Black Coffee the fave at Fashion Week – Represent!
Our lady Generalista braved the who’s-shmooze of Fashion Week to give us the lowdown on what was hot and what thought it was hot – here it is: I wasn’t looking forward to the first of the SAFW shows I attended – Stoned Cherrie’s headlined “Stars at Play” at the Old Synagogue in Hillbrow. I should’ve been. And a week ago, I had been. But that was before I discovered that every sin…gle one of my uber-fashion conscious and savvy friends – more than 50% of them buyers for one of the largest clothing retail chains in SA – had declined their invitations, citing a sincere and overwhelming lack of interest and/or enthusiasm for the “pretentious” event that had only done nothing but disappoint them in previous years. On arrival, all the evidence was there to suggest they might be right, as it was at the two subsequent shows I went to – Black Coffee’s “Develops with Time” and the finale, Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani, Malini Ramani, Marianne Fassler and Vino Moodley’s “An Indian Summer”. In attendance, sipping on champagne were all the usual suspects – a suitable splash of local shlebs (stage and screen), the supporting bevy of colourful fashionistas, a full press quota, and the usual media bunch. Most of them wearing foreign labels. Amongst them, only a token percentage of “non-invitees” – I found out later that the number of (paying) public allowed access to the shows at both venues was severely restricted, despite capacities for much larger audiences. Yes, at a first glance, this definitely had all the makings of just another one of those events – an ultimately elitist gathering where everyone was more concerned with being seen than with seeing what our local talent had to offer us next. Yet these people seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves. Animated conversations were taking place all around me about the shows – some were gushing over what they’d already seen, others were fidgeting in anticipation of the next dose of design. The atmosphere was nothing short of feverish. I soon found out why. Whilst none of the shows failed to impress, it was Black Coffee’s “Develops with Time” that, in my opinion, truly demonstrated just how far the local industry’s come, just how close we are to deserving a place on the international stage, and just how important South African Fashion Week is becoming. The off-site setting (again, the Old Synagogue) was the first strike of genius. Black Coffee’s decision to do something that, as far as I’m aware, no one else did – to not restrict the number of tickets available to the general...
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...
Last week to catch Elephant at the Market!
This week marks the end of ELEPHANT – a fusion of puppetry, traditional and contemporary dance, music mime and pantomime at the Market Theatre. Book now – this is your last chance to see this superb production!!! Venue: Main Theatre Time: 17h00 Date: On until 15 January 2006 Prices: Tuesday R30 for everyone Wedne…sday – Sunday Adults R40 & Children R30 ELEPHANT is a truly magical story for all ages told on stage in music, song and dance by an exceptional cast of nine humans, ten musicians and two elephants. “An uplifting portrait of Africa, which will enchant adults, children and anyone in between” – Three weeks Edinburgh “Elephant has it all and it’s a heart-warming Show” Stunning – British Theatre Guide “A feel good 80 minutes that has rhythm and soul” – The Gaurdian The Story Chief Zanemvula has died. He is certain that he is on his way to heaven, but he is rejected at heaven’s gate for a “big mistake” in his early life. He appeals to the ancestors for assistance and is granted a second chance if he retraces his steps and atones for his error. Lucky Louis – the devil – arrives and sets off as his guide to his early life in the village with his more spiritual brother and their initiation together. Zanemvula becomes the Chief but is plagued by jealousy and vulnerable to the temptation of guns provided by Louis and the pink people. His brother is in communication with the forest animals, where he has a special relationship with the elephants. The young Chief seeking domination hunts and kills a mother elephant. The “old” and “young” Chief are united and understand the wrong that has been done. The elephants return, Lucky Louis is disappeared and Chief Zanemvula can enter heaven and join his ancestors. ELEPHANT fuses puppets, traditional and contemporary dance, new and traditional music, mime and pantomime, tragedy and music hall within a simple story of innocence, joy, corruption, tragedy and triumphant redemption....
F-ing Good FORMULA ONE in MALAYSIA
Dr Ncifi gets around… Eat yr hearts out F1 fans. He always makes us lag with his writing so even if you’re not into F1 – have a lag… Geez, what a hectic weekend in Kuala Lumpur. It was what I call an F-ing good weekend, firstly the Force of nature concert, then the F1. Malaysia’s Sepang International Raceway, about an hour out of the city famous for its Petronas Twin Towers (where I work by… the way). Petronas, or Petroleum Nasional, form the back bone of the Malaysian economy and are responsible for bringing this awesome Grand Prix here. They also happen to co-sponsor the Sauber team, so there is huge interest here in the race. Some 120 000 people made their way out to Sepang to witness what can only be described as sheer power. I am not the world’s biggest F1 fan, and bear no allegiance to any particular team, since my childhood hero Nikki Lauda crashed his Maclaren and burnt both his ears off in the mid eighties. However, I figure an F1 grand prix live is one of the mandatory tick boxes in life that you have to tick, like attending an Olympic Games or seeing a lion kill (ok I am a bit homesick). Some of my patients (I crack peoples backs) who are have attended all 7 of the Malaysian Grands Prix tried to warn me about the speed and noise that these racing cars generate, since television doesn’t come close to illustrating this. Its only when you are live at the track that you realise how unbelievably loud and fast these buggers are. Ear defenders are mandatory, and don’t try and be a cheap skate and use press stick, cos its not going to do the job. We went out and spent the GDP of Bhutan on a pair of ear defenders, to try and dampen the noise. And I don’t really think they worked, since when I saw my first patient on Monday morning, I started treating her for hand pain instead of a headache&. Anyway, the actual start of the race was obscured from view, since we were in the sardine seats on the hill overlooking the back straight, but the noise of the start was incredible. The race itself was honestly quite boring since you don’t get to see any leader board, but the beers and noise made up for the quite periods. I had a friend who tried to drink a beer for every lap, not realising there were 56 laps in the race. Needless to say, he didn’t see much. There was one accident quite near...
The White Kwaito “STABANI Show”: uThando!
I nearly choked when a friend on holiday in Cape Town sent me an sms that read “WHITE KWAITO STABANI” . “I beg your pardon” I replied, shocked at his use of this somewhat derogatory word “STABANI” that is used in Kasi’s and cities alike to describe a Gay person. Especially because he is STABANI. I wondered what on earth he was on about until we finally spoke and he explained th…at it’s a gay white kwaito musical in Cape Town and that when he saw the name he had to laugh. Gay white kwaito musical? What next? You just have to love our country that let’s us speak out about whatever we like and be whoever we want to be. No qualms in this town. Here’s the buzz: The STABANI Show: uThando ! Starring Bruce J. Little & Zayne Upton Directed by Fred Abrahamse ‘So, you want to know what love is? You want us to show you? Well then, expect a lot of local flavour with sufficient measure of laughs, music and maybe some magic from the sangoma’s bones…’ The Stabani Show: uThando! is not just a gay, white kwaito musical. It’s a two man performance project using storytelling, music, mixed media, stand-up comedy and theatre to explore love in all its different guises in a culturally diverse New South Africa. Using varying local vernaculars, The Stabani Project describes how love manifests itself across the cross-cultural landscape that is contemporary South Africa. Characters such as Thandawami the Love Tokoloshe, Mfundo the Tsotsi, Magda the Serial Infomercialist and Gyroneesa the Salt River Female Impersonator expose their views on love. Funky upbeat love songs are scattered throughout the performance. One of them, Love Tsotsi, describes unrequited love in a South African context, poking fun at our crime consciousness. Another, the hilarious narrative song Sangoma tells the story of the desperate measures one man will take to find himself a mate. Let this duo rekindle your belief that love is indeed everywhere. Every Sunday night from 05 June 2005 Dinner is served from 18h30 and the show begins at 20h30. The show tickets are R65 each. For bookings and inquiries please call 021 424 1194 or 021 424 1195 or visit our website at ON BROADWAY...
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