Namibian-born, Jan Malan, started his show production career in 1985. Since then he staged high profile productions in 32 cities on four continents. The conceptualization of the M-Net Face of Africa Model Search in 1996, kick-started a career that has led him to 56 countries. Apart from a myriad of productions in Africa, Malan has directed and produced several shows on schedule at New York Fashion
Week from 2000 to 2016. His client list has included names such as Elton John, Tyra Banks, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, Daniel Swarovski, Carolina Herrera, the BBC, Ford Models, L'Oréal Professionnel & MAC Cosmetics. Noticing his talent for organization and eye for detail he was asked to serve as a venue manager for IMG in 2001 and 2002 under the mentorship of New York Fashion Week founder, Fern Mallis. Malan is constantly looking for fresh and captivating venues for his shows, which have been held in unique locations such as train stations, bridges, art galleries, city halls and theatre spaces. He produced shows at various fashion weeks across Africa including South African, Cape Town, Durban, Joburg & Africa Fashion Week. As well as Mozambique Fashion Week, Swahili Fashion Week (Tanzania), Kinshasa Fashion Week (DRCongo) and a fashion trade Expo, Fashion Business Angola. Further afield he directed all shows for Delhi Fashion Week for two consecutive seasons in 2008/9. Malan has a passion for charity work giving of his time producing for the UN World Programme, Hospice Wits, The Organ Donor Foundation, The Federation for Mental Health, The Sunflower Fund, Peace Table on Table Mountain & United Colors of Fashion in New York. United Colors of Fashion honored him with “Producer of the Year” in 2012. Some of his proudest moments includes being appointed as a goodwill ambassador and show director for Sun International’s “Positive Rocks” at Sun City featuring John Legend & Kelly Rowland, official producer for the “Catwalk the World” initiative by the UN World Food Programme and receiving an Award from African Fashion International for Outstanding contribution to African Fashion in 2013. Between 2012 and 2014 he superbly produced 30 fashion events for Mercedes-Benz that was held throughout South Africa. In 2014 and 2015 he produced Concept Korea, Leigh Marshall, Ran Fan & Tokyo Runway meets New York for LDJ Productions. In South Africa he is known for producing shows for top SA designers such as Marianne Fassler, Gert-Johan Coetzee & David Tlale. In September 2016 he was Production Director Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg. He was the creative director for the PlatAfrica Jewelry Design Awards. Also helping to grow the fashion industry in Africa he produces student shows, most recently for LISOF and the University of Johannesburg.
