Joining as a tailor

Tailors on SA Fashion Mall are curated — not everyone who applies is approved. We're looking for verified South African craftspeople with a portfolio, a physical studio (even if it's the corner of a spare room), and a commitment to the customer-facing custom-order workflow.

Sole prop or CIPC company?

• You can trade as a registered sole proprietor OR a CIPC-registered (Pty) Ltd — both are acceptable.
• Sole props: submit your ID, proof of residential address, and SARS tax number.
• Companies: submit CIPC registration, director ID, and business address.
• We do NOT require an income-tax registration if your annual custom-order revenue stays under the SARS threshold — but we do report to SARS for tax purposes.

Portfolio expectations

• 3–8 images of garments you've actually made — not moodboards, not fabric swatches.
• Mix of finished pieces + close-ups of construction (seams, linings, hems).
• Include at least one image with a model or dress form to show fit.
• Client testimonials (short quotes) are nice-to-have, not required.

The 30-minute application

Open /apply/tailor. Fill in name, contact, province, years of experience (0–80), specialties (bespoke suiting / traditional wear / streetwear / bridal / theatrical / other), motivation, and portfolio URL if you have one. Submissions are rate-limited to 5/minute/IP.

After you apply

• Days 0–2 — Ops team reviews CIPC/ID + portfolio.
• Days 2–4 — Studio walkthrough video reviewed (WhatsApp-shot phone video acceptable).
• Day 5 — Approved (dashboard unlocks) OR Rejected (reason emailed).
• Once approved, you appear in /tailors immediately and can accept your first custom brief.