Words Helen Jennings Pictured KLuK CGDT Photography AFI/SDR
Here is ARISE’s pick of the top ten shows at Africa Fashion Week 2011, which took place in Johannesburg last week.
KLûK CGDT
Local favourites Malcolm Kluk and Christiaan Gabriel du Toit opened AFW with a short film telling the story of their trip to New York Fashion Week as part of ARISE’s Made In Africa collective, where they debuted their spring/summer 2012 collection. “We wanted to show the beauty and nature of our continent,” said Kluk of their inspiration for the epic 60-look show.
Models walked to the sounds of Dirty Dancing’s (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, which any girl donning one of their dreamy dresses surely would. A succession of floaty tulle and African-cotton gowns, floral silk shifts and knotted jersey dresses were embellished with maribou feathers, embroidery and sparkles while city shorts, shirts and on-trend tunics catered to daywear. Neon jewellery by Ida Elsje and leather bags by Cape Cobra accompanied each look and the show closed, as always, with bridal.
Mataano
Say “Aloha!” to Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim’s resort-style show. The Somali twins’ leaf and luau prints went loco across swimwear, beach shorts, bandeau tops and onesies. The kitsch, sun-kissed collection also included flirty sundresses, maxis, oversized shirts and jumpsuits in beige, hot red and bleached-out blues. Floppy hats, espadrilles and chunky beaded necklaces completed the holiday-ready looks that left the audience salivating for sea, sand and Honolulu sundowners.
Tart
Cari Stephenson’s Cape Town-based brand is known for its paired down, sporty design philosophy. This collection stayed true to form with an almost all-black range of wardrobe staples. Silk jersey asymmetric slip dresses, loose trousers and baggy t-shirts were layered with cable knits and biker jackets. The only drop of colour was the last look, a cascading green printed maxi worn by Nasanyana. Each outfit was finished off with Love Tart, a new range of chunky gold pendants and knuckle dusters made in collaboration with jewellery designer Belinda-Lee Ludek.
Alexander Koutny
This New York-based South African designer closed Friday with a grown-up collection of dramatically proportioned blanket dresses, pyjama suits, harem pants and cloaks. Kourtny’s masterful tailoring skills emphasised shoulders, sheer fabrics exposed the back and décolletage, and fake hair added eerie drama to hem and necklines. The almost all-black colour palette was realised in wool, silk and leather with a white and grey graphic print supplying the only light relief to this otherwise sombre show.
Maki Oh
“I was inspired by Matisse’s paintings of primitive odalisques to take a fictional trip into the world of the Lagos ‘reds"', Amaka Osakwe said of her provocative collection, which turned each of her models into exotic courtesans in shades of navy, bottle green and hot pink. Skin-tight mesh mini dresses barely concealed modesties as embroidery and velvet appliqué created surface shapes and textures. Adire button-up shirts and long skirts gave the illusion of wave-like movement across bodies and frilly gypsy tops, which seemed so fragile they threatened to fall down from shoulders, were teemed with shorts and pencil skirts. A sensual, assertive collection.
LaQuan Smith
LaQuan Smith was ahead of the curve with his use of neoprene last season and proved a big hit at ARISE Magazine Fashion Week – Lagos 2011. The New Yorker continued to champion the fabric for spring/summer 2012, this time mixing it up with silk, lace and
metallic fabrics. Sleeves were puffy, jackets were cropped, leggings were tight and mini skirts were pleated in this sexy, futuristic
collection entitled Eclipse. Curvy monochrome panelling and stripes also gave body-conscious dresses plenty of bite.
Taibo Bacar
Taibo Bacar dedicated his show to 1975 – the year his beloved Mozambique gained independence from Portugal. The first half of the collection revolved around safari and military styles to create clean silhouettes: vests with high-waisted trousers, shirts with shorts and utilitarian dresses in khaki, sand and blood red. Skinny belts, gold statement jewellery, wedged clogs and leather satchels completed each look. The second half of the show consisted entirely of Addicted To Love-esque LBDs with red zips running down the backs.
Thula Sindi
Local sweetheart Thula Sindi understands women’s wants. His clothes flatter the female form and raise a smile with their daring
fabrications. This season he crossed a geisha with a sexy secretary to come up with a wearable collection for hard-working girls. White cotton and jersey dresses formed staples, ruffled satin tops and skirts and houndstooth suits were all about the 9 to 5, while leopard-print bra tops and obi-belted frocks were for when Sindi’s muses clock off.
Jacob Kimmie
This accomplished UK-based designer made a popular homecoming with an Edwardian-influenced show. Blacks, whites and greys dominated this serious collection of blouses, blazers, wide-legged trousers and cloaked dresses in luxury fabrics. His choice of block colours fell into relief though when variations on a print depicting doves in flight came into view. Was this a visual representation of Kimmie’s hopes for South Africa’s peaceful and democratic future? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But it sure was pretty.
Bunmi Koko
Fresh from both ARISE’s New York Fashion Week show and their solo show at London Fashion Week, Bunmi Olaye took her Allure Of The Sirens collection to Joburg for a third airing. This time her dangerous beauties enchanted in cleverly cut dresses and jackets, accordion-pleated culottes, sheer slips and printed swimwear and could have lassoed their sea-fairing prey with rope belts and necklaces. The colour palette ranged from faded pastels to tropical yellows and oranges and the show closed with a selection of white wedding dresses. Sirens aren’t destined to watery, voracious solitude after all, it seems.
For more on Africa Fashion Week and African Fashion International visit www.afisa.co.za.