SA Fashion Week summer collections are totally sublime

24 Feb '11

4 min read

SA Fashion Week's Summer Collections are set to SHINE at the newly refurbished glassed-in Shine Studio which gives an uninterrupted view of the city, the Nelson Mandela Bridge and the railway tracks in downtown Braamfontein. Fashionistas will travel by an external glass lift to the Runway during sunset giving a spectacular sunset perspective across the city. Just one block from the freeway, SA Fashion Week (8 -10 April 2011) guests will be provided with ample and secure parking at the venue – a total package combining edgy architecture with fantastic panoramic views of the city in a glass house of spectacular dimensions.

In the immortal words of Pink Floyd, Shine on you crazy diamond...”,

SA Fashion Week recently invited a US based Product Developer and agent to South Africa to set up an export agency for local designers in the process developing an international supply chain with a view to expanding global relations and increasing the export trade for the SA Fashion industry.

As Stylist and Design Director for Anthropology (renowned North American lifestyle retailer), a number of orders were placed with local designers and selected stores for export.

Click here for SAFW summer 2011 program.

The designer cum product developer visited Market on Main and met with Black Coffee, Clive Rundle, Two, Guillotine, Naked Ape, Lunar, Stoned Cherrie and Ephymol. While in Johannesburg she worked with Rubicon and Twananani Textiles from Limpopo province, Vesselina Pentcheva and the Bokamosa Craft group from North West Province, Medwool, Sizanani and Sizakele from Gauteng and Anna Mari Pretorius with Vezokuhle craft group from the Northern Cape developing product at a workshop set up by SA Fashion Week in Rosebank.In the Western Cape she travelled to informal settlement in Nyanga and worked with Christopher Strong and the Etafeni Income Generating Group.

The Stylist and Design Director visited Togu'na (artefact supplier to the interiors industry), Silja Glassware (hand blown glass vessels), Ronel Jordaan (felt goods), Clay & Co (children's bedroom accessories), Heartworx (embroidered goods), Mielie (handcrafted product using reclaimed materials), Tinsel (bespoke jewellery and accessories), Marchand van Tonder (handcrafted jewellery), Sarah Bullen (accessory designer); as well as Rapt Living, Bead and others.

Increasingly, South Africa is becoming the source as a destination for local design in fashion and clothing, textiles, homeware and jewellery. Customers desire quality items with a nostalgic and somewhat bespoke hand crafted quality. Is this a reflection of post recession nesting or merely a need to move away from the sea of sameness that comes with mass production.

At last TWO on tap – yes it's true, the girls are opening their first store in Parkhurst alongside MEMEME – Cape Town's favorite retail design emporium and stockist of South African design. Partnering with blogger, journo and fashion pundit missmillib as she isaffectionately known to her fans, the retail space is situated next door to edgy fashion brand Strangelove (the best place in town for tailored trousers), around the corner from Vesselina Pentcheva's tranquil salon, a stone's throw from Fashion Headquarters and within easy walking distance to Clive's magnificent gallery (it can hardly be called a shop – let's face it, each item is perfection.com!).