Graduate Show

Pics and updates will come in a sec, but I had to make a quick mention about the show:

I am sooooo impressed about the direction that the new talents are taking! They had strong ready-to-wear pieces (with a lil' va-va-voom).

I believe that what was seen was as a direct result of good retail grooming from Foschini (who partnered with the well established Cape Town Fashion Council). Each Garment, complex or simple, were executed and finished beautifully and THAT'S what the consumer looks out for.

Side note: When I attended the Fashion Seminar during Africa Fashion Week, a high-end boutique owner expressed her slight disappointment in our finishes when she juxtaposes a locally made garment with one from the an international label. The partnership between the Fashion Council and retailer shows that it's a relationship that needs to be heavily exploited if we want to taken seriously as a "fashion capital" and produce quality garments.

But this post is not about that; I want to acknowledge one student who impressed me immensely (but sadly did not get an award, it happens):
Nadia van der Sohyff. Her collection was very conceptual, haute but still ready-to-wear. The brilliantly finished intricate details nearly saw me picking my jaw from the floor. Another element of her collection that I absolutley loved was her use of plain material (which might be detrimental if she plans to continue in the same direction), but for this particular collection worked. I think this design element was to highlight her designs and detailing - and not let the material "take" any of that away. I loved it and hope to see more of her work in the near future. Well done!