Fashion, Beauty and Home CEO Manie Maritz says the recognition reflects the retailer’s commitment to improving both its in-store and online shopping experiences.
By Mapaballo Borotho
From carefully curated fashion collections to the convenience of shopping online, Woolworths is celebrating a double win at the 2026 South Africa Fashion Awards, taking home the Best Fashion Retailer and Best Fashion E-Commerce Brand awards.
The recognition highlights the retailer’s continued presence in South Africa’s fashion landscape, where seasonal collections, considered design and creative collaborations are helping shape the way customers discover and shop for fashion.
For Woolworths, the two awards represent more than just recognition within the industry. They also reflect the work that goes into creating a shopping experience that connects with customers, whether they prefer browsing the rails in-store or shopping from the comfort of their homes.
“To win both Best Fashion Retailer and Best Fashion E-Commerce Brand is really profound for us,” says Manie Maritz, CEO of Fashion, Beauty and Home at Woolworths.
The awards reflect the work of teams across our business who are constantly thinking about how we can make the Woolworths Fashion experience better, from the product we create and curate to how our customers discover and shop it,” he added.
Fashion that meets customers where they are
Maritz says the two awards recognise different but equally important aspects of the Woolworths fashion business: the in-store experience and the growing role of digital shopping.
While the Best Fashion Retailer award recognises the retailer’s broader fashion offering and in-store experience, the Best Fashion E-Commerce Brand award highlights its continued focus on making online fashion shopping more connected and accessible.
“South African fashion is incredibly dynamic, and our customers are constantly evolving,” Maritz said.
He added that the changing fashion landscape challenges Woolworths to keep listening to its customers, innovating and creating fashion that feels relevant while remaining distinctly Woolworths.
“We are proud of this recognition, but even more excited about where we go from here,” he said.
A celebration of South African fashion
Woolworths’ double win comes as the South African fashion industry continues to celebrate creativity, innovation and local design.
The South Africa Fashion Awards, held in partnership with the World Fashion Awards, recognise the creativity, influence and innovation shaping the country’s fashion industry.
Winners were selected through a combination of public engagement, votes from South African consumers and professional assessment.
Beyond its retail offering, Woolworths has also continued to collaborate with local creative talent, most recently partnering with acclaimed South African designer Thebe Magugu on its viral Heritage collection.
The collaboration brought Magugu’s distinctive approach to South African heritage and storytelling to Woolworths customers, offering a contemporary interpretation of local identity through fashion.
With two awards now added to its name, Woolworths is celebrating its place in the local fashion space while continuing to explore how design, creativity and evolving shopping habits can shape the customer experience.
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