Elle New Talent Winner

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! Cleo Droomer walked away with the covetable title of the 2010 New Talent search winner, which will, no doubt, launch an a exciting career.

His entire collection was made up of leotards, leggings and skin-tight jumpsuits all in soft, pale hues and pastel colours - all very tastefully done. I did however, get a throwback at LaQuan Smith's collection at Africa Fashion Week with an Indashio Inspires' ss2009 collection (from New York Fashion Week), especially the mixing of colours and the "freakum dress" - which always see our dear models struggling - and the leotards - but it's his finishes that set him a head above many! But I reiterate, THAT PVC jacket, how I adore you!!! (just out of curiousity - how on earth did he manage to manipulate PVC to do that? and i hear this collection was done on a domestic machine - vs. industrial - and the entire collection was finished off in his garage? OMG...)

Cleo Droomer after accepting his award - well done!

Kutloano Molokomme is another one that deserves much praise. Of all the collections from the New Talents, his was the most coherent, well structured and showed knowledge far beyond his 21 years of age (if I say so myself). I particularly loved the versatile woven cups that one can wear from head to upper arms via shoulders giving interesting silhouettes (and easy on the pocket: frugalistas like moi were stunned by that). He mixes print and tartan in surprising ways and recreates the entire fabric to give a dramatic and DeGorge overall aesthetics... great stuff!

I also need to acknowledge these pants (below)... DRAMA! LURV'EM!

pics by Simon Deiner (SDR)

SA Fashion Week

I am all geared up and ready to hit Fashion Week with a wardrobe that's probably worse for wear - but heck, this is why I love fashion week: It's a time to dust off the good ol' Medulla Oblongata and get thinking about how to renew the wardrobe (and unearth a few more frugalisting ideas eg. bag straps as belts, furniture as centre pieces, material shops... I'm sure you have your own secrets!).

SA Fashion week, the convenor that gave birth to Fashion Week in South Africa, is taking fashion back to the (former) hub of arts and culture, Johannesburg CBD, in a revamped dilapidated Building: Arts on Main. Such a noble idea - if only the Gautrain went there.

The line-up includes some of the South African labels that have been silent for a while and I am jumping up with glee that they've decided to revisit the idea of catwalks... yes, I am referring to Amanda Laird Cherry.

Kicking off Fashion Week will be Diamond Face Couture's cocktail event and an off-calendar cocktail event hosted by Elle Magazine for their Young Designer Talent on the 28th of September.

The rest of the line-up is as follows

Wednesday, 29 September:

18h00: Elle New Talent Awards featuring: Cleo Droomer, Elme Bekker, Kutloano Molokomme, Oriel Barnard, Laila Baderoon, Este van der Merwe, Ntokoco Kunene and a Debut Collection by last year's winner: Marize Malan.

20h00: Amanda Laird Cherry and Ephymol

22h00: Naked Ape

Thursday, 30 September:

18h00: Colleen Eitzen (who received the covetable Marie Claire Award for outstanding designer), Silver Spoon (also a winner at the Marie Claire Awards) and Christopher Strong

20h00: Two, Mantsho and Rachel de Mardt

21h30: Loxion Kulca (by Ole Ledimo - they also got the "judges award" at the Marie Claire Awards) and House of Ole (by Ole Ledimo)

Friday, 1 October:

18h00: Malva (featuring Robyn de Klerk, Reaching Robyn, Malva by Teplov, Consatble, Friends with Jenny, Blue Collar-White Collar and Nnuu) - btw, other than Friends with Jenny and the Collar People, I am entering new territory...

20h00: Gugulam, Sies!Isabelle, Soul Child

22h00: Vesselina Pentcheva, Terrence Bray

Saturday, 2 October:

18h00: Lebo Mash, Nabeela, Sibu Msimang, Karen Monk Klijnstra (the latter two are under the KZN Fashion Council - didn't know they had one... good for you KZN!)

20h00: Gert Johan Coetzee, Thunderstorm, Rubicorn

22h00: Clive Rundle

Time for some honesty: I know very few of these designers so I am very excited to see what SA designers, who do not recive the hype of other fashion houses, have to offer - it's going to be lovely.

The State of Fashion

The mixed reactions that are seeping in on the social media circuit, following SA Fashion Week, left me gobsmacked AND they're well worth following. People complaining about minute detail and some congratulating on pulling off what was meant to be a disaster and and and... It's all very overwhelming to me - as I did not attend any of the shows; had to tend to friend-duties, death is never fun! - and I obviously try to keep abreast of the happenings, even in my absence.


Leading the pack is Sandiso Ngubane and a Facebook status by A-rated stylist Felipe Mazibuko which read "[he] is so tired of all the bitching about SA fashion week.. if you gonna bitch , start your own fashionweek or create your own fashion label... lets see how great you are" which was followed by a comment he made which read: "[I am] so livid with the fake instant wannabe fashion critics... have substance and historical knowledge of the local industry... FashionTv and Colourful Skinnies dont entitle you to vast criticism."

It started off with what a friend described as an excellent fashion week package: a small conference-setup where designers, fashion writers and buyers would meet and interact - this will facilitate in the growth of the designer's business AND increase the profiles of all involved. An excellent idea! This is the crux of fashion week! Not just the glitz and glam of walking down a ramp and being idolised and making a designer a celebrity - it's about business!

The venue was set up, key role players were invited and noise-makers were allowed to witness the art that was to be presented.

The big issue, as Sandiso (alias: Blkseed) points out, is that SA fashion week's focus has shifted or more specifically, the fashion writers worshipping designers to a very disturbing level, even going as far as fibbing to generate interest! The currency has become bribery over displaying art; the finishing, the talent, the creativity, the workmanship, the practicality (or what could be translated to being practical) and above all else - communicating your view of the cloth that covers our backs! Editors and Writers behaving like celebrities, loosing their unbiased and objective opinion over an (expensive) gift that, no doubt, covers their eyes to the reality of what is on the runway. Young designers' opinions and talents being muted because their businesses cannot afford to lubricate the right hands. So where do they run to?

He asks; Does Fashion Journalism really exist? A question that reversed all effort of pretoxing as my eyebrows hit my hairline! The resolution he offers, which is also my stance on the matter; is that fashion writers need to erase all efforts of creating "demigods" out of fashion designers and be responsible in reporting what was seen and what we should look forward to that season; the RAW TRUTH.

On the issue of "wannabe critics," I wholeheartedly agree but stop at the point where the general public are not to have a loaded opinion on the trends that will make their way to the the consumer's (general public) wardrobe. Ultimately, the consumers are the ones who are expected to buy into these brands (otherwise the "South Africans do not support South African brands" argument will resurface) and it is unfair to suggest that their opinion should be meek and ignored. Consumer's may be represented by the buyers but the buyers need to know what the consumers want or expect to find in the shops - otherwise buyers are doing consumer's a disservice. I am not completely antagonising the views presented by Felipe - I just rather feel he's being harsh on a subject which is rather sensitive.

I personally acknowledge the work that goes into creating a collection - but in the end, the garments presented on the ramp will measure the success of a designer (for that season atleast) - Knowledge of the industry and the technical know-how are important as this elevates the appreciation of the fashion industry but this, in no way, should dictate the response to what is on the ramp. To the consumer; the uninformed person who has to buy the work , the aesthetics are all that matter (perhaps they should be the ones telling the story?)


Fashion is unforgiving! The industry is for the thick-skinned and bless all those who put their concept of art on the ramp - - - I salute you!