Echoes of Evolution
We’ve spent the past few decades building, creating, and collaborating - and these warm words remind us why we do what we do.
“It has been a real pleasure working with you and your company Evolution Product for the last two years. We have been excited by your focus on local manufacture as well as the use of local design archives which, when combined with our locally woven fabrics, celebrate the skill and production techniques that exist in South Africa. We wish you every success with your continued development both at home and abroad. With our thanks for your continued support and vision.”
Brent Greenblatt, Managing Director, Svenmill, South Africa 2019
"I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for your continued support to us. We have worked with you continuously since 1998, when you were buying at Stuttafords and then subsequently at Polo. We felt very honoured that you would ask us to work with you on your own venture, Evolution, and have worked with you ever since. We have always concentrated on producing locally and using natural fabrics. We have always supplied the smaller niche market, which has enabled us to wholly invest in the beauty and construction of our products. We have also always felt the necessity to support local manufacturing, given that South Africa’s clothing manufacturing sector is diminishing at an alarming rate with regard to skills and numbers. This will never be solved in a day and certainly not all by us, but every bit helps and it gives me great pride and pleasure to work with you and share in your innovation and exceptional creativity. You have brought to life images and designs in the commercial sphere that would have without a doubt remained hidden and greatly unappreciated. I surely hope that we can continue our meaningful collaboration into the future, knowing that we continue to make a very important albeit small contribution to the well-being of South Africa."
Supplier: CEO James Dumbrill
“As a young, impressionable 19-year-old, desperate to break into the fashion industry, meeting the dynamic, passionate Amanda was a dream come true. Being a trainee buyer under Amanda was the best learning experience I could have wished for. Having been in this industry for 17 years now, I still find moments when I am making a decision on a design or negotiating with a supplier and it feels like Amanda is in my head reminding me of all I have learned.”
Mentorship: Bonny Wagner-Read, Brand Manager Pringle Ladieswear (2010)
“Just over six years ago, while working as an assistant to the MD at Polo clothing, Amanda approached me to assist her in her role as merchandise and planning manager for the Polo stand-alone stores. Under her guidance and mentorship it felt like I completed my Master’s degree. I learned the intricacies of setting up a retail reporting system, buying and planning across multiple categories, visual merchandising, and operations. Amanda’s diverse skill set afforded me the opportunity of learning the full spectrum of retail principles and practices and resulted in my being headhunted by Mango South Africa and, two years, later Burberry. My two years of training under Amanda have stood me in such good stead. Amanda’s passion, tenacity, knowledge and standing in the industry are enviable.”
Mentorship: Claire Knight, Burberry Brand Manager (2010)
“One of the best moves we have made at SAFW was to call on the expertise and business knowledge of Amanda du Plessis of Evolution.”
Workshop: Lucilla Booyzen, Director SA Fashion Week
“She is bringing the financial and design together, teaching us to really plan.”
Workshop: Abigail Betz
“Amanda’s experience in retail has brought tremendous value, discipline, and structure to my business. She has a wealth of valuable knowledge about the industry. She’s made us focus on gross profits, margins, stock turns, and turnover per square meter. She’s introduced a whole new language to our creative environment! For me, mentorship is also about passion, common vision, and chemistry.”
Nkensani Nkosi, Creative Director Stoned Cherrie 2007
“Amanda is a dream and a nightmare to work with - a fashion executive who knows too much about our brand, our business and what we should want to do for her customers.”
Gordon Joffee, CEO Polo SA 2002
“South Africa in many respects often does not recognize the talent that exists on its own doorstep in terms of true fashion leaders. Amanda certainly can be considered part of this small elite group of people that have made a significant contribution towards the fashion industry in this country and in particular the Stuttafords organization. In her constant attempt to push the boundaries, she unleashed her talent at Stuttafords, achieving long-lasting results for the business at large. Her skills at range creation and product knowledge allowed her the opportunity to successfully launch three innovative private labels for the business. Oaktree continues to be the largest brand in our woman’s wear portfolio. Her inspiration in building this brand contributed to some of the highest stock turns in the business. During her long career at Stuttafords Amanda identified the need to include two new brands in our lifestyle business. Excursion and Define was developed from concept to product within six months.”
Marco Cicoria, CEO Stuttafords 2009
“Some 15 years ago, the Hip Hop brand was launched in Stuttafords nationally. Shortly thereafter we were approached by the designer, merchandiser, and creative genius behind Oaktree, Define and Excursion, to manufacture products for these in-house Stuttafords brands. We were suitably in awe of this formidably talented buyer, Amanda du Plessis, and enjoyed a long successful relationship with her. For the past five years, Amanda has been retained as a retail consultant and merchandiser through her own company — Evolution.”
Cheryl Arthur, co-owner Hip Hop Fashion, ex-president SA Clothing Federation 2010