Back in South Africa. The reason is simple: the country’s incredible diversity. From ever-changing landscapes and climate zones to distinctly different atmospheres, it offers the perfect setting for our SUMMER SHOOT 2026.

And the best part: Philine, our photographer, lives here and knows the country inside out. She opens doors to extraordinary locations that provide the perfect stage for the unmistakable signature of KATHARINA HOVMAN.

A TIP: PUT ON YOUR HEADPHONES and TURN ON THE SOUND to enjoy this LOOKBOOK with all your senses :)

Mark’s Land lies northeast of Cape Town. Open, rugged farmland – dry and barren, with shallow depressions that fill with rainwater during winter and become watering holes for wildlife.

In summer, these basins dry out completely. Only when a very specific combination of weather conditions occurs and the soil contains just the right mix of clay and loam does the rare graphic pattern of deep cracks emerge: CRACKED EARTH.

SISIPHO and NIKA in WHITE, SAND, NOISETTE and VIOLET – set against this surreal landscape.

THE AGE OF CHALK

Behind one of the hills lies an entirely different setting. The soil here is rich in limestone, almost pure chalk – a material formed from microscopic marine organisms, layers of plankton and shells deposited over millions of years.

Such chalk deposits are rare, though they occur more frequently in the Cape. This is exactly where Mark mined chalk for many years. What remains are towering white walls that reflect the light intensely, making the vibrant colours of KATHARINA HOVMAN glow even more brilliantly.

Many farms in South Africa are located far off the beaten track and therefore have their own bush plane – small ultralight aircraft. Most come with an airstrip, often little more than a harvested field or a gravel runway. Those looking for the true bush experience fly. Across vast, untouched landscapes – to places where the night sky is so clear that the stars seem to stretch all the way to the horizon and the Southern Cross shines above.

And when the day draws to a close: a sundowner. A drink in hand as the sun sets. Perhaps overlooking a waterhole where wildlife gathers – or simply taking in the moment.

Woodstock – one of Cape Town’s oldest neighbourhoods, situated between the harbour and the city centre. Originally a working-class and dockside district, it has always been multicultural. A mix of architectural styles defines the area. Some buildings have been restored, while many remain in their original state: light-filled warehouses and factory buildings, Art Deco architecture, and, here and there, Victorian houses and simple workers’ cottages. A creative mix of artists’ studios, workshops and new ideas. Raw, vibrant and still relatively affordable.

Large-scale murals cover the walls – the ideal backdrop for our PURE quality: clean, flexible and made to move with every step.

CBD

The CBD – the heart of Cape Town, the Central Business District. Its main artery between the city and the harbour is Adderley Street, one of Cape Town’s most important commercial and transport routes for generations. Again and again, the view opens up towards Table Mountain.

Nearby stands the Artscape Theatre Centre, one of the city’s leading venues for art, music, dance and theatre. Right next to it is the Civic Centre – the city hall – bold and unmistakable.

This is Cape Town at its most urban. Not the postcard views, not the charming little neighbourhoods, but the city’s modern business life. Diverse, vibrant and constantly evolving. And that is exactly what makes it so exciting.

High up in the mountains near Stellenbosch, overlooking the Franschhoek Mountains, Proteas grow here – not flowers, but shrubs. They are part of the fynbos vegetation that defines the Cape region. Fine-leaved and perfectly adapted to poor soils, wind and drought – hence the name fynbos, meaning “fine bush”.

Protea farming is not cultivation in the traditional sense: no greenhouses, no perfectly ordered rows. It is a balance between wilderness and careful stewardship. The plants grow slowly and on their own terms. Every bloom is harvested by hand, individually and at exactly the right moment.

This is where we photographed. A landscape that completely takes over. Proteas, mountains, open space. South Africa reveals new facets time and time again – and that is precisely why it is always worth returning to.