International Fashion Trends - 2009/10

Source: Fashion Trend - Runway Issue N.24

Take Four - Nine Takes, The Fashion Fusion Project

“As a student I researched craft methods theoretically, and reworked fabrics and print techniques peculiar to various African cultures. The DAC Fashion Fusion Project put me in touch with a wealth of real skills to tap into and work with. It is incredibly inspiring. Everyone normally does what he or she loves to do, and so we feed off each other’s creative energy. It’s all about utilising craft to change the face of a fabric and make something lasting. I would break down a design and give each crafter a component to work on. Then, to everyone’s amazement, we would put the elements together to produce the embellishment on the garment. So the craft wasn’t complicated and I could control the process and create a new interpretation. You start with one thing and a crafter sewing the first structure, which may appear more beautiful than the finished product, sparks an idea of how to use it another way. So the ideas flow. Crafting is a realm you can get lost in and you have to be subtle as to how you apply craft. It is difficult to explain what quality you need, and then communicate it to people who do not see the end product as a luxury article for a European market.” – designer Terrence Bray

“I learnt beading from my older sister and people on the farm near Durban where I grew up. I learnt by copying and looking at things I liked. I make all sorts of things thatI sell at the market. For Terrence, I do what he asks and follow his instructions.He then applies it to his dresses. At Sanlam South African Fashion Week I saw the dresses and I liked them so much. Once, I showed him my bags and other products. He took an element and changed it into his style. It was so different. I couldn’t imagine it like that. It was something new I hadn’t seen before.” – crafter Nellie Mkwali

Extract taken from nineTAKES – The Fashion Fusion Project, published by Channel F Publishing, R200. Available: info@soda.co.za or on 011 442 7812

Decadent Barbie Experience, tea and afterparty

For a true Barbie experience, doors to open at 20h45 on September 16th outside the runway at the Sandton Convention Centre, promise an ultimate showcase of five decades of a global fashion icon at the Barbie Gallery. Set to run concurrently with the Winter Collections 2010 from 09:00 am - 18h00 is Barbie’s official pick and drop tea party for official fans at plush Morningside’s Cup restaurant. Succulent Barbie inspired cupcakes, coffees and smoothies will be on offer. To be part of the action, book a ticket at the Barbie Showroom at the SSAFW Exhibition. Inside Track: 5FM’s vinyl spinning Erica Elle and fresh Dj duo Digital Diva are to close off the closing night of the Winter Collections 2010 at the official Barbie afterparty at flashy Melrose Arch’s The Venue. Doors open at 21h30. Tickets are available at the door.

International Fashion Trends - 2009/10

Source: Fashion Trend - Runway Issue N.24

Yves Saint Laurent - Isn't elegance forgetting what one is wearing?

Travel must be one of the most important to do things in life. This is something I have known all my life. As if it was yesterday I can remember my first trip – I was 28 years old all my friends went on overseas trips from the age of 18…. not me….. I had no money and so not a rich father to pay for it. Then I discovered that you do not really need a lot of money to go. I discovered the fly now pay later plan using my credit card so the only other thing I needed was a very strong sense of self control…. that is self control when it comes to money management – because it is one thing going and it is another thing just experiencing and not having the money to shop……… that was hectic – I mean can you for one moment imagine me in London, Paris, Italy and not shopping!!!!! I did buy the Vogues and all the alternative magazines I could lay my hands on though – I went to the Art Galleries, Museums and did a huge amount of window shopping – in fact I was the window shopping queen those years. In Paris they had a huge A1 trends newspaper – you could not buy it at the newspaper stands or in the bookstores – it was sold by people coming around to the coffee shops – how fab is that - if you could lay your hands on one of those it was a huge achievement – one of the places you could get it was at cafe de flore - this was a fashion and art hangout in Paris. Well needless to say that was one of my many missions….. to get one of these newspapers every time I was there. It was so big I had to store it behind my piano – you could not just page through it you had to lay it down on the floor or a table to look at it.
Anyway – I say travel X travel X travel. You have to make sure that you stay 100% focused on pure fashion when you do fashion. Of course you can go into the Top Shops, Bloomingdales, La Rinascentes and Lafayettes of this world but only after you have been to the Collettes, 10 Corso Como and looked at the real creators of fashion’s Collections and stores of names like Comme des Garcons, Mugler, Lacroix, Gaultier, Challayan, Yamamoto, Mc Queen, Galliano, Costume National etc. Then you still have to do the likes of Prada, Paul Smith, Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester etc, etc and only then can you go commercial if you have to.
Usually my NY first few hours looks like this:
JFK ,breakfast at Balthazar, Prada store, Dean and DeLuca (all in SoHO) – this gives me a minuscule picante taste of what is to come – a combination of fashion and food – the stores are across from each other…. Shows you. LB

Take Three - Nine Takes, The Fashion Fusion Project

“I try to use the wonderful skills of the crafters… They will bring you things they‘ve made at home which may not be commercially viable. But a particular weave or material can spark off something and give you an idea how to develop it. When you deal with an industrial printer or embroider nothing is organic. They have a machine and you give them the artwork and they do the job whereas with the crafters the human element brings in a beautiful haphazard naivety that can’t be replicated by a machine. The dynamic of the working relationship kicks in when one has to come up with a product that portrays ones vision for the item where the aesthetics of the designer and crafter meet. Being in a fashion-forward industry gives you an advantage in knowing the trend or whether a thing has been done or will appeal to your market.” – designer Amanda Laird Cherry

“I trained as a fine artist at Funda Community College in Diepkloof, Soweto. I focused on women’s pain as a theme. After that I asked myself: What can I do to cheer women up and give them hope? Well, what do women like? They like shopping, jewellery, shoes, bags and handbags. So I started making bags. People like to give me their ideas, which I sketch down, or they give me a picture from a magazine and I do just that for them, but in my own specific way and fingerprint. At the workshop, Amanda told me what she likes and tried to let me inside her mind so that I could come up with my own creativity. She is a designer and I am an artist, and when we put our heads together we come up with something wonderful.” – crafter Nelsie Ndimande

Extract taken from nineTAKES – The Fashion Fusion Project, published by Channel F Publishing, R200. Available: info@soda.co.za or on 011 442 7812

Albertus Swanepoel's Upcoming Men's Headwear Collection

Albertus Quartus Swanepoel is a South-African born designer, who has perfected his design chops collaborating with names such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, Carolina Herrera, Peter Som, Erin Fetherston, Diane Von Furstenberg, Alexander Wang, Betsy Johnson, and Jason Wu. The Swarovski CFDA Accessory Award nominee for 2009 has just released images of his upcoming men’s headwear collection for the Spring and Summer 2010 season. These high fashion fedoras are meticulously created with finely detailed patterns and colors. The shapes he chooses are also worth the mention, giving the collection a unique and distinct character. His self-named label can be found at U.S. retailers such as Barneys, Paul Smith, Joan Schepp, Diavolina and Odin NY. Visit the Albertus Swanepoel website www.albertusswanepoel.com for more details.

Sanlam & SA Fashion Week Nominated for BASA

SPONSORSHIP OF LOCAL ARTS REWARDED

Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) is pleased to announce the nominees for the 12th Annual Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American – highlighting South Africa’s top arts and culture events supported by sponsorship from local business.

The nominees list spans the broad spectrum of the arts - from visual arts projects, like the Joburg Art Fair and the Shangaan-themed Dungamanzi ‘Stirring Water’ project, to theatre, music and social awareness initiatives such as ABSA’s ‘Addicted To Life’ drugs awareness campaign.

Also nominated are a number of daring and, at times controversial, business and arts partnerships; among these are Standard Bank’s provocative Marlene Dumas’ ‘Intimate Relations’ exhibition and the Grand Daddy Hotel’s Airstream Penthouse Park.

“We’re absolutely thrilled at the nominations list which reflects just how effectively business and the arts can come together in a way that benefits both – along with South African society as a whole,” says BASA CEO Michelle Constant.

Constant’s sentiments are echoed by Business Day Brand Manager, Anda Peter: “This is not a one-size-fits-all landscape but one where different businesses can flex their financial and creative muscles in a variety of ways to help ensure the livelihoods of our arts community, and give ordinary South Africans the opportunity to enjoy the cultural expressions of our richly diverse nation”.

“As an ongoing supporter of the arts, Anglo American is proud to be one of the lead sponsors of the BASA Awards, which we believe represents a shared vision to encourage mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships between corporate South Africa and arts and culture,” says Premilla Hamid, Head of Public Affairs for Anglo American. “As the partner of choice, and the largest corporate social investor in the country, we understand the power that cultural sponsorship has in connecting the larger community to the arts, whilst supporting local artists in the process.”

Leading the charge in the nominations list are several projects that have earned two nominations each: among them the Keiskamma Art Project, which is sponsored by Murray & Roberts LTD. Based in Hamburg in the Eastern Cape, this platform for emerging and established female artists and crafters is also responsible for creating the artworks that will be presented to the winners for this respected awards event.

Among the nominees are several of South Africa’s bigger corporates including MTN, whose 15th Annual MTN South African Music Awards has earned them a nomination in the Single Project category. Sanlam has also received a nomination in the Strategic Sponsorship category for its annual SA Fashion Week, while Old Mutual’s Encounters series of concerts is also in the running for the same award.

Unlike the other 11 categories which have three finalists each (aside from International Sponsorship which has two), the Barloworld ARTWORKS Mentor of the Year Award (launched in 2005 with the support of Barloworld) has five finalists. The hotly contested category recognises business volunteers who work directly with arts organisations, sharing skills and expertise to address challenges specific to that arts organisation.

Nominees were selected by a prestigious panel of judges - CEO of the Constitution Hill Trust, Dr Ivan May; Loerie Awards MD, Andrew Human; playwright and director Welcome Msomi; co-founder and head of Vega School of Advertising, Gordon Cook; theatre and dance writer/journalist Adrienne Sichel; business entrepreneur, South Africa’s former High Commissioner to London and currently executive chairperson of Peotona Holdings, Cheryl Carolus; and, Mastrantonio Holdings CEO Giovanni Mariano.

The judging process was audited by Grant Thornton Johannesburg.

The 12th Annual Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American, will take place on 31 August at an invite-only event to be held at the forum turbine hall in Newtown, Johannesburg. Winners in 12 categories will be announced, along with the Chairman’s Premier Award - which is made at the discretion of the Chairman of BASA recognising sustained and extraordinary commitment to the arts in South Africa.

For a full list of nominees in the 12th Annual Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American, see below (nominees/finalists in alphabetical order).

Full notes on each of the categories, including nominee/project profiles, are available on request.

BEST USE OF A COMMISSION OF NEW ART
Finalist 1:ABSA Project:Addicted to Life
Finalist 2:Grand Daddy Hotel Project:Airstream Penthouse Park
Finalist 3:Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Project:Mobile Exhibition

FIRST TIME SPONSOR
Finalist 1:Arup (PTY) LTD Project:Dungamanzi ‘Stirring Water’
Finalist 2:Murray & Roberts Ltd Project:Keiskamma Art Project through Murray & Roberts Women’s Art Project
Finalist 3:Rainbow Chicken Ltd Project:Catelina Theatre

INCREASING ACCESS TO THE ARTS
Finalist 1:Exclusive Books Reading Trust Project:Ndodeni Family Library Project
Finalist 2:First National Bank Project:Joburg Art Fair
Finalist 3:Golden Arrow Bus Services Project:Cape Africa Platform’s Arts Awareness Programme

INTERNATIONAL SPONSORSHIP
Finalist 1:Standard Bank Project:Marlene Dumas’ ‘Intimate Relations’
Finalist 2:Zamexpo Project:artSPACE durban

LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT
Finalist 1:Deutsche Bank Africa Foundation Project:Little Artists
Finalist 2:Sandton Business Improvement District Project:Sandton Central Arts Programme
Finalist 3:Standard Bank Project:National Schools Festivals

MEDIA SPONSORSHIP
Finalist 1: Desklink Media Project:National Arts Festival
Finalist 2:Fine Music Radio Project:Fine Music Radio Cape Diary
Finalist 3:The Times Project:The Times’ Art Page

SINGLE PROJECT
Finalist 1:First National Bank Project:Joburg Art Fair
Finalist 2:MTN Project:South African Music Awards
Finalist 3:Murray & Roberts Limited Project:Keiskamma Art Project through Murray & Roberts Women’s Art Project

SPONSORSHIP BY A SMALL BUSINESS
Finalist 1:Buz Publicity Project:Trevor Huddleston Centre
Finalist 2:The Drum Café Events Project:Mzantsi Traditional Orchestra
Finalist 3:Symfony Digital Solutions Project:Chew Magazine

SPONSORSHIP IN KIND
Finalist 1:Eurocape Holdings Project:Out The Box Festival (UNIMA SA)
Finalist 2:HCI Foundation Project:The Baxter Theatre Centre
Finalist 3:Vukile Property Fund (Ltd) Project:National Eisteddfod Academy

STRATEGIC SPONSORSHIP
Finalist 1:Old Mutual Project:Encounters (Oppikoppi Productions)
Finalist 2:Sandton Business Improvement District Project:Sandton Central Arts Programme
Finalist 3:Sanlam Project:SA Fashion Week

YOUTH SPONSORSHIP
Finalist 1:ABSA Project:Addicted to Life
Finalist 2:Standard Bank Project:National Schools Festivals
Finalist 3:Webber Wentzel Project:Young Artist Competition

MENTOR OF THE YEAR
Finalist 1: Gary Ninow for Umcebo Trust
Finalist 2: Gregory David Wallis for Ifa Lethu Foundation
Finalist 3: Ilka Dunne for National Eisteddfod Academy
Finalist 4: Patrick Seager for VANSA Western Cape
Finalist 5: Yvette Nowell for Valued Citizens Initiative The Barloworld

ARTWORKS
Mentor of the Year Award - launched in 2005 with the support of Barloworld, the award is for business volunteers working directly with arts organisations, sharing skills and expertise to address challenges specific to that arts organisation.

CHAIRMANS PREMIER AWARD
The Chairman’s Premier Award is made at the discretion of the Chairman of BASA, and recognises sustained and extraordinary commitment to the arts in South Africa.
ENDS

Notes to Editors - About BASA:
BASA was founded in 1997 as a joint initiative of government and the business sector, to secure the future development of the arts industry in South Africa, through increased corporate sector involvement. Established as a Section 21 company, BASA is accountable to both government and its business members.

Notes to Editors – About Business Day (“News Worth Knowing”):
Business Day is South Africa’s premier business newspaper and your gateway to the country’s top decision makers. It is the country’s only dedicated, stand alone national business daily – and one of only 7 daily business titles in the Southern Hemisphere. It reflects the values of its readers – an educated, independent and bold view of the world. Business Day delivers quality, in-depth news and incisive analysis of business and economic news, politics and current affairs, giving an edge to its readers.

Notes to Editors – About Anglo American plc:
Anglo American plc is one of the world’s largest mining groups. With its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, it is a global leader in platinum group metals and diamonds, with significant interests in coal, base and ferrous metals, as well as an industrial minerals business. The Group is geographically diverse, with operations in Africa, Europe, South and North America, Australia and Asia. (www.angloamerican.co.uk)

For more information, please contact:
Total Exposure
+27 11 788 8725
Walter Gelderblom
walter@totalexposure.co.za
083 259 9629

Issued on behalf of:
BASA +27 11 832 3039

Barbie 50th Year Celebration at SSAFW

The moment Barbie was introduced to the world, a fashion icon was born. Debuting in 1959 as “The Original Teenage Fashion Model,” Barbie allowed girls to experience amazing fashion play, and explore various dreams, fantasies and aspirations. And, if you look at Barbie throughout the decades, she is always a perfect reflection of contemporary fashion, having served as a model and muse to many of the most world renowned names in fashion over the last 50 years. In 2009, when pink is the new black, Barbie has inspired Top South African Designers & selected Winners of The Barbie Future Design Talent Project at UJ Design School to create fashion forward outfits for woman at the Barbie Inspired Showcase at SSAFW on opening night, Wednesday September 16th. And in true diva style Barbie will host the glamorous After Party for the close of SSAFW at The Venue – Melrose Arch on Saturday September 19th. At her first ever fashion extravaganza in South Africa, we will celebrate the inspiration she has been by taking to the runway, to celebrate her first love, fashion.

International Fashion Trends - 2009/10

Source: Fashion Trend - Runway Issue N.24