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...
Represent Review: Fashion is good for the Soul
Our Fashion Fundi Vincent Zondo attended the Old Mutual Soul Sessions last week and resoundingly rates it an official ‘must attend’. Some people foolishly believe fashion can get by on talent alone, a good small-business understanding is PARAMOUNT to creating a profitable, growing brand – aha, lightbulb moment? don’t say we didn’t try to convince you otherwise… Durbanites and Port Elizabethans, you still have a chance to catch the sessions: While sporting the ultimate “it” bag from GUCCI – Betty Suarez (from the hit TV series – UGLY BETTY) said, “Fashion is GOOD for the soul”. Staying true to this statement is the Old Mutual Soul Sessions’ which is my MUST attend event for all the soul providers, designer’s, fashionistas and young entrepreneurs this pre-Spring. I personally love this time of the year because the fashion industry is buzzing and dishing out plates of excitement, glamour and cutting edge designs that keep us perched on the edge of our front row seats. It’s an absolute bloom of all things fabulous, new fashion trends, the discovery of that all-new designer with the potential to take the industry to new heights or secure our Fashion on the global map. The Joburg Fashion Week hit us three weeks ago, Virgin Mobile Cape Town fashion week took place last week and I am so looking forward to the Sanlam Fashion week this coming week. And while all these events carry fresh talent, piping hot trends and chic designs, I recently unearthed a new gem in the basket, and it has the potential to inject much-needed fashion business sense into this industry. The-Venue in Melrose Arch saw the dawn of the much anticipated Old Mutual Soul Session (which we profiled last week) and the experience was beyond measure. This exceptional event shed some light into the path of success like no other that I have witnessed before. Speakers like Pie Pacifique shared the most intimate details of how they got to the top; what stood out for me here were the benefits our designers could gain, and most importantly the power of the human spirit in testing times – post this session I truly felt that the potential to survive this cut-throat arena is very much within reach. And when Sonwabile Ndamase exposed us to some of his newly discovered proteges from his fashion awards event – the crowd raved through the roof at the potential of these young designers. Young designers have been observing the innovators of our growing fashion industry and this inspiration plus the combination of talent, hard-work as well as essential business savvy skills required, will ensure success for their...
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