South Africa Fashion Week is a high-profile, bi-annual showcase of runway shows, installations, launches and celebrity-studded social events to launch the seasonal collections of participating designers to the media, the retail trade, customers and VIP guests. This year’s event was help from April 5th to 9th, 2016 at the Hyde Park Corner in South Africa. Enjoy collections from Day 1.
GERT-JOHAN COETZEE
One of South Africa’s most popular and successful designers, Gert-Johan Coetzee loved by celebrities, is passionate about spreading the gospel of glamour. A proud champion of South African fashion, he has run a successful design business since debuting in 2006, creating opportunities for young aspirant designers with an annual bursary. He also dedicates every collection to a social cause, using the power of his fashion platform to raise awareness for issues dear to his heart. His high-voltage red-carpet gowns have earned him acclaim locally and internationally. His business also extends to a successful commercial ready-to-wear line, and a new bridal couture range.
COLLEEN EITZEN
Colleen Eitzen has always had a penchant for drawing and a love for rich colours and fabrics and in her adult life has applied this to all her designs. She has a fully customer centric approach and strives to inspire and thrill the greatest star of the show: the customer.
LUNAR
Lunar is a leader of natural fashion in South Africa. Natural simplicity is our core philosophy, applied through the use of pure fabrics and silhouettes inspired by our beautiful landscapes. We love the look, feel and character of linen, hemp, silk, bamboo, organic cottons, wool – they allow us to create designs that are luxurious and simple. We work with fine fabrics and design that have the least harmful impact on the planet. ‘Each collection reflects the brand’s essential design philosophy of bringing nature to life in designer wear’ says director Paul Harris. Dominique Gatlandas seamlessly extends the brand’s philosophy through her fresh design approach. She creates exceptionally strong, clean-lined and very wearable clothing, with a wonderful couture twist. Lunar aspires to expand in the global market and reach a larger audience with its message of sustainability, creativity, and clothing that is classical, wearable and inspire those it touches. Naturally.
CLIVE BY CLIVE RUNDLE
Clive Rundle has become known as a somewhat elusive South African fashion designer and constructionist over the last 20 years. He is renowned for his uncanny ability to embrace chaos and reconcile the unimaginable with the imaginable, the ugly with the beautiful. He is said to follow a design dreaming process that culminates in intricate structures that broach and embrace global issues – a kind of intelligence that harmoniously integrates multi-cultural diversity. A bit like architecture in motion.
LUFTHANSA 1ST BEST COLLECTIONS
SOMERSET JAN
Somerset Jane is a ladies wear label established in 2011. Designer Melissa Jane Somerset, moved from a background in couture to designing ready to wear clothing with a passion for bringing, trend driven locally made clothing to the fashion conscious woman. Inspired by street wear and timeless shapes, Somerset Jane brings strength to feminine dressing with statement pieces designed in a subtle, yet ever present, androgynous tone. After stocking a variety of stores in the Gauteng area Somerset Jane set up shop in Norwood’s ‘The Factory on Grant’ in early 2014. You can also find Somerset Jane in their latest retail space at 27 Boxes, Melville.
LUMIN
The design team behind the brand, Amy Liu and James Barrett-Poulsen partnered to form LUMIN in 2014. LUMIN grew out of a fashion designer collective who launched an independent online shop in the same year. LUMIN defines its aesthetic by capturing the presence of light and the absence of it, darkness – the way shadow bends over surfaces and sunlight illuminates dark corners. Easy-to-wear and urban, LUMIN’s design embodies varying degrees of soft and hard, light and dark, symmetry and asymmetry.
HEART AND HERITAGE
Heart & Heritage is a lovingly hand crafted, Johannesburg produced clothing range, designed by Lesley Whitter. With a focus on wear-ability, unique details, comfort and flattering fits, Heart & Heritage aims to reflect through fashion, confident, independent and stylish women. Lesley treasures the beauty in the traditional process of crafting a garment from a concept. Each garment is drafted on paper, thoughtfully sampled and finally brought to life by local hands.
GREER KYLE
Shoes by Salt Water
Jewellery by Philippa Green
GreerKyle is a cool, chic and sophisticated high end South African brand that uses interesting shapes and daring colours which is not for the faint at heart. GreerKyle creates garments for strong career women who have room for fun and adventure. GreerKyle includes innovative design and function which allows the wearer to transform a garment into various styles. It is an ethically responsible brand that runs a skills development programme alongside the production. The women who buy GreerKyle not only buy timeless pieces they also investing in job sustainability. GreerKyle SS16 collection is influenced by African women celebrating life portrayed in a globalised context.
T’NICHE
‘My design process revolves around making my muse part of the process. Creating simple and flattering pieces with a touch of whimsy. I aim to provide my clients with elements that complement their existing style and comfort. Fabric draping and strong shapes play a vital role in my design process. Creating something organic to the feel and fall of the fabric, not fighting against what it wants to become.’
Photocredit: South Africa Fashion Week
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