My final range: A Gothic Love Tale

It took me a while to get the pics from my final range at LISOF, but here they are! My range was based on Gothic Architecture. When I began designing my range, I pictured myself standing in a Gothic Cathedral, and imagined everything that I might see around me. I pictured a dark shadowy corner, and then light streaming through a small window; I pictured the tall columns, the vaulted roofs and the epic buttresses; and I pictured thousands of doves fluttering in the courtyard. All these images pieced together to create a collection full of contrasts; a high-peaked shoulder, versus a small panel line; restrictive corsets paralleled against a flowing chiffon skirt; caging compared to feathered wings; and structured and hard shapes, but made with sheer, delicate organza

Loads of Living product launch 2011

I was privileged enough to attend the Loads of Living product launch on Thursday at the B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. Morrells Boutique Venue in Northcliff. Here are the pics of the incredible venue and the gorgeous product on offer.

For more info on the venue, visit the Morrells website

GARETH PUGH PITTI 2011 - FILM BY RUTH HOGBEN

GARETH PUGH PITTI IMMAGINE #79 2011

With a collection inspired by religious iconography and Florentine opulence, Gareth Pugh made his Italian fashion debut at Pitti Immagine #79. Showcasing his clothes via a unique fashion film, created with Ruth Hogben and projected onto the ceiling of a 14th-century church, Pugh melded the grand traditions and art of this ancient city with his own hyper-modern fashion vision

From: ShowStudio

Fashion Week Wrap up: Avant, and Stiaan Louw

Avant are fairly new on the Fashion Week circuit. Under the label Gaschette, a production, styling and design house, Avant showcased their women's collection entitled: Nude and Noir. "The collection is graphic, boxy, linear, uncomplicated and clean... it is a juxtaposition of definite form and shape within the loose confines of drapery". I loved absolutely every piece of the collection, and I think the Avant show is the favourite in my books.

Stiaan Louw presented his menswear collection, which came across contemporary, casual, and cool. "Inspired by social, sexual, and traditional cultural themes, Stiaan creates a modern interpretation, relating to specific forms of self expression... his work incorporates ideas of ambiguity and duality: masculine versus feminine, trendiness versus luxury, intellectuality versus understatement". I was very impressed by this collection, and I think menswear is a vastly unexplored market in the South African fashion industry. I'm so excited to see talent like this coming through!

Fashion week wrap up: Fast Track day

The Fast Track day was dedicated to showcasing young designers and graduate designers, thereby creating a fast track to their careers. Two of the most impressive talents, in my opinion, were my fellow LISOF graduates Portia Moruthane and Jessica Sutherland

Portia Moruthane's range (L), entitled Timbur's Explorations, was inspired by the film, Sweeny Todd, by Tim Burton. The look references men's clothing and suiting transformed into contemporary women's clothing. "She sees men's clothing as a symbol of power, liberation and movement." This look had a very consistent and strong aesthetic, and it's difficult to decide which is my favourite from this collection.

Jessica Sutherland's range (R) was incredible and bowled over the media and press. Having won range of the year at LISOF, expectations were high, and not only did she meet them, she exceeded them! The range was "shaped around the concept of transition... The goal was to create individual pieces that could respond to changes in mood, occasion (work, play, travel), climate and season, by allowing them to change in length, shape, silhouette, colour and pattern". My favourite look was the black short dress and oversized black coat that inzipped into a contemporary waistcoat. Fantastic stuff!