Renaissance Men SA: #FASHIONWEEK: My Highlights From Day 1 of #SAMW AW16 - Martin Kadinda + Taf The Taylor + Maxivive

Day 1 of SA Menswear Week (SAMW) for me turned out to be cool, enough. Started off rather punk-ish and went into a spiritual journey followed on by adolescence and closed off on some modern African vibes with a tribute to great local artists. Terrible lighting, awkward spacing and shows running an hour and more late were only saved by the fact that practically all the designers of the night delivered. Here is a favourite from Wednesday, 3 February 2016:

Martin Kadinda

The Martin Kadinda collection was a direct translation of its theme – Winter Sun. The collection was warm and grounded with chocolates and browns, earthy colours that seemed to translate better than anticipated against the yellow. For me, the bright lightness of the collection was a breath of fresh air. AW should not always be about dark moody colours. Martin once again showcased his appreciation for a tailored silhouette, presenting cuts close to the body yet technically allowing the body freedom to move comfortably. The coats were rather masculine but had a bit of flair with collar, lapel and even some shaping design moments that hinted a slight bit of drama. Overall, I felt the collection was thought through properly especially since there were no repeat styles in different patterns (my worst fashion enemy).

Kidd Hunta by Taf The Taylor

Kidd Hunta by Taf The Taylor presented a muted collection that took to the runway to showcase a brave new direction for the Taf The Taylor brand. The collection, mostly sporty infused with urban jungle nuances of tailoring, focused on an active guy who was not going to be stopped by the weather in doing what he needed to do. The collection is predominantly cut close to the body with stylised design moments on outerwear. The collection is definitely a brave move from the designer and one that will likely sell well in retail spaces.

Maxivive

Starting off with a pop of colour and working the collection back to black, Maxivive presented a combination of waterproof outerwear and sports luxe apparel. It was a refreshing take on pulling two styles and meshing into one. The silhouettes were tall and skinny, pretty much like one would expect an athlete to be. The more dressed jacket jackets presented interesting detailing moments, such as the pleated back on the green blazer. Pieces allowed moments to where some to work and still be ready for drinks later without the need of a wardrobe change.