Isn't the name Cleo Droomer just perfect for a new designer?

I'm so happy this guy won. It was so difficult to keep my mouth shut and fingers far away from a computer for a whole 24 hours. I wish I had taken pictures of the whole thing but I'll find some and post as soon as. I think that the reason he was the judges' favourite at the end of the day is because his range was coherent, intellectual, well made and generally impressive for a 21 year old who made everything on one meager Elma machine and overlocker in his garage. I think that the range, like him - was sober, careful and focused but also really beautiful. My first and second princesses though have to be Oriel Barnard and her severely sexy label, Lisp and Kotloano Molokomme and his edgy Afro inspired collection. Pics to follow soon, je promese!

Pic: Ivan Naude

Christopher is Strong

Last night, while talking to Olive and Michael of Christopher Strong at the Elle New Talent cocktail party - one of them suddenly pulled out a piece of paper with their new campaign pictures! OMG - how Jeurgen Telllerish of them. This made my night so I asked them to send me a copy for me to share. Tell everyone! The Christopher Strong show at SAFW is tomorrow night at 6pm. Look out for tweets and stuff here

Goody Bags

Last night's judges goodie bag was notably sweet! In that one bag was filled with every type of Lindt Chocolate you can imagine (go away say my thighs) and really cute notebooks. My favourite is the Fashionary - a really useful tool for any fashion journo or designer! It's shaped exactly like a Moleskine but inside is the 411 on all thing fashion from local and international designers (Stiaan Louw and Stoned Cherrie made it onto the list), fashion weeks, types of outerwear, fabric names and descriptions, body measurements. It really is incredible and I can't wait to make full use of it.

I also really like the little nuggets Mr Price added to the goodie bag, most notably this little shopper which is just going to hang on my wall cos I don't wanna make it dirty. I love their new little slogan "The Best is Yet to Come"! Thanks mademoiselles!

Elle New Talent Competition

Top. Amber Jones of Mr Price. She made that necklace. She is awesome. Michael Owen who is the new addition to Christopher Strong speaking to Amy Rawhani of Lost and Found. Kirsty Stoltz' shoes and Bongi from Busby and I sharing some sole stud love!

Yesterday, a group of us got together to drastically change someone's life. This year's Elle New Talent Competition final judging session was yesterday and it was a close but unanimous decision. All will be revealed tonight as Joburg gets set to kick off SA Fashion Week's 2011 AW Collections at Arts on Main. The judging panel included myself, convener Dion Chang, Amber Jones and Joanne Coehlo of Mr Price, Chris Viljoen and Kirsty Stoltz from Elle and previous ENT winner Tiaan Nagel. The standard of entries was high so to those who didn't win - you guys definitely have careers in this industry. Ask Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert and Zamajobe how to handle Second Princess status! The prize is R25 000 (I know how it feels to win that :-), a trip to London with the Mr Price team, an internship at Mr Price and the winning designer will design a range that's going to be stocked at Mr Price. Have you ever?

After the judging process, Elle hosted a cocktail party at the Main Street Life entrance. I thought it was nice and the macaroon's were damn delicious, though I wish they would have fed us more real food. The usual style suspects were all out so these pics are all about them. x

You can find more images of the event and some of the new talent entrants here

More Cape Town

Gosh, I hardly had any time (between the margherita's and wine o'clocks) to post any more pics while I was in Cape Town. I guess it's a bit irrelevant now that I'm back in Jozi but whatever. Here are a few pics of pretty and delicious things I saw there! Glad to be back in the grime though!

Olive Green Cat

This store is so beautiful. Such a lovely surprise. They have just moved to Church Street!

Birds Cafe

Land of Milk and Money

I arrived in Cape Town yesterday on a business/holiday and I must say, as much as the weather was as dull as grey, I'd forgotten how beautiful a city this is. There's so much green. I'm staying with my friend Doreen and her 6 animals. I'm not an animal lover at all but when I get a chance I'll take a picture of literally the coolest cat in the world! The highlights of my first day here (after almost three years) were:



Mememe. I used to love this shop when I was a fashion assistant years ago but I re-fell in love with it today because I appreciate the good shop fitting and, good dresses and locally produced clothes so much more. The shop window is deadly. It had a mint green, light blue, navy and salmon colour scheme with a long white bamboo cotton high waisted skirt styled with a navy and white stripe top as the centre-piece. Then I found myself in nautical stripe boulevard at Doreen's studio! Beautiful dresses and vests are about to invade the Cape! Hopefully I'll bring some stuff back for Pulchritude. I saw some lovely Adam and Eve clothes too!


All these pictures are of the beautiful Mememe Store on 117A Long Street!

We then ordered lunch at this adorable little cafe called Bird's Cafe on the Corner of Loop and Church Streets. I had the best pie I've ever had in my life...though it's looked more like a boob than a pie. I also had a delicious deliciou spinach and feta quiche. With quiche, it's usually about the egg and the crust but this one was really about the spinach and cheese. We downed the food with this amazing green health shake which is wheatgrass green but tastes like a liquid dream! The decor of the cafe is also amazing. There's a cheeky and adorable bird motif all around the chairs, curtains and beautiful swan lamps!

Will post images as soon as!

There are no words I say! No words.

Can you deal with these? Cos I sure cayant! This is Erdem's latest collection from London Fashion Week via vogue.co.uk It's all over the internet today because, well...look at it. These girls look like porcelain dolls and it's evocative of such femininity, childhood and complete innocence! This collection took my breath away, along with Matthew Williamson's. I can't wait for Burberry tomorrow!

I need a Vintage Costume

Gaad Dayam it's hot in Joburg these days. I've been dreaming of summer and the beach and just wish somebody could make vintage swimming cozzies already. I have a teeny weeny little bikini and realised I need to get a new one when I couldn't wear my cozzie at my 6 year old cousin's birthday party for fear that my uncle's friends might get hot under their trouser collars. Then when I saw these pics, I had to share and put my wishes out there: please somebody make vintage inspired bathing suits, I will buy them.


These pics are so Americana.

Images are from www.sweetsassafras.org and www.blackwomenwithstyle.tumblr.com and
www.flickr.com/photos/milliemotts

The Marie Claire Fashion Awards

Felipe "The Style Architect" Mazibuko-Kunene in a Christopher Strong skirt

Dieter and Stephanie happily holding their certificate

Smanga Khumalo - loved the hat and chain tie!

Marie Claire magazine sure knows how to throw a good party: good crowd, great reason and a wide open bar. I was there for the Prix d'Excellance de la Mode awards which have been absent for the past two years, with good reason it seems. Back when they used to have them, it was all about awarding creative design, something that was acknowledged last night but the awarding has grown up to reflect the idea of actually making money. I think the key word for this year's awards is LEGITIMACY! There were legitimate judges who based their judging on legitimate criteria. Firstly, all the winners were ACTUALLY ALIVE. And secondly the categories were clear and based on criteria that I think will lead the local fashion industry in a lucrative direction. The categories were based on the business of fashion and some of the giant cogs that actually make this machine work, like retailers.

Woolies won for Best Big Retailer supporting local fashion (no surprises there though I hope Mr Price can compete alongside them next year)
The Space won for best emporium supporting local fashion (no surprises - we need more like them)
Hip Hop won best medium retailer supporting local design (Admittedly, I totally forgot that they exist but I'm happy they won)
Best online retailer went to Habits - good for them. Hopefully 36 boutiques will be in the running next year.
Business savvy fashion designer went to Colleen Eitzen - so many people I know wear Colleen Eitzen
Business savvy accessories designer went to Missibaba - a fantastic brand.
And last but not least, business savvy emerging fashion designer went to the wonderful Silver Spoon. I'm so frikkin proud of these guys and they totally deserve it - the business is two years old and if Stephanie and Dieter just keep doing what they are doing, they will go very very far! It's bitter sweet though, cos I would have been equally pleased if Two had won. There's always next year!

By recognizing that high fashion doesn't always translate to food on the table, Marie Claire and these awards have acknowledged designers that are not usually acknowledged in these big hoo haa events and I think it's great because (as a budding 'retailer' myself :-) ) I know that people prefer clothes that are wearable and affordable. And hello, I think the prize is cool too: Proudly SA will give free membership to the winners, which will allow them access to the promotional activities done by Proudly SA to promote local goods.

The judging panel included:

Dion Chang of Flux Trends
Lucilla Booyzen - founder and director of South African Fashion Week
Angie Hatting - Editor of iFashion.co.za
Amanda du Plessis - retail expert
Deon Redman - who was the creative director of African Fashion International until very recently
Sharon Becker - Fashion Director of Marie Claire
Felipe Mazibuko-Kunene - Fashion PR and insanely stylish and creative
Jacqueline Myburgh Chemaly - new editor of Visi
Adam Levin, fashion consultant, writer and owner of ImagineNation
Stefanie Vieira - Cape Town Fashion Council Director


1. Just after getting ready at SAFW offices: Stephanie Beyers in vintage and Silver Spoon, Anna Mari Pretorius in Silverspoon, Me in Maria McCloy vintage and Alinah Missouri in Clive Rundle nogel. 2. The lovely Dion Chang and Jenny Andrew.

Above all though, it was a great party that saw the bulk the industry's collective backbone in one stunning room at the Circa Gallery. At the dire and cheap risk of namedropping...Dion Chang, Lucilla Booyzen, Jackie Myburgh, Chris Marquand, Estelle Cooper, Noni Gasa, Alinah Missouri, Stephanie, Dieter and Anna Mari, Masana Chikeka, VieArem, Maria McCloy, Felipe Mazibuko, Smanga Khumalo, Angie Hatting, Loren Philips, Aspasia Karras, Merise Isaacs, Jenny Andrew, Paledi, Zodwa Kumalo, Zanele Kumalo, Vincent Zondo, Chantel ex Kluk, Suzaan Heyns and her business partner Moira, Danica Lepen, Leila Petersen who is off to London Fashion Week today, Sharon Becker and Junior - it was lovely seeing you all. It's a pity I didn't take more pictures, I was too busy having fun!

Thanks Marie Claire xxx