Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town has developed one of the city’s most anticipated annual cultural programmes, CONFECTIONS X COLLECTIONS (CxC), which pairs the hotel’s afternoon tea confections with slow-fashion collections. Co-curated with independent sustainability platform Twyg, the showcase returns for its fifth edition from 5th-7th November. The multi-day event pays homage to the hotel’s iconic gardens, with four visionary designers from across the continent exploring the botanical theme over a series of chapters.
Through its annual showcases, CxC 2026 is reframing the narrative around global fashion whilst spotlighting the African designers breathing new life into slow luxury, identity, heritage and craft. The unique show format offers an opportunity to engage deeply with the designers’ works, while an ongoing commitment to championing African talent has led to meaningful creative relationships that stand the test of time.
Main Diverse in practice, materials and medium, each of this year’s designers exists at the cutting edge of contemporary African design, reimagining familiar and time-honoured design traditions through newfound meanings and silhouettes.
Mount Nelson’s famed gardens have long played host to CxC, and this year they take
center stage as the inspiration behind the theme in a refreshing nod to heritage, nature and human craft.
Set over nine acres, the gardens were already taking shape long before the much-loved Nellie became a hotel. The palm-lined driveway gives way to rolling lawns fringed with roses, fountains and meandering paths that invite a slower pace. A lush celebration of old and new, from the 18th-century oak tree to the kitchen gardens freshly planted with a plethora of herbs. This historic setting has become a canvas for cultural occasions. Sculpture and contemporary art appear among the foliage, while the lawns play host to exhibitions and gatherings.
“The calibre and range of designers we’ve brought together for our fifth year of CONFECTIONS X COLLECTIONS is something we’re incredibly proud of,” says General Manager Patrick Fisher. “Each designer has a distinct point of view on our landscape and context, with designs that echo the beauty and character of Mount Nelson’s iconic gardens. It’s a wonderful setting to celebrate African creativity while capturing the spirit of the hotel in a way that feels truly special.”
View the full schedule and purchase tickets here.
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