FINDING MYSELF IN THE FRONT ROW AT MBCTFW

The diversity of outfits and different styles worn by the audience at Fashion week events across the globe, is a subject to be discussed independently from the runway. Fashion is what we are being dictated to, and style, the way that we interpret it to make it our own. One could walk into the atelier of a designer and have garments custom made, and then combine it in a manner to create your own look, or you can buy pret-a-porter and just wear it as is,  or you can give it your personal signature by styling it in a manner that turns heads, or simply to make you feel comfortable. The Black & White trend was something that has been sported by many women, and I only mention women since the event is mostly attended by females. I've also seen a good share of flamboyancy, which I seem to think is quite at home for the event.

Some attendants wore spectacular outfits, and some seem to think  of it as a freak show, clearly the latter was not given any space on my precious memory stick which I chose to save for the chic and fabulous. Naturally, I am featuring my own outfit since it falls into the category of Black and White, and besides, it is a blog about how I interpret style! The David Tlale show took place outdoors, with Table Mountain as a backdrop, he could not have opted for a better venue!

Courtesy of Mercedes Benz, Juliana and I were entertained very lavishly in the lounge, and shuttled to the front row for David Tlale's show that took place on the Eastern Boulevard on the highway, and below, yours truly is engaging in conversation with the king of fashion, David Tlale who stunned New York in February 2013 with his elaborate designs and flamboyancy.

This stylish women was sporting the Black & White trend with serious finesse....

The uber chic and stylish Juliana Roux, sporting Kluk, as in Kluk CGDT, a well established designer team from South Africa, and highly sought after designers. Juliana wears a beautiful brocade dress with a full box pleated skirt, and lace overlay with a slight peplum.

The flamboyant foursome, also featured above, an Italian group of friends, the two guys being Carlo & Carlo hair stylists from Seapoint, Cape Town, known for their ability to create hairstyles that leave you breathless, and guaranteed to turn heads!

Photograph courtesy of www.sdrphotography.com

And the birth of my outfit, but with temperatures having risen to about 24 celcius in Cape Town on Saturday, the outfit was not complete, and the silver fox fur had to be disposed     of....

Shoes from J Renee, at Spitz

Pants - Country Road

Zebra Print Blazer - Belle Epoque

Handbag - Chanel

Neck Piece - Sass Diva

STREET STYLE CAPE TOWN FASHION WEEK S/S 2014

Street style as seen by myself, is obviously influenced by my own taste, as I tend to only want to take the photographs of outfits that I would want to wear myself. Like art, I suppose, it is in the eye of the beholder. I was watching the style spotter of an on line store taking photographs and was horrified by the fact that so many of the girls snapped by them,  wore outfits that would rather have been appropriate for the beach as opposed to a winter fashion event! However, here are a few of my favourites spotted at the Cape Town Fashion Week...

WHAT I WORE MBCTFW 2013 DAY 1

It's hard to imagine that something so frivolous can take up so much time. When considering what to wear to an event like Fashion Week, the first thing that comes to mind is off course being fashionable, after all, it is Fashion Week!  Following this dictum blindly would however undermine my own principle to a large extent as I do not religiously follow suit.  I prefer to glean from fashion and only adopt trends that really suit my figure, rather enhancing features as opposed to concealing it. After having just about unpacked my entire wardrobe, I decided to take a cue from previous events by leaning towards something more flamboyant.  That lead me to the bright colour, matching gloves, a cap to perhaps preserve some composure in the South Eastern wind for which Cape Town is notorious, and  a pretty loud pair of lace stockings with high heels to elongate the legs. Since I needed  both hands free to photograph the shows, I decided to be practical and wear a cross body bag big enough for a purse and yes, the lipstick which I cannot survive without. All in the  name of vanity and looking trendy.....

 

 

Coat - Asos

Cross Body bag - Mulberry

Shoes - Topshop

Gloves - Firenze

Scarf - Moda Italia

Lace Tights - Bijenkorf

 

 

MERCEDES BENZ CAPE TOWN FASHION WEEK S/S 2013

The Rosenwerth collection needs no introduction locally as it's been established since 1962 by the Doyenne of SA Fashion, Elzbieta Rosenwerth, who arrived here a few years after post war Poland. The label is currently under the helm of Gabi Rosenwerth, who is sure to continue it's success and perfection. The brand is synonymous with luxury and finesse, exuding chic and timeless style. They capture the essence of femininity with soft flowing lines yet it represents perfectly structured design.  They produce both a pret-a-porter range and bespoke couture. The range presented us with pastels, hand printed linens, cotton organza, printed silk, and edgy denim. The quality of craftsmenship is so good, one can almost wear it inside out. The label continues to lead the way with a distinctive cut and style, sure to hold it's own!

 

 

 

MB FASHION WEEK CAPE TOWN DAY 2

The Habits label took Cape Town by storm when they hit the catwalk last night, and most certainly lived up to the audience's expectations. They took to the runway with an all Black collection of evening gowns and suits, leaving us breathless. Habits is no stranger to the well heeled in Cape Town, and synonymous with elegance and sophistication. Jenny le Roux, the creative mind behind the label, exudes finesse and is always dressed with the flair associated with French women, giving affirmation to the fact that an all White crisp cotton shirt is a must have item in any women's wardrobe. The Black collection was followed by an all White in the purest cotton and linen, reminiscent of a tennis match in a bygone era. The Whites were worn with Plimsolls, ready to prance about in comfort and ease. What distinguishes this label from the rest, is it's relative ease to wear. The final entrance saw a blast of colour with dresses so desirable, few could resist the urge to hook up onto the website ordering it straight away. The final entrance saw a monochromatic outfit with a full flare skirt in awesome horizontal stripes in Black and White, worn with big and bold beads around the neck. Most garments can now be ordered on line at www.style36.co.za so go on girls, be my guest......

 

 

 

 

 

MONOCHROMANIA

If I could choose a "go to" outfit suitable for just about any occasion, it would most probably be something monochromatic and in Black & White. Be it my pre-occupation or occupational hazard to gravitate towards this combination, I don't quite know. I do however know that most women can pull it off with relative ease. If you are in doubt about what to wear, buy separates and mix and match them up until you get the desired results. It's amazing how easy it is do " dress" up without having to go to town on a budget or designer labels. You can always spruce it up with a classic bag or timeless accessories.  Most of these items worn today are from chain stores like H & M, Superstar and Next clothing, making it relatively easy to assemble something tasteful in a jiffy!

 

 

 Boucle Jacket - Superstar

Turtle Neck  - Queenspark

Pants - H & M

Shoes -  Next

Bag - Celine Boston Tote

 

MERCEDES BENZ FASHION WEEK CAPE TOWN-THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

The last 25 years has seen a steady decline in job opportunities in the fashion and clothing retail industry in Cape Town, leading to the demise of many factories. The inability to compete with the low cost products imported en masse from the East, certainly contributed towards the closure leading to a huge loss of employment. With the dedicated work of AFI, or African Fashion International, the picture has been changed to something far more promising. It promotes the concept of local design and fashion, re-kindling interest in locally made clothes. Cape Town has firmly nestled itself into becoming a world class fashion capital producing the likes of many bright young things. With that said, we are holding our breath for the opening show of the Davids sisters who will be strutting their stuff on the opening night. With almost 30 shows, they must be making a serious impression on the industry, placing African fashion firmly onto the map of global style and design. So start counting the hours for the final countdown.......Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Cape Town launches on Wednesday, guaranteed to spark a new found interest in your fashionable flare! I heard a rumour from the booking site that tickets may just be sold out by now..... So, start queueing for the reserve line if you still wish to get a glimpse of local talent!

 

Now the only concern is to start planning the outfits... as can be seen from my digital plan below, I hope to spruce up  my rainbow with a Bright Blue Silk from Cambodia and geometric printed pants, or perhaps I will be sporting the concept of monochrome......