Review: Liquid Blue Fashion event – Durbs
Thanks to Durban D-va for her dedication to Represent as always! She went to check out the Liquid Blue fashion event and here’s her take:
This annual fashion show, started six years ago, is in aid of a worthy cause, as all funds raised go to the upkeep of Seaworld and towards the South African Association for Marine and Biological Research.
I was unfashionably early for the sho…
w, held at the kitsch-but-kool uShaka Marine World, but, lucky for me, one of the employees let me into the aquarium. So I got to spend time alone (drink in hand) with all the night swimming sea creatures, including baby sharks, spider crabs and some very trippy luminous anemones and tropical fish. I could not have wished for a better start to the weekend.
Although things were muddy outside the marquee, owing to the rain, rain, rain; the inside was transformed into an ethereal space with blue fairy lights and enough smoke from a smoke machine to blow away the rain…
The opening scene had models wearing diamond jewellery by Reho diamonds, the main sponsors of the event, with heels and slicked-back hair, in silver and white swimwear by Dax Martin. This is the guy who designed THE sexiest bikini in SA, which featured in the FHM magazine a couple years ago, and the design was thereafter ripped off by a certain big-name swimwear brand. Dax has designed and sewn garments since he was seven, and the results of his skill are evident in his lingerie and swimwear ranges. A suitably seductive opening.
Odysseus Shrinindza teamed shiny sea-blue fabric with gold, bubble skirts (remember those??) with Roman sandals. A sweet touch was the beaded anemone-like blue bag slung across a model’s back with slim cord straps.
Next up was Sfiso Mthethwa, one of the 2005 DDC winners who won a spot at SA Fashion Week. This was a decidedly French affair, with off-the-shoulder tops in nautical stripes and men in white ý pants conjuring up images of yachting off the French Riviera. The range also included long denim shorts worn with heels, and denim jackets on the guys, who were also wearing Gola sneakers. A very wearable range.
Joelle van Graan’s ultra-feminine floaty and shimmery range drew a gasp of appreciation from the audience. Shades of brown, blue and silver in bias-cut dresses, were worn with wedge heels and low-slung belts. Very current, yet oh-so Emmanuel…
Following after this was the somewhat in-your-face range by Martin Magora. The models were wearing those large and obnoxious furry animal slippers in shades of brown of course – a little incongruous with the oceanic theme – acid-green t-shirts and deconstructed denim skirts, with the odd sewn-on flower motif for good measure. I thought the use of little balls of wool (in dark purple, for instance) as corsage-type brooches was rather cute. As someone remarked, this guy clearly has a sense of humour.
Leggy brunette Christie Walker’s menswear range also had the pretty boys in white ý-length capris and golf trousers, most of them wearing smoking jackets or blazers in beige, pink and brown, with orphan-boy caps completing the look. The jackets were made up of different textures, such as satin and brocades, with piping and buttons evidence of a military-look influence. Satchels made out of brightly-dyed animal hide, made by GEHB, were quirky accessories.
Nazreen Pillay outdid herself this time, with another pleasingly feminine range. Culottes, halterneck bias-cut dresses with unstructured hems, and layered semi-transparent fabrics in blues, white and black dominated the look. Scarves were used in novel ways as part of tops and skirts, and I particularly liked the fanciful white-and-turquoise layered (dare I say frilly) ‘mermaid’ skirt, which rushed around the model as she walked like the row of bubbles that play at the wave’s edge.
Rising star Rozanne Immerman’s range was for me, as per usual, a cut above the rest. Her attention to detail was evident in her references to the 1930s and 1940s, such as a pleated skirt in an off-gold and slightly shiny fabric, decorative tassle skirt overlays, bolero jackets and scarves used as wrap tops. A very sophisticated range, with models holding shells nogal, in shades of gold, bronze, brown, black and darke-blue hues in opulent fabrics with varying degrees of light-reflecting qualities. Tres chic. Best of all, the range is available at Rozanne’s new store (which she WON in another design competition) at Gateway shopping centre, called Rozanne & Pushkin.
The guest designer was Terrence Bray. He used luminous, and I mean luminous, colours for this menswear range – and it is not the first time, either. So for those of you who thought luminous colours went out with those “rad” tubs of faceblock in the 80’s, you thought wrong. Hoodies in yellow and pink (and one with dyed-pink animal fur trim) were teamed with speedos in yellow (the adonis wearing the yellow speedo, bless him, smiled with good humour at the snickers he no doubt expected). Oh, and a bold African print in bright orange was also included … you know, to break the luminous yellow and pink. Trippy.
The winners were, surprise, surprise, Rozanne and Sfiso (who jointly won the DDC earlier this year). Rozanne receives R5 000 from Reho Diamonds, a spot as a young designer at the Elle Design Competition, and a spot at SA Fashion Week. Sfiso also receives R5 000 and an industrial sewing machine from Andre Martin at Life.
A great night for a worthy cause, and one which deserves our annual support.
