Represent Review: Audi Joburg Fashion Week ’09
Our darling site was in the middle of being made over in preparation for it’s 4th birthday, but our boy Vincent Zondo still managed to put on his best and shmooze out at this years Audi Joburg Fashion Week. Represent! He’s put together a few overall thoughts around the beginning and end of the experience with a few clear pointers for all those wondering What to Wear…! Merci VZ…
The BEGINNING of Audi Joburg Fashion Week ’09.
This year presented us with a surprisingly killer start to the Audi Joburg fashion week…everyone and their ami was taken aback by the level of the designers and the craft at this opening evening.
Typically the start of the shows is always quite chilled, nothing to write home about but I must say – the show unfolded smoothly as the designers went all out to impress. And impressed we were.
This first show confirmed that the “New Generation” South African designers are ‘so’ on par with Global trends, the same chic – gothic look, the never-dying lace that we saw with Prada recently. I must concur that “they really made it their own”, as put by Marie Claire’s fashion fundi, Abigail.
The theme this winter seems to be black, black and more black – from the fabulous head pieces, (and draping) and black stockings, black distressed metallic ponchos and jackets and bit of glitter with diamond diamante details by the waist side.
I am truly excited and so looking forward to the upcoming season of glam-chic and already willing just one special black number for me…
The END of the hottest fashion week
Last weeks Audi Joburg’s fashion week certainly lived up to it’s promise to dazzle and make a lasting impression on all buyers, fashionistas and media alike. The designers that were showing their winter/autumn collections have definitely raised the bar this time around.
Global appeal
What I always do yearly as I meet and greet my fellow fashionistas, is look out for new faces especially on the front row seats – it’s quite exciting to see that a number of international buyers from Switzerland, Paris and London are taking a keen interest in our designers.
– the experience –
Fashion week is starting to feel like, well….FASHION WEEK – with creativity, function and aesthetic-appeal at an all-time high. The co-ordination by the organizers has also picked up a notch or two. Good job. For example I loved the fact that you got to view the collection on the models as they were gliding off the ramp and in a blink of an eye, we were able to get an up-close glimpse of the designer’s collection in the media room smokingly fresh off the ramp. I actually got to touch and feel the fabric, immediately chat to the designer and get their views as well as the inspiration behind their range, an absolute thrill – well done to AFI.
– Trends –
Noir Desire
According to MOI, the trends that will be making big waves this season are gothic-chic, fabulous feminine silhouettes with lots of lace detailing. The never-say-die black stockings and the micro-mini make a surprising come-back this season. (Ladies do pray for a warmer winter this season as the combination of the heavy–velvet coats, killer-poncho with a micro-mini or skirt combo, is sure the turn up heat for anyone who’s bold enough to rock this look). And as mentioned black is the real beauty this season as far as colour goes. Don’t be shy to go Black.
Head-wraps.
Head–gear looks pitched to make a huge come back this season, I mean for me, it truly restores the feminist-goddess silouhette and presents such a fresh nostalgic feel this coming winter. Wrap it up girls!
– Winners, going forward –
While the curtain has been lowered on Audi joburg fashion week in 09, I hope to share with everyone some more of my experiences… Who was looking hot, up and coming designers to watch out for, some of the disappointing moments we shared – I mean, what’s with the bundle-up of big names into one show (Gavin Rajar, Kluk CGDT, Hilton Wiener, Craig Port) – which were said to show together on the ultimate grand – finale, the Audi Collection show. But I am glad David Tlale and Thula Sindi still kept it real and showed independently.
So in other words, this is just the beginning. And end.
By Vincent Zondo
All Images courtesy of Simon Deiner for Fashion week
