Shaldon Kopman’s Naked Ape designs are the answer to the need for high‐end menswear fashion, for street and suit savvy gentlemen around the globe, catering to travelers that jet set from Sunny South Africa to frosty New York City. Today you can find Naked Ape Ready‐to‐Wear and Bespoke available at Naked Ape’s showroom in Johannesburg. Having worked abroad in cities such as New York, Chicago, Sydney, Milan, Paris and Dubai as a fashion director and stylist, Shaldon was called home by a strong passion for Africa. Once home, he applied these years of experience by filling the role of Fashion Editor for South African magazines such as Elle, Soccer Life and Y Magazine.
Today Shaldon focuses most of his creative energy on Naked Ape, growing the strong Afro Aesthetic to compete in an international market. His natural sense of style and clear direction for a well‐rounded wardrobe earned him the “GQ Best Dressed Man” award for 2006 – 2007. More recently Shaldon appeared as one of four judges on the hit show Diamonds in the Ruff, and as “Fashion Police” for the Royal Monaco Wedding and for various events on The Real Goboza.
A practical, multi‐functional aesthetic for the discerning individual with meticulous attention to detail is a defining characteristic of Naked Ape, placing it on an international level of artistry and craftsmanship. Shaldon’s love for Africa is authentically represented in the handmade nature of garments, the use of natural fabrics and staying inspired by the rich culture and people that inhabit the place he lives in.
With the mission to create multifunctional designs through the use of refined detail and fine fabrication, Naked Ape provides services in fashion and image consulting offering tailor-made wardrobes for the ever evolving fashion world.
Shaldon and the Naked Ape team are about educating and changing mindsets through style and fashion. Through a decade of exponential growth from its humble beginnings as a cottage industry with a handful of loyal clientele, to a fully fledged studio and showroom conveniently located above Benjamin Woollens – a large fabric company in Johannesburg’s CBD – Naked Ape Fashion Consulting has established an elite service for the discerning individual.
