Behind the Brand Series – AFRICAN BUT SOUTH

Behind the Brand is a series where we introduce you to the people, stories and passion behind the local brands listed on We R Local.

Every brand has a story to tell, and we believe our local brands deserve to be celebrated. Through this series, we hope you’ll get to know these brands on a more personal level, discover what makes them special, and see the real difference you can make when you choose to support local.

The next brand we are excited to introduce is AFRICAN BUT SOUTH, owned by Leonard. Here is AFRICAN BUT SOUTH’s story.

African But South is a premium South African streetwear brand rooted in identity, craftsmanship, and culture. Founded by designer Leonard, the brand blends heritage with modern design to create pieces that are not just worn, but lived.

Leonard wanted to create something people could live in, a form of design that didn’t sit on a screen or hang on a wall, but moved, breathed, and journeyed with people every day. Clothing became the natural canvas. 2016 the trademark for African But South was registered, so the brand-dream had some time to grow…

A brand rooted in a simple yet powerful truth: we are all African, but South. “Whenever you fill in a form under ‘Nationality’, you write South African. We just spin it around to say the same thing. It’s our identity – African, but South.”

The brand’s message echoes the national anthem: “And united we shall stand … Let us live and strive for freedom … in South Africa our land.”

Thank you for reading my story, Leonard.