SAFW Day 1...

So as anticipated, this week has been a flurry of fashionable events, picture snapping & light cheek-to-cheek kisses all in the name of celebrating the fresh & exciting design talent this country has to offer. There is so much to be said about the wonderful event that Lucilla Booysen & the team from SAFW have so far succeeded in coordinating but in the interests of brevity, let it be known that it gets two thumbs up & a smiley face from me.  The new venue (Arts on Main) in 'trendy' Jeppestown is fantastic & really adds to the surge of creative energy already resonating from the catwalk.  I guess the best thing for me about this fashion week is that the focus on fashion doesn't just stop abruptly when the lights go on after the show.  It transcends into the venue, the planned networking sessions, the meet & greet sessions with the designers and the buyers stations which are rails set up just outside the exit for the show so that (somehow miraculously) when you exit the show, EVERYTHING you just watched sashaying past you on the ramp is neatly hung on rails with the designer present for questions, photographs & of course, placing orders & making contacts with the relevant industry people. Magic!  These are some snaps I took on day 1... 

This is my lovely friend Thithi standing with the very talented Olive and Michael of Christopher Strong.  Will gush more about this brand later.

My equally lovely friend Milli ( from www.missmillib.blogspot.com).  Can I just say that this girl is an absolute dynamo of talent, ambition & fabulosity all rolled into one.  I look forward to working & growing with her in this industry & as individuals. Very inspiring.

The cut & the tailoring on these trousers further validates my obsession with vintage clothing.  Look at the colour too. Super!

As many of you may know, the last hairstyle I had was a full head of shoulder blade length silver grey braids.  There are few things I love more in this world than silver grey hair & this man just made me wanna "plutz" when I saw his!! And rumour has it he's not even old (i'm talking under 30).

Why Jen Su... why? The End.

Are there lovelier people in the world than Melissa from Glamour mag?  She's such a breath of fresh air! And very funky & cute too.

These are some snaps from the Amanda Laird Cherry show.  Not the most exciting collection but there were some good re-vamps of basic silhouettes & interesting hints of Africanism such as the animal skin shoes.

This is one of my favourite male models. Hussein.  He's beautiful. The End.

I really like these 3 people.  They make me so optimistic for the future of black creative talent in South Africa.  That's Jamal (on the far left) - talented photographer, performing artist, fashion designer by training & stylist by moonlight.  Phahamiso's in the middle & Milli again on the right.

It wasn't all front row fashion though.  I attended the installation performance called Monotype at the David Krut Project Space (also Arts on Main) by Lisa Jaffe (of SA super fashion brand "Guillotine") in collaboration with David Krut projects, Joao Orecchia, Eduardo Cachucho & Jill Ross.  With the risk of sounding like some pseudo art 'fundi' I will simply say that, it was lovely & worth going to see.  Not sure how long it's on for but do go & take a look.  More pics below.

And this was me sporting my new coiffe! Gosh, what a change... Thithi says I look like my mom now. That's the best thing anyone could say to me because I think my mom is beautiful.

I wasn't the only one with a new look for Spring.  DJ Romz Deluxe (otherwise known as just "Romz") has after many years cut his long dreadlocks, apparently in the name of "growing up".  Me thinks he looks very cute - not as cute as his super stylish girlfriend Bongi though but getting there.

And lastly, I am constantly photographing these girls.  Bongi & Londi are my two FAVOURITE Joburg stylistas.  Their both waifs & very experimental with their outfits without being kitsch or too trendy.