In true build-with-the-people fashion, Squad took its latest designs straight to the streets of Soweto this weekend. The brand hosted an free for entry product testing and design review session during the We Are Squad Mzansi Dance Cypher, held at Phiri Hall, where creativity, street culture, and entrepreneurship met on one stage.
The event was more than a dance competition—it was a dialogue between the Squad brand and its community. Dancers, sneaker enthusiasts, and everyday Sowetans had the opportunity to experience and review eight unreleased shoe designs, a range of headwear, and four T-shirt concepts that reflect the evolving identity of Squad Lifestyle.
“We believe the people should have a say in what represents them. Squad is built with the streets, not just for them,” said Banele Rewo, founder of Squad Apparel Africa. “This is not just market research—it’s co-creation.”
Throughout the day, attendees examined the prototypes, tried on select pieces, and shared direct feedback with the design and marketing team. Participants rated their favourite sneaker silhouettes, discussed preferred colourways, and even suggested styling ideas that could influence the brand’s first full retail collection.
The We Are Squad Mzansi Dance Cypher proved to be the perfect setting: high energy, authentic street expression, and a gathering of the very audience that defines Squad’s cultural DNA. As dancers battled to beats echoing through Phiri Hall, the atmosphere became a live focus group—one where fashion, music, and movement collided.
The insights gathered from this session will directly inform Squad’s final product lineup ahead of its official retail launch later this year.
“It’s about listening before launching,” Rewo added. “The market tells you what it wants—you just have to be humble enough to ask.”
With its roots deep in township creativity and a philosophy centred on collaboration, Squad continues to redefine what it means to be a South African streetwear brand.
