Cape Town designer makes stunning Red Snapper dress from waste

Cape Town fashion designer Kenan van Kooij shared a behind-the-scenes video revealing how he built his Red Snapper dress from waste materials
The dress was photographed on a rocky desert landscape and the footage showed the full creative process from concept to final shoot
South Africans were stunned by the finished look, with many saying the design deserved a spot on the Met Gala red carpet

Cape Town designer's Red Snapper dress made from waste stuns Mzansi — Kenan showed what became of the discarded material. Image: Kenan van Kooij
Source: Instagram

A Cape Town fashion designer left South Africa speechless after sharing how he created a breathtaking dress entirely from waste materials. Kenan van Kooij posted the behind-the-scenes video on Instagram on 5 October 2026, and the sustainable creation quickly captured the country's attention.

In the clip, Van Kooij takes viewers through his design process in a self-filmed talking-head format, intercut with dramatic footage of the final photoshoot. The shoot, captured on a rugged rocky landscape, shows the finished dress in all its glory, styled to perfection and shot against a raw, natural backdrop.

Van Kooij tagged collaborators Stefan Snyman, Lisa Philander, and Amy Stockenström for hair and makeup, crediting the team behind the striking final images.

Waste turned into wearable art

What makes the Red Snapper dress remarkable is not just its visual impact but its origins. Van Kooij built the piece from discarded materials, turning what would have been waste into a wearable work of art. The video walks through each step of the process with an educational and inspiring tone, showing how sustainable craftsmanship can produce something genuinely jaw-dropping.

The resulting piece is bold, sculptural and deeply considered, the kind of design that challenges what fashion can look like when creativity meets a conscience.

View the Instagram video below:

Mzansi says it belongs on the Met Gala carpet

South Africans flooded the comments on the page with praise and disbelief:

@deanyungbuji said:

"You're so talented! 😍🔥"

@liyema_bobo wrote:

"This is Met Gala worthy, @tyla would eat in this dress 😭❤"

@khaya_dladla commented:

"Wow! Absolutely amazing 🔥"

@lueandrue_ reacted:

"What the heckkk!!! 😍"

@lonalinamandla_mb wrote:

"You should be viral! This is amazing ❤🙌 Let me repost. All the best 🫂"

Van Kooij's Red Snapper dress is a reminder that some of the most striking fashion in South Africa is being made right here, from the ground up, and from materials most people would throw away.

Cape Town designer makes stunning Red Snapper dress from waste

Waste turned into wearable art

Mzansi says it belongs on the Met Gala carpet

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