It an incredible turn of
events, SA Menswear Week finally happened. In an industry that is boasting a
healthy annual growth rate, one expects a showcase of the sort on a regular
basis, however, we’ve only now had the first of its kind and we pray more
editions will follow. It’s easy to criticize and judge and point out the woes
with anything and any event, but the challenge is spotting the greatness in
something. With that we say, Thank You to SAMW team for putting together the
three days men’s fashion. Thank You to all the designers and brands who
participated – making a collection is not cheap or easy and we salute you for
the dedication and hard work.
Now… To the reviews. To keep
things simple and straight to the point, we’re reviewing shows that stood out.
At the bottom of this post there will be a link to view photos of all the shows
so you can see the rest. But here and now, our Editor – Monde Mtsi (MM) and
Contributing Editor – Brian Lehang (BL), give you our pick of the crop.
Jenevieve Lyons
MM: We have a strange love for
Jenevieve Lyons. The kind only a mother and step-child know. Jeneveieve has an
aesthetic that is pretty much set and recognizable from anywhere in the world.
He collection – Deliquesce – aimed to
create a silhouette as fluid as its fabric choices. With her usual muted colour
palette inverted, the blue and purple hues, which usually act as accents in her
collections, were now headliners. The collection was skinny and tall, strong
shoulders, layered and introduced small doses of her signature surprise
detailing here and there. There’s something quite Kanye West about the
collection without the ego and crazy music. The combination of soft and hard
(heavy) fabrics also adds a textural dimension, which lends itself to a
luxurious aesthetic. As a ready to wear collection, we think it’s her best thus
far, but then again, she is only getting better and better each time.
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
Rich Mnisi (Cape Town Fashion
Council: Young Designers)
MM: Ashy grays + deep
blues/navies + Snowy whites + Mustard yellows + Forest greens + black. That was
pretty much the colour palette at the OATH by Rich Mnisi presented by Cape Town
Fashion Council (CTFC) show. An interesting palette as the colours don’t
generally hang about together, but they did here, at Rich’s show. Silks +
cottons + heavy-duty water resistant fabrics – all in the name of fashion and
protection (against both weather and style elements). The graphic print was
present, in black & white and in blue. It felt like a nerd’s wardrobe, a
very rich and stylish nerd. Exuding plenty of African luxury on the ramp. Rich
Mnisi didn’t fail anyone with this collection. He reminded us all that it’s
quite possible to be young and still ahead of the pack in talent. The
collection is bound to be a knockout with most consumers and its easy-to-wear
characteristics allow it to be blended in with already owned pieces in your
wardrobe. It’s sublime and opulent, in every aspect.
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
Naked Ape by Shaldon Kopman
MM: To be honest, we’re only
highlighting this show because it was probably the only show that featured
model, Dave Kabamba looking hella HOT! Apart from that, the collection featured
a range of leather and textured shoes that we thought were awesome. There were
the bags that also made headlines in our head. Oh, then there was that jersey,
with the woven details on the front that looked super comfy and luxurious and
just everything about winter. We also noted that printed suit. Yes, it was
printed and it was a suit. We LOVE.
BL: This gentleman here has
actually read the memo: SAMW A/W15 Collections. This collection was absolutely
ready-to-wear for winter. He showed a true urban bohemian man that sparked the
runway with those dandy hats and the poncho-like scarves wrapped around the
shoulders. And those matured tones of colors and the mix of leather and cotton
just put the collection on another level on construction and deconstruction.
Don’t forget the finest detail seen on the two-tone boots matching one of the
fabrics on the garments. Every piece from the collection had fine detail that
was giving every modern man the thrills and chills. This collection gives you a
great reason to look forward to winter.
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
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| Photo credits: Larry English Photography |
Generally, day one was chilled
in terms of collections. It set the mood for the rest of the remaining two days
and kind of got everyone excited again about menswear. Look out for the Day 2
& 3 posts coming up…
Photo credits to Larry English Photography
#menswear #fashionweek
xx
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