The sound of Lana Del Rey’s throaty voice was the soundtrack for Durban designer Gideon’s return to the runway as he opened the second day of SA Fashion Week last night.

A menswear look from Gideon

Models came out sporting pleasant daywear that reminds one of… Well… Sunny days spent on the beach in Durban, perhaps? It was all day wear, mostly in ice-cream pastels and soft fabrication. Oversized tees and maxis, pretty dresses for the girls and shorts for the boys made the rounds before making way for metallic and sheer dresses. The link between the two very distinct concepts is unclear, totally throwing off the direction presented at the start.

Gideon

Rubicon gave a collection that will certainly fly off the Edgars shelves, where the label is stocked. Coral maxis came out followed by floral prints and blue lace dresses in a simple, wearable and perfectly sellable collection.

Vesselina Pentcheva opened with Little Red Riding Hood coming out on the runway carrying a basket full of roses to introduce a collection filled with romance- lace dresses with touches of pearl beading and sequins. Purple dip-dyed dresses with roses embroidered on the skirt’s hem, lots of red and nude.

Speaking of prints, Colleen Eitzen showcased a fresh, bamboo-like print that I bet made many of the ladies in the audience wish it was summer already. The text print at Sies! Isabelle, specifically on one particular jumpsuit made me want to jump off my seat and steal it off the model’s body right there and then.

Colleen Eitzen

For their comeback to the runway Stoned Cherrie did not present a particular direction, but countless well styled looks. The label sought to move away from the African-aesthetic we’ve come to associate with it but did not abandon it altogether. The presence of beadwork, print and raw silk dresses asserted this identity. I did, however, at times feel like I was at a Thula Sindi show rather than Stoned Cherrie.

Stoned Cherrie

(PICS: Courtesy Ivan Naude/SAFW)