South African Menswear Week kicked off last night at the Cape Town Stadium with showcases from emerging designers, as well as the acclaimed AKJP, the brand that evolved from Adriaan Kuiters' Keith Henning's collaboration with artist Jody Paulsen. Tomorrow Lukhanyo Mdingi and Nicholas Coutts will present their collaborative collection, first seen at Pitti Uomo in Florence, Italy, two weeks ago.The duo, alongside AKJP, showcased at Pitti Uomo under the auspices of the UN's ethical fashion initiative, which aims to connect artisans from the continent with the international value chain.It is the first time either Mdingi or Coutts - finalist and winner in the 2013 Elle rising star designer competition - have collaborated with other designers.For Mdingi it is important to collaborate with another emerging designer."He was the perfect person for me to embark on this journey with, creating an African contemporary story through well-designed garments," he says of Coutts."By empowering him, I empower myself. Young emerging creatives should continue consistency as tools to pave the way of their careers and inspire others to do the same."We need to constantly be adding to the African creative landscape and a new African aesthetic."It is perhaps this new energy designers like the two of them are injecting into the local industry that is making them stand out. Alongside the likes of AKJP, and others like Rich Mnisi, Jenevieve Lyons and Blanc, Mdingi has, over the last year, seen much global interest in his brand.Blogs like The FADER, OkayAfrica, and Fucking Young, often feature these young designers and publish their lookbooks.With the Pitti Uomo showcase specifically, Mdingi, Coutts and AKJP caught the attention of industry commentators such as Vogue magazine's Suzy Menkes and Guy Trebay of the New York Times.Many South African designers take their work overseas. We've read that Gavin Rajah, for example, has a following in Paris, where the local designer showcased during the French city's couture collections.We also read about the likes of Thula Sindi, Laduma Ngxokolo and many others showcasing at trade fairs and the like, and these reports sometimes lead people to believe that our local designers are cracking, or are close to cracking, the global market.On closer inspection African designers, in general, are hardly capturing the attention of important, respected global observers, in spite of showcasing on eminent platforms like New York Fashion Week, as David Tlale does, for instance.Tlale is the only South African designer who appears on the New York Fashion Week roster, but his shows are sandwiched in between more recognisable names.And because the shows take place at different venues, it is safe to assume that his name is simply not big enough to attract the Menkes and Trebays of this world.One would assume Mdingi is moving fast to leverage this kind of global attention. Instead, he has sought to be pragmatic in his approach to building a brand."I like to be as realistic as possible," he says. "I think I've managed to navigate it the best way I can. For me it's important as a designer and businessman to handle as much as I can with the means that I have. Overexposure can be dangerous."..