Duck Duck Goose: A Multi-Brand Store, a Game, and a Cultural Conversation
If you’ve walked down Bree Street in Cape Town, chances are you’ve come across a small but culturally rich space known as Duck Duck Goose — a tiny boutique that’s become synonymous with contemporary South African fashion. Behind its duck-logo tees and curated local brands is Daniel Sher, a Joburg-born creative entrepreneur whose journey from auditing spreadsheets to designing fashion is as unconventional as it is inspiring.
“I was actually an accountant,” Daniel starts, almost laughing at the contrast. “I used to work for Ernst & Young — collar shirts tucked in, straight pants, the whole uniform. But by night, I was moonlighting as a designer. I had a brand already before Good Good Good.” That brand — me.plus.one — began as a side project born from a deeper, more personal impulse: the need to express himself creatively in a world that hadn’t made space for that. “I come from a very conservative home,” Daniel shares. “There wasn’t a lot of art or culture growing up. But my brothers and I found it on our own — through music, clothes, our friends and then the internet. I always say we raised each other culturally.”
Daniel Sher by Luke Kuisis
That DIY spirit continues to fuel his work. Though Daniel originally studied finance, it was fashion that called to him — even as a kid flipping through the back pages of YOU Magazine, scanning red carpet photos and imagining himself designing clothes for the stars. The real turning point came when he met his now-wife, whose mother ran a clothing factory for decades. “She had 70 staff and made clothes for Foschini and Truworths. My wife grew up in that world,” he says. He eventually joined them. First in 2011 as a part time gig, and in 2016 fulltime. “My wife always says I married her because her mom owned a factory — I always say, “that’s not true babe, I married you because I love you and because your mom owns a clothing factory,” he jokes.
Today, Daniel runs fashion brand Good Good Good and retail boutique Duck Duck Goose. At first glance, Duck Duck Goose might seem like just a quirky name for a concept store, but dig a little deeper, and it reveals an ethos rooted in playfulness, inclusivity, and cultural connection. Born from the creative mind behind the brand Good Good Good, Duck Duck Goose is more than a retail space—it’s a cultural experiment, a community hub, and a living metaphor.
When the founder first imagined opening a physical space, he knew it couldn’t just be an extension of Good Good Good. “Because I don’t want people to only associate the shop with just that one brand.” The vision was bigger: to build a collaborative retail environment where independent brands could thrive together.
Central to this vision was the idea of collective growth. “If we all exist in the space together, we can help each other reach greater heights,” Daniel explains. This philosophy gave rise to a space where brands share not just floorspace, but audiences and cultural cachet—each contributing to a vibrant, multi-branded community.
Store by: Frances Marais
The name Duck Duck Goose came during a conversation at a table surrounded by trusted friends who were eating duck during a curfew-ed pandemic evening in mid 2020. As the founder floated the idea, it immediately resonated. A branding expert named Koos Groenewald, known for his work around South Africa, suggested and loved the name for the store so much so that he offered the name for free—on one condition: he’d get to handle the branding. The result was a stunning, quickly executed visual identity, developed with creative partner Kgabo Mametja. The name wasn’t just catchy—it was symbolic. “It rhythmically rhymes with Good Good Good. We like doing things in threes. I’m one of three brothers. Three’s always been my favorite number,” he laughs. But the deeper meaning comes from the children's game itself. In Duck Duck Goose, one person walks the circle, tapping heads until they choose someone to chase them—adding an element of spontaneity, choice, and movement.
In-store, this concept is brought to life through design. “You're actually playing the game in the shop,” he says, showing how the mosaic floor’s border mirrors the game’s setup. “The only ‘goose’ mosaic text is at the change room—because that's where decisions are made.” It’s clever, charming, and loaded with symbolism: customers move through a curated circle of brands until they choose their own golden goose. Duck Duck Goose also gave birth to three visual brand characters—Duck, Duck, and Goose—each illustrated by Cape Town-based artist Shaun Hill. “He's one of the best in the world,” Daniel says, noting that Hill has done ghost design work for the likes of Odd Future and many other favourites. The collaboration adds layers of personality and play to the brand’s aesthetic.
Shop floor by: Frances Marais
But perhaps the most compelling aspect of Duck Duck Goose is the founder’s personal story. As a white South African, his journey toward integration was gradual and deeply reflective. “I grew up in a bubble”, said Daniel about his upbringing in Johannesburg’s white Jewish community. That bubble burst at Wits University, where he was suddenly surrounded by a far more diverse student body. “That’s when I realized something was seriously wrong [with his bubbled upbringing].” This discomfort sparked a deep internal reckoning, and he began intentionally immersing himself in South Africa’s broader culture—often through jazz music and the arts. His commitment to integration wasn’t just personal, but philosophical. This mindset now infuses the very fabric of Duck Duck Goose: a store designed to bring people, products, and cultures together.
Sprouts Collection lookbook by Luke Kuisis
Duck Duck Goose is more than just a retail destination. It's a metaphor brought to life—a playful, thoughtful, and inclusive circle of community, collaboration, and creativity. Through it, the founder offers a new kind of South African space—one that honors difference, encourages exploration, and, most of all, invites everyone to play.