Tariff Couture

Elenor Macpherson's Tariff Couture operates from Cape Town as a research-driven fashion design practice investigating identity and social constructs through conceptual garments. The studio combines traditional African textile techniques with digital fabrication methods to produce limited-edition collections. Their work has been featured in exhibitions at the Design Museum of Cape Town and the Pan-African Fashion Initiative. The practice maintains an active presence across Pinterest, Threads, and a dedicated design blog documenting their creative process and research. Content spans from technical documentation of textile innovations to visual mood boards categorized by distinct aesthetics including Gothic Chic, Cottagecore, Vintage Glamour, and Modern Minimalist. Their blog archives contain detailed case studies of past collections and collaborations with regional artisans. Tariff Couture's output includes both physical garments and speculative design proposals exploring fashion's relationship with emerging technologies. Recent projects have examined digital fabrication in traditional craft contexts, sustainable material development, and the documentation of African textile heritage. The studio regularly partners with local textile cooperatives and conducts workshops on experimental fashion design methods.