel. Over the years, I’ve developed this idea of never staying in one place long enough for it to register with others. Every move is different and unpredictable, with nothing announced until it happens. That's where the tagline came from, "If you saw me, I was never there"—a true statement for the traveling nomad seeking exploration and new experiences.
My goal was to create something timeless and recognizable, yet adaptable for changes in colour, fabric, or even text (language). Early in the design process, my close friend Dawit suggested using a 5-panel unstructured cap. I was also inspired by the late Virgil, who often wore unstructured caps. At the time, it was a bit unconventional, as fitted caps were—and still are—core to many other cap collectors. However, the shape and fit of our cap is truly unique and recognizable within our community.
The collaboration with my brother, 2Shoes, came naturally. We met just under two years ago during my first visit to South Africa, and we’ve been close brothers ever since. He always wore caps, so one day, I decided to gift him one when he was in Europe. From there, it was game over! He truly made it his own, especially the way he wears it—it’s so him! That's what I love about our products: when someone can take something and make it their own. From there, we sparked the idea—why not do an SA version? Alhamdulillah, now we're here!
THE POP-UP
We will be open for one day only, on the 24th of October, at the Shelflife store in Joburg. We have extremely limited pieces available for the pop-up, which includes two exclusives: a South African-inspired colourway with text in Zulu, and an all-time favourite in black/white with a more premium feel due to the fabric choice. 2Shoes has also made custom dolls that he attaches to his cap—a mini mascot, if I may say, which is so unique! These will come with the black/white caps, while the SA caps will include a custom yellow 'TRENDSBYAFEEZ' pin.
The other two caps (Digi Camo and Brown) are from our last drop. We held back a few units specifically for the pop-up.
We want to create a space where people can come and speak to us, share their ideas, get advice, or just hang out. It's a space for everyone, even if you don’t buy anything. The purpose is to connect.
We are also planning an after-party for that evening, with more details to be shared closer to the time.
SCREEN-PRINT WORKSHOP
Customers can come on the day and view the items within the space. We will also have a live screen-printing session happening throughout the day. We've asked people to bring existing pieces of clothing they'd like to upcycle. With every cap purchase, you can get our exclusive graphic printed onto your existing tee, hoodie, sweatshirt, etc. I think this adds a nice touch of memorabilia, and it's also a more sustainable option than bringing in new t-shirts. You can bring new life to that old tee you probably forgot about!
My goal is never to visit a place and just leave, especially knowing how far South Africa is from my home in London. My aim is to continue bridging the gap between what’s happening in the West and bringing that energy to Africa—something my family at Daily Paper has been doing for years, and it's truly inspirational.
SEE YOU THERE & STAY TUNED FOR AFTER-PARTY DETAILS!