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If, like me, you’re tiring of the cold weather in Joburg, then ACNE’s Spring 2011 collection is sure to lift your spirits. The Swedish fashion brand always hits the mark with their sharp basics.
Here are my favourite looks from their latest collection aptly named ‘Show Your Stripes’
Aside from the mad scramble for media seats, Stiaan Louw at the Johannesburg Art Gallery was undoubtedly the show of the night at Joburg Fashion Week. For his Autumn/Winter 2011 collection the celebrated menswear designer explored the components that constitute a contemporary African aesthetic.
Fusing influences from ancient civilizations with Masai and Middle Eastern elements, the collection had a distinctly nomadic feel. Techniques of wrapping, draping and folding in almost weightless fabrics gave each garment a windswept sense of movement.
Hands and feet caked in clay, models presented looks in a range of sandy tones with rich accents of terracotta, indigo and ruby. Key items include loose kaftans belted at the waist, oversized draped vests and harem-style pants paired with sling bags and sandals from Missibaba.
-Images courtesy of AFI/SDR Photo
xx
Sarah
New girls on the block Bailey Allison and Lauren Du Plessis showed their debut collection at Joburg Fashion Week last night. The opening look – a long-sleeve, figure-hugging mesh mini with cutout detail was the first of many garments in the collection that every woman wants to own right now.
With the focus on impeccable fit, the collection balanced matte black and flesh tones in bod-con silhouettes with fringe detailing that gave each look a sexy sway. A hint of 80s influence in the top-heavy silhouettes and Madonna-esque wooden crosses that adorned the necks of models gave this range a slight dose of nostalgia.
Key looks included miniskirts paired with mesh vests and stockings, skinny pants styled with oversized printed tops and floor-length draped dresses. Two items in particular had me thinking “MUST HAVE NOW!” – a black plunge neck draped jumpsuit as well as a cropped melton jacket with exposed zipper detailing.
-Images courtesy of AFI/SDR Photo
Contact avantapparel@gmail.com to place your orders.
xx
Sarah
The Bus Factory in Newtown set the perfect backdrop against which Suzaan Heyns opened the first evening of shows at Joburg Fashion Week.
Entitled ‘Die Vorm’, Heyns’ collection examined the anatomy of fashion with the designer herself acting as a surgeon – examining, dissecting and refashioning garments with technical precision. The show opened with a short film featuring the designer’s muse Verena Mengel going under the knife at the hands of two silk-clad surgeons. Nude and flesh tones were replaced by virginal whites and finally, shades of asphalt and black as the collection unfolded.
Form, shape and function were key themes that emerged from the collection. Heavy textured fabrics including wool and jersey were balanced with delicate silks and adorned with intricate leather detailing. Full pleated skirts, flared coats and wrap trousers showed Heyns’ finesse for working with contained volume.
-Images courtesy of AFI
xx
Sarah
Joburg fashion week kicked off last night with a host of talented young graduates showing capsule collections to the crowds at Fashion Kapitol. As Sandiso mentioned, one of the standout designers was Jessica Sutherland who produced a focused, thoughtful collection that explored the concept of transition.
Overall ‘Best Range’ winner at the annual LISOF show in 2010, Sutherland’s collection shows careful consideration for the transitions that take place within a contemporary lifestyle – work, play, travel – and offers garments that react almost intuitively to these needs by being multi-purposeful. Together the garments act as an integrated network of clothes, a smart wardrobe, which allows the wearer to create a wide array of looks out of a few pieces.
“With the number of garments on display (at JFW) being so limited, it doesn’t really allow me to show the potential breadth and scope of the concept. This year I want to grow the idea and try to discover all its possibilities. I’m really quite in love with it” says Sutherland.
So are we!
-Images from AFI
Jessica Sutherland is also an avid blogger, visit aposhvice.blogspot.com for a glimpse at the life of this gifted young designer.
xx
Sarah
Designer Phoebe Philo has managed to condense Céline’s chic, minimalist aesthetic into a capsule trouser collection called Five Perfect Trousers.
My knees get weak at the sight of those Pleated Tapered Legs. Which ones are your favourite?
xx
Sarah
The first annual Food Wine Design Fair kicked off last Friday in Hyde Park, Jo’burg, with hordes of local treasures on offer. I spent the better part of my Sunday browsing through stalls with my accomplice Kelly who was on a serious mission to shop.
Apart from the glorious gourmet food on offer, we were treated to stall upon stall of locally designed and produced jewelery, handbags and home decor. Designer labels TWO and Missibaba represented the fashion contingent and I can’t help but wish more designers had participated…maybe next year?
Here are some of my favourite finds:
Clockwise from left: Beautiful jewels from Geraldine Fenn , bags from their latest collection at Missibaba , heart pendants from Stefni and necklaces from Wanderlust at the TWO stand.
Clockwise from left: more goodies at TWO , Givenchy boots (of my dreams) at the Marie Claire stand , belts at Missibaba , shoulder piece at Missibaba , Dries van Noten strappy sandals at the Marie Claire stand.
xx
Sarah
I really appreciate thoughtful design. Multi-use, transformable pieces offer clever, practical and sustainable options that make sense in the long run. When I came across the ‘Wear Me Bag’ by industrial designer Rotem Lewinsohn, I was naturally impressed.
The bag is a nifty design that transforms into a slick zip-up waistcoat. The idea came when Lewinsohn was out grocery shopping, pondering an alternative method to gathering and transporting all his goodies. The result is this neat creation which immediately takes my mind to the streets of Berlin or Amsterdam where chic, effortless style reigns supreme.
handy shopper
et voila! a waistcoat!
xx
Sarah
Great news for Black Coffee fans! You probably now that they are showing in New York next Saturday (13th Feb) and Joburg residents are being given a sneak preview of their new collection at Love Jozi at the Arts on Main non-festival that starts today. Love Jozi is also have a sale of their great T-shirts.
Here’s the non-festival programme from their website. If you go, let me know what you think of Black Coffee.
Feb 4 – 7, 2010
Four days of openings, artist talks, film screenings, music and more!
The Arts on Main Non-Festival
Arts on Main launches its first major event of the year with a full timetable:
Thurs 4th Feb
4pm – 8pm Colleen Alborough: Open Studio
6pm – 8pm Corporate Art Exhibition Talks
8pm The Bioscope presents What The Bleep Do We Know
9:30pm Legends of Culture: Music
Fri 5th Feb
12pm – 4pm Colleen Alborough: Open Studio
6pm – 8pm Corporate Art Exhibition Talks
8pm The Bioscope presents Encounters at the End of the World
Sat 6th Feb
10am Opening: Bili Bidjocka at Goodman Project Space
10am – 4pm Pierre Crocquet & Colleen Alborough: Open Studios
5pm Legends of Culture Artist Talk
6pm – 8pm Corporate Art Exhibition Talks
8pm The Bioscope presents We Are the Strange
Sun 7th Feb
10am – 2pm Pierre Crocquet & Colleen Alborough: Open Studios
11am – 2pm Legends of Culture: Tales My Mother Never Told
12pm Opening: Dialogue – Wooden Sculptures at Seippel Gallery
Plus:
The Black Coffee team are about to depart for New York. This weekend you’ll be able to get a sneak peak into their show that the rest of the fashion world will only be seeing at NY Fashion Week on 13 February 2010. The calico mock-ups of their collection will be beautifully exhibited while Love Jozi will introduce their “TShirtsByMass” sale – where previous ranges and older stock gets sold by the kilo. You could pick up a tee from last year’s range from as little as R140, or a factory reject from as low as R40.
Day two of the 20th Salon Internationql de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva and if this post is full of spelling mistqkes it`s because I am typing on a French keyboard – can you believe they took the trusty qwrty and moved the letters around? It,s driving me crazy!
The watches,on the other hand, are magnicent. In a nutshell: Bigger is best, pink gold with brown leather strap is huge – and when everyone gets over the big thing, then we are all going to be looking for the thinnest watch possible.
As much fun has been watching the visitor fashions. The European women always cover up in stylish winter black, the men look great, either in impeccable large check suits or in funky colourful trousers and trendy specs.
Am having some tech issues with the swiss computers. will try and post some pics later:
