JOHANNESBURG – Pick n Pay Clothing is extending its successful collaboration with renowned South African designer Gavin Rajah into winter for the first time with the launch of a unisex knitwear collection that brings luxury, versatility and timeless style to your everyday wardrobe.
This collection marks the ninth release in the retailer's long-term partnership with Raja, which continues to redefine accessible designer fashion for South Africans without sacrificing creativity.
“Designer fashion has traditionally been associated with exclusivity, but increasingly South Africans are looking for beautifully designed pieces that are both aspirational and realized,” said Pick n Pay Clothing Executive Hazel Pillay.
“Through our nine collections, we showed that designer fashion doesn’t necessarily have to have designer prices.”
The timeless collection is what Raja describes as “a study in relaxed living, quiet luxury, and effortless access.”
Designed for both men and women, the range combines soft textures, considered proportions, relaxed silhouettes and refined craftsmanship to create versatile pieces designed to be worn and loved beyond one season.
For Raja, accessibility should not come at the expense of good design.
“High fashion doesn't have to be dramatic or inaccessible; it's in the proportions, textures, finishes and impressions a garment makes.
“With this collection, we aimed to bring designer sensibilities into accessible spaces without sacrificing luxury.”
She said the collection was created for people who want elevated wardrobe staples that are versatile yet comfortable.
“It’s for customers who appreciate beautiful textures, considered proportions and relaxed silhouettes, but also want pieces that work in real life.
“I want people to feel like they're wearing something that's soft, modern, and beautifully thought out, but without making it feel precious or divorced from their everyday lives.”
The collection includes T-shirts, joggers, cardigans, hoodies, shackets and bomber jackets, priced from R149.99 to R499.99, making Gavin Rajah's signature design aesthetic accessible to a wider audience.
Designed without traditional boundaries between menswear and womenswear, the collection embraces individuality, versatility and a common wardrobe.
“It's not designed around narrow notions of gender; it's for men and women who want versatile pieces that they can style in their own way.
“Our customers are modern, discerning, and value quality, but they also understand the beauty of simplicity.”
This collection is designed to be easily layered for all seasons.
Knitwear can be worn with tonal colors for a sophisticated monochromatic look, or paired with denim, tailored trousers, wide-leg trousers and skirts.
“For women, you can create a more relaxed mood by pairing it with a beautiful coat, long skirt, boots or pretty sneakers.
“For men, it goes great with tailored pants, chinos, and relaxed denim.
“The key is to keep the styling simple. Let the texture and silhouette do the work.”
Raja is also open to the idea of sharing a wardrobe. “The collection is unisex, so I like the idea of clothes that transition between people, occasions and seasons.
For women, consider the core of a borrowed “boyfriend”. ”
Reflecting a more thoughtful approach to fashion, the collection focuses on timeless, seasonless design rather than trend-driven consumption.
“Our goal is not to make clothes that can only be worn once, but to make clothes that become a part of people's lives,” says Raja.
This knitwear collection marks the ninth collaboration between Raja and Pick n Pay Clothing, and the creative partnership continues later this year with an expanded gift collection and the launch of a summer 2026 resort collection.
Raja is also the co-founder of Pick n Pay Clothing’s Futureware Initiative. The initiative has been working to make designer fashion more accessible for the past six years, while investing in South Africa's next generation of creative talent.
The program mentors up-and-coming designers to develop commercially viable collections and helps them build sustainable businesses, while providing customers with access to locally designed luxury collections at affordable prices.
The Gavin Rajah x Pick n Pay Clothing knitwear collection has launched with exclusive early access on Pick n Pay. The app will be available from 20 July 2026, ahead of an in-store launch on 23 July 2026 at four Pick n Pay clothing stores: Canal Walk, Mall of Africa, Gateway and Sandton.
