April 2014

As the first batch of winter stock hits the stores it is time for the designers to present our Summer 2014-15 collections. Fashion elite will be converging at the Crowne plaza hotel in Rosebank from the 2nd to the 7th of April. Over twenty of South Africa’s top fashion designers will be presenting a variation of catwalk shows and installations over 4 days followed by 2 days at the buyer’s lounge selling said collections.

For this season's collection I've drawn subtle inspiration from birds; their flight, shape and texture of their feathers or wings and their silhouette; a safe cocooned shape with their wings folded away then opening up and taking flight. 

I've continued my love affair with draping, playing with different fabrics; linen, viscose, textured knits, silk and mesh. They each have a different language and start interesting conversations when layered. By experimenting with the different textures and weights of fabrics I'm able to create minimal yet innovative designs that remain true to my design philosophy while bringing new elements to the collection. I started off with fairly muted tones, but my passion for, at least, a bit of colour soon got the better of me. Graphic black on off-white prints layered with washed out seafoam blue, lilac or coral silk; bleached, destroyed and then nurtured back into something beautiful. 

My winter collection was presented as an installation. It was fun to experiment with the lighting, models, props and complete atmosphere of the environment. For summer I’ve chosen to rather present a runway collection, using the movement of the models exhibit the movement and liquidity of the dresses. 

This is a collaborative collection drawing from the creative energy of my team of helpers. I did some initial sketches to pin down my overall look and feel. We then worked as a team refining my designs and adding on new pieces and looks. As a creative mostly working on my own it has been an interesting experience to have others so directly involved. Previously the creative process between myself and the accessory designers have been fairly independent. This season I've tried merging them in order to present a more cohesive collection. It has sparked some interesting conversations between what I initially envisioned and the collaborative exploration of each look individually. The collection as a whole is quite diverse, yet the language is consistent.

Fellow creatives: RedOker, Nova Culture, Tenisha Lourens,  Kushke Terblance and Zumae Bothma. Limited tickets available on Computicket