AFI mixed things up this year by hosting fashion week in various cultural hot spots in town, including The Bus Factory, Johannesburg Art Gallery, Randlords, Fashion Kapitol and The Nelson Mandela Bridge.
Some of the shows were fantastic. Some, in my my opinion, were incredibly disappointing, but I'm going to choose to share the ones that I found most impressive with you. Among my favourites were Suzaan Heyns, Abigail Betz, Stiaan Louw, Avant, Heni and a few young designers from the Fast Track shows.
First up: Suzaan Heyns
The show was inspired by the mechanics of the human body. "It's about symbolism looking at physical mechanics and taking it onto the outside, which in turn represents the unveiling of our hidden psyche"
I loved the mens wear in particular. I think it is fantastic that a few designers are pushing the envelope when it comes to men's fashion. We certainly do have a gap in the market crying out to be filled in South Africa. One of the exciting methods used was a type of braiding that I only know as Scouby-doo braiding. It forms a square sort of knot, and this was one of the innovative details in the show. Another incredible part was the make-up! Braids covered the eyebrows and joined into the hair, almost like veins. The use of leather in a draped fashion was also a very contemporary look.
