Do your thang, Miss Solangel!

Miss Solange Knowles in all her fabulosity!

We all know my love for the Knowles’ knows no bounds (phantsi haters!), so even though this here article is ancient in internets years, I still have to give Little Sis her props.  

Solange is one fiesty chick and, although not always on point, her personal style is sick (yes, that rhymes). Her music’s also quite something. Her album, Sol-Angel and the Hadley St Dreams, is a staple at my place.

In her recent interview with Honey magazine, she opens up about her music, love life and her hair. Recently, the weave-a-licious Solange chopped off all her hair, causing quite the furore. She was featured on Oprah, during a story on Chris Rock’s documentary, Good Hair. Solange – and her weave-free hair – even shot up to Twitter’s number 3 trending topic at some point. This was her reaction:

The first picture of me when I cut it off — I had no idea that there was any photography going on. I was looking like someone taking their kid to school at 7 o’clock in the morning in jeans and a top and no makeup on, no earrings, no nothing. That reaction was very harsh, very negative. I think it was the initial thought of change in someone that freaked everyone out. As a society we equate beauty with the images that have been placed in front of us since we were little kids. Every Disney movie, every fairy tale, every pop star typically has a certain aesthetic and look. I think that anytime we see something different, it freaks us out. The more people warmed up to it, and they saw more images of me with it and dressed up with my earrings and a little something, something on my face, I think then people were more willing to conform and accept it. Now, it’s interesting how the first day I had it, I had nothing but negative, evil, cruel things in my inbox and then yesterday [after Oprah aired] I had 300,000 people saying ‘Oh my God, you looked amazing, so beautiful, and you made us proud.’ People were able to hear my reasoning, which is good and bad because we should be able to just express ourselves.

(Emphasis mine).

The thing I dig most about Solange is that she’s marketed as the ‘outspoken’ Knowles sister (I have no doubt that everything that family does is orchestrated) and she embraces that role with open arms. For more gorgeous pics and quotable quotes, head over to Honey (www.honeymag.com).

You can check out Solo’s Oprah appearance right here:
Youtube clip [Sorry, didn't allow embedding]
Jezebel clip

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.

Audi JHB Fashion Week Part1

Simona Ferrari: This is pure hotness

Audi Joburg Fashion Week kicked off yesterday with some new | fresh | young | unsullied | original designers. I’m not going to spoil your enjoyment of the clothes with some lofty descriptions and pop culture references, I’m just gonna post some pretty, pretty pics.

Simona Ferrari’s collection was fantastic. This young lady has sexy on lock down. Enjoyed her entire collection. I’m sure this is a name we’re going to hear a lot of in the future.

Simona Ferrari: Miss SA Tatum Keshwar is so great on the runway.

Simona Ferrari: Loved the urban warrior/ gladiator look

Simona Ferrari: I am warrior. Hear me roar.

The triumphant designer on the left and a beautiful model on the right..

Two other talented young ‘uns showed during the New Gen show – Batya Bouzaglou and Taibo Bacar. Here are the pieces I most loved from their collections:

Batya Bouzaglou: I need these pants! (Now where did I put my gym membership card?)

Taibo Bacar: Wow!

Pics via.