SA fashion at it’s best

Black Coffee

Last night I strapped on the heels for yet another fashiony event – the Mercedes Benz SA Arts Awards in Fashion Design.

The theme was ‘Modern South Africa’ and the finalists were Abigail Betz, Black Coffee, Mantsho (Palesa Mokubung), Darkie (Themba Mngomezulu), Craig Native, Stiaan Louw, Maya Prass and David Tlale. Basically, the best in the bidness. The designers each created a capsule collection and set up an exhibition space in the gallery (it was at the Seippel in End Street, btw).

The collections are being exhibited until 14 February and then they’re being taken on a little road trip to Berlin. If you can, you should really go check it out.

Black Coffee (Jacques van der Watt and Danica Lepen) walked off with the R30 000 prize – a well-deserved win, I must say. Their collection – which they say was inspired by the silhouette of a mother carrying her baby on her back – was absolutely amazing. The precision and intricacy of the drapery was crazy! I’m still excited about it. I just don’t understand where that type of creativity comes from. It was just… damn.

Here’s what Danica had to say:

Our inspiration was that silhouette created when African mothers wrap their children with blankets and carry them on their backs. We took this as our starting point. For the look and feel of the clothes we examined the textures of African hairstyles. We were also taken by the traditional head-to-toe clay colour, but reinterpreted it in a high-performance man-made fabric made with spandex to give it an uncompromisingly modern twist.

All-in-all, this was a fantastic exhibit. I have to admit that I was a leeeetle disappointed by the overall lack of creativity at JHB fashion week, but last night’s exhibition restored my faith.

I mean, I’ve often read about people who wept the first time they saw a Valentino gown up close because of the intricacy and detail, and I’ve never really understood what the hell they were on about. Honestly, though, there’s a lot of fashion going on on this blog, but I’m not really a fashionista. I was obsessed with US and UK Vogue growing up, but it made me love magazines more than it made me love fashion. But this event was something else.

More Black Coffee

Black Coffee: larger than life

Black Coffee: cool dog

Black Coffee: the detail is insane.

Here are some other mindblowing designs:

Abigail Betz. I loved this installation. Her work is magnificent and the beading detail is breathtaking. I’m not the marrying kind, but I swear if that status ever changes, I’m gonna call this woman to do my dress.

Stiaan Louw’s menswear collection was very dark, almost post-apocalyptic:

Palesa Mokubung’s Mantsho:

Craig Native did what he does best – streetwear. Seems he has 2010 on the mind, what with the vuvuzelas.

David Tlale brought the city of gold concept to life:

Tlale's installation

I enjoyed Tlale's City of Gold theme

Maya Prass did her signature prints, with a twist. I love the gold straps on this dress:

I was a but disappointed with Themba’s collection – I’ve seen this construction worker/ painter/ tie skirt thing before. Step it up, Darkie.