#TREND MEN - Superdry and Scotch & Soda A/W 2015

We were excited to attend a special preview of the Autumn/Winter Collections for 2015 by Superdry as well as Scotch & Soda. 

Always on the lookout for the latest season trends
#TrendMen

Superdry is an exciting contemporary brand which focuses on high-quality products that fuse vintage Americana and Japanese-inspired graphics with a British style. They are characterised by quality fabrics, authentic vintage washes, unique detailing, world leading hand-drawn graphics and tailored fits with diverse styling. Such distinctiveness has gained the brand exclusive appeal as well as an international celebrity following. Superdry has a significant and growing presence around the world. In South Africa, the brand has become associated with young, trendy fashionistas. 

Superdry AW 15 is sexy and stylish

Scotch & Soda products are rich in detail, high quality and affordable. The designers at Scotch & Soda spare no expense in ensuring the high quality detailing and finishing of each and every garment produced. Scotch & Soda has been around since the ‘80s, but the Amsterdam-based fashion brand as we know it today originates in a brave new start in 2001, when three new owners joined forces and brought to the table their broad experience and shared love of making great apparel. Scotch & Soda’s youngest and most ambitious project Amsterdams Blauw hit stores in December 2010; a compact, high profile denim collection that could only come from the Scotch kitchen. The brand is classic in many ways, but young and progressive when it comes to bringing great clothes to the market place. The store in Sandton, Johannesburg has become incredibly popular due to its innovative design as well as providing an intimate experience with the beautiful range on offer. 

Scotch & Soda bring out the best in textures and denims

Trends we see coming through: denim, denim and more denim. This is a great Winter fabric and you should ensure you have a pair of great fitting denims as well as a sleek denim jacket. This definitely applies for both men and women. 

Soda & Scotch denim jacket and shirt for women

Superdry Men's Denims

For the guys: printed fabrics continue to be huge. For winter, they may be more toned down in terms of colours but not in terms of design. You can have fun by mixing and matching prints. Textured fabrics are also really great for the colder months. Ensure that you have a variety of items in different textures to play with. We loved some of the prints we saw at Soda & Scotch. 

Texture + Pattern for Scotch & Soda

Coats and slightly oversized jackets are huge this season. They look fashionable but also keep you warm - get a great Superdry jacket or coat that can be used over your outfit to create a layered look. 

Winter Warmers - in style from Superdry

In keeping with the 1970s revival trend, we saw some quirky pieces for women which can be dressed either up or down. This included embellished items with a hand-made feel. We absolutely loved these items as they represent as fashionable leap forward for brands such as Superdry and Scotch & Soda. 

Disco skirts with embellishment from Superdry

Fabulous studded leather jacket
from Scotch & Soda

Judging by this sneak peek into these two collections, it certainly is going to be a very trendy Winter season! Get these looks and more now for your nearest Superdry or Scotch & Soda Stores. 

Before leaving, we had to catch up with the amazing team
behind the launch: Lorraine Maisel (above)
and Gina Mosley (below) from Styling Concepts

OUT & ABOUT - Miss Veet 2015 Finale - Four Seasons Hotel, Westcliff

We were incredibly excited to be selected as part of the judging panel of Miss Veet 2015, alongside famous faces such as Melinda Bam and Jeannie D. During the process, we had an opportunity to spend time with the 10 finalists at the build-up events, including a styling morning at Rosebank Mall as well as a SWEAT 1000 class at Brooklyn Mall. This gave us some more insight into the minds of these fantastic girls and assisted us with the challenging task of selecting an ultimate winner.

The culmination of the Miss Veet 2015 journey was two wonderful days spent at this year's Veet Villa, the magical Four Seasons Hotel, to participate in the final judging challenges as well as the crowning of Miss Veet 2015. The girls were put through their paces with high-pressure interviews, a swimsuit photoshoot as well as a 'bootcamp' class to test physical endurance. We thoroughly enjoyed being behind our clipboards but the judging process was not always easy: these girls certainly all wanted the title of Miss Veet 2015 and put their best foot (or leg in this case!) forward. In the end, there could only be one winner and it was the girl who best represents what Miss Veet stands for: confident, beautiful, a definite go-getter and inspiration. Well done to Odirile Sepeng on winning the title of Miss Veet 2015! We are confident that she will be a fantastic ambassador for this great brand. 

We loved this year's Veet Villa: The Four Seasons Hotel in Westcliff
overlooking lush Johannesburg greenery

Seen here with the beautiful and talented
Jay Anstey

Bloggers unite!
Seen here with (left) LadyZaa (princessofjozi.com)
and Irina Domanchuk (www.illtakeitall.co.za)

The interview process formed part of judging

We loved hearing from these intelligent young ladies

Saying farewell: Miss Veet 2014
Katlego Phajane

An emotional moment for Odirile Sepeng

Miss Veet 2015!
Odirile Sepeng

MBFWJ 2015 - AFI Fashion Week - A/W 2015 - 'Highlights'

Over 30 established and emerging South African designers presented their collections at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg last week in which the latest trends for the country’s autumn/winter season were revealed.  Naturally we were there to see what made it on the runway and what failed in this "highlights package".

Tsotetsi KL impressed with a 70s inspired range of clothing sticking to a palate of royal blue.  We loved the abundant use of laser cut designs but must comment that the type of fabric used for this detailing might not have been ideal. We noticed that certain garments where the cut-out were used were tearing so perhaps a stronger, more durable fabric might have done the trick.

Photos : AFI

Marianne Fassler used her artistic vision to transform denim: deconstructed pieces graced the runway using denim in novel ways. This gave the collection a rebellious and youthful feel. She also provided some touches of more overt glamour with faux fur and lace as well as artfully pieced together panels of coloured fabric. 

Photos : Simon Deiner
SDR Photos

Lumin's latest collection provided a strong visual viewpoint utilising geometric prints on various fabrics. The strength of this collection was its consistency and adherence to evoking a particular aesthetic. 

Photos: AFI 

Tart brought certain 70s elements to the fore. A special mention goes to the fully tasseled coat dress: a definite showstopper for the amount of effort required by the designer. 

Photos : Simon Deiner
SDR Photos

Ruald Rheeder drew on the current popular culture phenomenon, 'Fifty Shades of Grey' for inspiration. This made sense considering the obsession with an evasive male figure such as Christian Grey. However, the inspiration behind the collection was too literal at points and made for a very direct interpretation of the theme. This didn't prevent some of the male models from looking incredibly hot in cool colours. 

Photos: AFI 

Augustine made a departure from their usual monochromatic colour palette by including dyed animal skins and incorporating different types of fabrication to create a hybrid look: this translated well on the runway and made for an eye-catching collection. We loved the self-assured men dressed in unconventional looks; the Dr. Martens footwear added an extra dash of street style. 

Photos: AFI

Leigh Schubert continued with the 70's theme choosing to embellish with tassles - a hot trend this year.  Her collection also displayed the current trend for sheer fabrics.  The colour palette remained in the peach hues with the addition of black.

Photos : Simon Deiner
SDR Photos

The AFI NXTGEN show was held offsite at the Johannesburg Art Gallery. Sadly, this venue did not do the fashion justice. Nonetheless, we were excited to see new pieces from these upcoming designers. Rich Mnisi created a 'modern retro' look with his use of fabrication while Akedo made use of tassel detail in intricate ways to create interesting pieces. L.A.N.D  also displayed a new collection. We expect big things for these talented young creatives. 

L.A.N.D (left) and Akedo (right)
Photos: AFI

OATH by Rich Mnisi
Photos: AFI

Scalo presented menswear as well as womenswear items in their collection. The collection relied on vibrant reds as well as vivid patterned fabrics. We liked the textured fabrics which connoted a definite Winter feeling. This collection required some extra daring to take it to the next level. 

Photos: AFI

Samantha Constable injected a bit a drama before her show even got underway with a slightly controversial video clip highlighting terror and violence - a theme that inspired her new collection.  Her sentiments were heartfelt and added the raw edginess her collections always display.

Photos : AFI

Selfie brought an incredibly well-curated collection to the runway. Considering this curated presentation, it was unsurprising to see that the collection drew on famous art for inspiration - think Miro, Kandinsky and Keith Haring. All in all, this collection was incredibly wearable and retail ready while maintaining a definite fashionable personality. 

Photos: AFI

Shana had many playful moments. We enjoyed the emphasis on crafting and motifs such as cupcakes (reminiscent of Louis Vuitton's similar play with kitchen utensil prints). This collection could have been more streamlined. 

Photos: AFI

Suzaan Heyns cultivated a sense of high drama with her collection. She drew on a muted palette but made use of flowing silhouettes and many silky fabrics. This collection certainly showed off this designer's strengths: her ability to portray a powerful and stylish woman in fluid strokes. 

Photos: AFI

NN Vintage went all out to impress.  The debut range from Mafikizolo's Nhlanhla Nciza was perhaps not a cohesive collection but with a show containing dancing and singing and an array of celebs (such as Babalwa Mneno, LeAnne Dlamini and Khanyi Mbau) on the runway, it certainly injected a good dose of entertainment and spectacle.  In our mind this alone made the show unmissable.

Photos : AFI

Fabiani closed the week with a show entitled "A Return To Form" drawing inspiration from vintage motorsport. Natural fibres contrasted with nylon and patent leather to add an urban feel to the collection.  Although the collection was based in suiting (as are all collections from this label), we particularly liked the addition of patterned jackets and trousers.

Photos : Simon Deiner
SDR Photo

MBFWJ 2015 - AFI Fastrack

After presenting standout collections at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Johannesburg 2015, four out of the twelve AFI Fastrack contestants have been singled out as finalists for this year, and will embark on a year of learning and tutelage to establish themselves as professional, successful brands. 

Many former finalists such as Eleni Labrou (AKEDO), Jenevieve Lyons and Rich Mnisi have established successful labels and have made significant inroads in the local design world after being given the AFI Fastrack platform.

This year's AFI Fastrack finalists are Nthabiseng Molefe from Durban, Thebe Magugu and Armand Dicker from Cape Town and Martelle Ludick from Johannesburg.  All four were awarded a R10 000 cash prize and an opportunity to launch a capsule collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa 2015 when the overall winner will be named AFI Young Designer of the Year.



Thabiseng Molefe's collection, entitled "Dimensions", was inspired by Cubism.  It is characterised by multiple lengths and angles with contrasting textures and colours adding to the intriguing depths and creativity of the range.

Photos : Simon Deiner
SDR Photo

Thebe Magugu drew inspiration from the idea of "multiple dualities", exploring the concepts of masculine femininity and serious playfulness in a collection that is intelligent and engaged with the history of design.

Photos : Simon Deiner
SDR Photo

Martelle Ludik expressed themes of androgyny, blurring the lines between traditionally male and female attire.  The collection revolved around the idea of identity and boundaries, questioning stereotypes and ideas of perfection.

Photos : Simon Deiner
SDR Photo

Armand Dicker drew inspiration from Dante's 'Inferno', identifying the overall mood for his collection as "ominous', sticking to a palate of black with highlights of warm red, orange and yellow hues.

Photos : Simon Deiner
SDR Photo

MBFWJ 2015 - Gavin Rajah's "Resort" Collection

Gavin Rajah’s latest showing was not all that it was promised to be... 

When a designer – any designer – sets a standard, we become accustomed to viewing fashion at a certain level. Many local and international designers know this pressure all too well; the saying could not be truer than in the world of fashion: you are only as good as your last collection. This is precisely why many designers come and go in the eternal ebb and flow of the sartorial tides. Season after season, excited young designers take to the runway only to be long-forgotten names at next year’s fashion week. Of course, there are many names that have stood the test of time. The reason for this is because of the high levels of quality, the integrity of singular creative vision and the seamless follow-through from a conceptual level to runway-ready execution remain flawless and true to the brand.

However, there are also those designers who tend to ride the wave of previous glories much longer than should be allowed. Recent scandals aside, Mr. Rajah’s latest showing at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Johannesburg lacked the artistic integrity which has established his name as one of South Africa’s top designers. The purpose of this article is not to delve into the ongoing topic of fashion plagiarism where this particular designer is concerned; instead it aims to look critically at the state of fashion in a country with great fashion potential. This potential can only be realized if critical voices of reason are able to cultivate platforms of discussion. This should in no way discourage designers from bravely displaying their craft. Instead, it should work to encourage a form of constructive criticism that this industry so severely lacks. We tend to revel in scandal but scarcely provide the critical means for development and growth.

So where were the faults with Gavin Rajah’s ‘Resort’ collection? To begin with, it felt somewhat inappropriately named. We understood that this collection aimed to provide resort wear options for affluent travellers vacationing in exotic destinations. This would encompass swimwear, causal options as well as more stylish resort wear pieces. However, in this particular instance it felt as though the term ‘Resort’ was simply used to bring together an odd assortment of items which only loosely fitted the ‘Resort’ theme. There most certainly are some individuals who would be thrilled to wear these items while on summer vacation in the Mediterranean but it did not necessarily translate well as a collection with creative focus.

Gavin Rajah's 'Resort' provided items lacking in clear artistic vision

This leads on to the next criticism of the collection. A current trend in varied creative disciplines is the skill of ‘curating’. This refers to the process of presenting items in such a way so as to make them appear handpicked and organized along specific creative and artistic lines of thought. Exactly the way a museum or gallery curator would present a collection so as to create a narrative, so a designer would curate a fashion collection to present a specific story or to evoke a particular feeling. The importance of curating is currently being emphasized in various creative endeavours. As consumers, we are bombarded by products and services constantly vying for our limited attention. We need all of this to be packaged in a way that makes sense to us, with an overall end product which is aesthetically pleasing as well as desirable. In many ways, Gavin Rajah’s latest showing did not provide this curated viewpoint. It latched onto various different trends in fabric, style and design without singling out the designer’s artistic vision when bringing all of this together. 

This collection lacked a 'curated' look -
which distracted from the beauty of certain items

An important element is also the way in which the collection is presented to us. A high degree of anticipation needs to be met with opening pieces that instantly captivate the viewer. Sadly, the opening swimwear items in this particular collection failed to do that and provided a poor introduction to the pieces that followed. As a fellow fashion insider said at the end of the show: ‘it’s the fashion equivalent of writer’s block.’ We could not agree more.

Some of the opening swimmer items: lacklustre to say the least

Thankfully, the artistic world always provides opportunities for a comeback. These may become fewer the further we get into a designer’s career but those opportunities are always there. The testament to this is that the fashion community was eagerly awaiting the new collection after the previous scandal. We certainly hope that Gavin Rajah’s next collection will be that much-needed comeback for a designer of his standing.

Below are some examples of international designers who have managed to pull off superb Resort collections. It is interesting to note that certain 'classical' couturiers have managed to capture the resort wear theme with incredible accuracy and style...

Carolina Herrera's Resort 2015 collection:
simplicity and effortless style

Elie Saab's Resort 2015 collection:
some intricate details with muted colours

Alexander McQueen's Resort 2015 collection:
craftsmanship meets holiday wear

OUT & ABOUT - Punk & Ivy Launch - Braamfontein - Johannesburg

We went to Braamfontein this week to experience the new Punk & Ivy Motique. The idea of a Motique (basically an amalgamation of "mobile boutique") was conceived during a trip to South East Asia by owners Khaya and Bianca Sibiya, where various retailers trade beyond the 9am - 5pm frame-work we are so accustomed to in South Africa. Punk & Ivy want to provide an alternative to consumers and literally turn the traditional retail model on its head. Their philosophy is to continue to create for Africans and take fashion to the customer, and not the other way around.

The Motique is a fully fledged retail space, measuring 9,3m long and contains a fully fledged retail and merchandising offering, a change-room, a back office and seating. The duo’s core product range includes uniquely African inspired Sports Luxe and Street-wear, with an Androgynous twist. They have designed a Capsule Collection for Winter 2015, which boasts original prints, unique cuts of day and night looks as well as fabrics to suit the She and Him of various shape and size. 

Take a look at this video clip capturing the wonderful urban vibe we experienced at the launch.

OUT & ABOUT - Nicci Boutiques A/W15 Launch - Hyde Park - Johannesburg

We couldn't believe how time has flown!  One of our first ever posts was the previous Nicci Boutiques event and we found ourselves back in Hyde Park for the Winter 2015 launch of the latest range from this ever popular store.  It was a reunion of sorts, as some of the people we met first time around have subsequently become good friends.

We quickly zoned in on our favourite items from the new range.
Krishen loved a classic black sheer dress while no one seemed quite
sure what Alan's ongoing fascination with faux-fur coats is
all about

When it was announced there would be a prize if one tweeted
a selfie while in the store, cellphones were quickly put to good use
as demonstrated by Miss Earth Ilze Saunders and Miss Earth
organiser Catherine Constantinides

We had only just heard that Stevie French has landed her dream role
on Isidingo.  No wonder she was more bubbly than usual.

We loved seeing our favourite news anchor, Natasha Thorp

Jay Anstey was pretending to be angry with us.
Yes, we haven't forgotten that promised lunch date, Jay.

Jay's "anger" quickly dissolved when Kevin McLennan uttered that
all important phrase -  "Lets Take A Selfie"