Kepi

Sunday, February 28, 2010























Today a you tube video of Kepi playing a Miles Davis song with a hand made instrument made me smile. Please vote for my dear friend to be cast in a Benetton Campaign...he's already been in Colours Magazine. He's lovely! Vote and Check out the video here:

http://casting.benetton.com/users/485474-kepi

Thixo wamading'amahle*

Friday, February 26, 2010
























OMG You guys I think cutting and pasting and plagiarising someone else's work is totally gross but I was on www.rage.co.za because Maria McCloy (Vintage Queen) sent me a text about a sale happening in Craighall right now and that I should read up about it on her site. I didn't even finish reading and certainly had no time to regurgitate this info because I had cardiac arrest when I read the following:

What kinds of things will we find there
Vintage, Reconstructed Vintage, Labels ( ie. from Zara to Cacharel to Chloe to Prada..etc. ) clothing, shoes, bags and other accessories, cool pieces used on commercials/music videos that are very reasonably priced.

Where is it happening?
Ailsa Craig B & B - 6 Grafton Ave. Craighall Park (opp Giles ), Johannesburg
Fri 26th Feb - 2pm - 7pm
Sat 27th Feb - 10am - 5pm
She is behind it: Nola Williams - Fashion/Wardrobe Stylist in Film/TV for 16 yrs.
So the last bit is cut and pasted from the rage site but I highlighted the Chloe, Cacharel and Prada. Do you have any idea how good this is for relationship peace?

*God of all things good!

Lily Allen is leaving music for Fashion!


















I don't think she'll ever stop singing but word on the high street is that her last performance is on 7 March 2010 because she's opening a vintage store in London Town. The shop will be called Lucy in Disguise and will allow regular folk to rent out expensivo vintage garb! Nice one Lils. Lol as if she's my BFF.
The rest of the article is here
http://www.style.com/stylefile/#lily-allen-on-why-shes-ditching-music-for-fashion

What a week

So since I told South Africa about my blog on Metro FM yesterday, I think I'm going to have to be much more disciplined about when and how often I post things. On the rainbowy side of things, I'm going to have a lot of time to focus on it from Monday because I don't have a 9-5 anymore. I've decided to focus more on my writing, get a scooter, love my loved ones more, stop and think more and learn how to be much more internet savvy than I've been in the past.






















Yesterday I went to the BlackBerry powered 2010 Flux Trend Review (even though I have an iPhone) and it was life changing. I felt like my brain had been scooped out and neatly placed back in its socket, with a fresh outlook and a lot more hope for this country. I love travelling but everytime I hit O.R Tambo after a long trip, I'm always overwhelmingly happy to be home. I love what Dion's doing and I remember when Flux was still an idea.

Please google or read up about the following people. I only heard some of them speak for the first time yesterday and I understand why they make kool aid look like epsom salts.

Mokena Makeka
Sylvester Chauke
Toby Shapshak
Bishop Geoff Davies
Ferial Haffajee
Randal Abrahams
Lebo Mashile
and just in case you thought he was a designer...Dion Chang! He is not a designer.

Here's the Flux site: www.fluxtrends.co.za

Return of the 90s

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Denim shirts, High Waisted faded jeans and Doc Martensesque shoes. Need I say more? I'm meant to be working but I keep coming across stuff...and I don't wanna be a selfish douche! I must share. This is just a snack though, I'll post a lot of real stuff later.























Alexa Chung and Pixie Geldof at Elle Style Awards yesterday. I totally stole this pic from www.inthefashionloop.com
Follow them so that I cancel my thieving ways out.

Lady Gaga

I don't really care for Lady Gaga's music but there's something so special about her sense of style, that I can't not take note...then feel unadulterated glee.























































































I came across these images while doing research for an article I'm doing. It's about the relationship between fashion and architecture and am swimming in a pool of my own excitement as a result of what I'm finding out.

The 10 best... Fashion Bloggers in the world

She's 13.


This article is what I'm going to chew on this week. Go to this link if like me, this is the stuff that makes your ducts make that salty juice of joy when it comes to incredible fashion perspectives.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/feb/21/10-best-fashion-bloggers

Somebody Please Teleport me to London Fashion Week
























































From top to bottom: Julien Macdonald, Jasper Conran, Betty Jackson, Richard Nicoll and Vivienne Westwood Red Label

Little Addis

OMG I finally found an Ethiopian Restaurant in down town Jozi! Check this video out. I'm salivating!!! That shit is sooo good!

http://www.mainstreetlife.tv/

Everybody Follow

Monday, February 22, 2010

http://www.marieclaire.co.za/

I die for Marc Jacobs

Images from AW 2010 Collections - New York Fashion Week





http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/show.aspx/video/id,8971?keepThis=true

Please open this link and watch this video and tell me you don't want to cry or die.

Open Sesame

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Look who I ran into outside Bryant Park on Valentine's Day



I’d love to say I came, I saw and I conquered but now that I’m back, the only thing I can say is I went and I saw. New York is everything the songs, movies and people say it is and there’s nothing that can prepare you for it if you've never been there.

I tend to think of myself as a pretty worldly person – I’ve seen a bit of the world, experienced different cultures and people and have a pretty open mind when it comes to things like religion, sexuality and culture. I was almost reduced to being iqaba*.

Joburg is not a bad place to live, in fact it’s dope….but it’s not as dope as this...





Times Square surrounds

I was there for work so I didn’t get to see all the things I’d set out to see, you know – the touriststy stuff like Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building etc. Heck, I didn’t even make it out of Manhattan and Brooklyn! I was over ambitious to think that I would get to go to Harlem, The Bronx, Queens and other places of interest in the 12 days I was there for. I mean really!

My days involved waking up early, walking to the subway in –3º weather and getting to work or whatever show I was spot marking, luckily they were all in Manhattan (take all the pretty places in Jhb and Cape Town – put them all together and that’s about how big and beautiful it is), and walking or taking the subway to every place I needed to go.

I wish we had a walking culture in SA – my body’s never been more toned and I’ve lost a few centimetres, just because of the walking. People walk in all sorts of shoes, but winkle pickers or lace up boots ala Doc Martens circa 1994 are all the craze right now.


I couldn’t get enough of these and they were everywhere, worn to perfection. I had to get me some! (Above)

New Yorkers dress for walking – their style is practical but stylised, innovative and ahead of its time, or should I say our time. It’s winter there now and there’s a spillage of boots, black in every shade and fabric, fur jackets, surprise jewellery where it doesn’t “belong” i.e. someone wearing lavish teardrop diamond earrings with a buzzcut and a random knit jersey, the iphone and ipod as quintessential accessories (I had to buy the phone too).


This was the lobby at The Tents at Bryant Park before one of the shows!


Please look at designer Phillip Lim's shoes...yes that's him!


And this is his PR person, Veronica Wu. I don't need to remind you to take a good gander at her shoes!

I can’t get over the shoes and how varied but similar they all were but there were also plenty of glasses/sunglasses and coats coats coats galore - it was all structured flamboyance. It’s what I call Utilitarian Chic – that’s how I would describe the style of new Yorkers – that’s what stood out the most for me. Needless to say, I’m going to emulate as much of what I saw as I can come the winter time.

Okay, here's one more reflection of how obsessed I was with the shoes. Enjoy.


I’m not one to go up to people and take pictures of them because they look cool! I have a lot of blogger’s credentials to develop before I can be like Scott Shulman aka The Satorialist. One day.

Next time I reveal more about the actual shows! Start doing your homework if you're serious about an education in the future of fashion: google Rag and Bone, Charlotte Ronson, Jason Wu, Phillip Lim, Yigal Azrouel, Doo.Ri and Cushnie et Ochs.

*Iqaba = a Xhosa word meaning an uncivilised or uneducated person derived from 19th century encounters of white civilised settlers and black “uncivilised” natives. Later on some natives would become civilised and call the uncivilised ones, amaqaba! Yes it’s derogatory but the true meaning of the word is factual more than anything.

Untitled

Saturday, February 13, 2010

OMG I was clearly drunk from exhaustion this morning when I posted the blog with NO CREDITS for the pictures and a grammatical error! I'm still too tired to upload the hundreds of pictures I took and will do so when I have a moment. Went to the Charlotte Ronson show, Rag and Bone, 3.1 Phillip Lim men's and I spot marked for Jason Wu. These young designers are it. We love the classic ones but this is the next generation of cool. Check out the shows on www.videofashion.com in the next couple of days. I'm still tired and very star struck. Goodnight. x

Day 1 of Fashion Week

Friday, February 12, 2010

The day started off well for me personally, I got to my venue on time and got a good spot for our camera crew to photograph the models at the Richard Chai show. This show happened just after the BCBG Maxazria show was taking place next door, and literally moments are we all heard the news of Alexander McQueen's death. Some people say Anna Wintour was in the BCBG show but I can't confirm that because I didn't see or hear about it from somebody who had seen her run out of the show after receiving the news.

Video Fashion has put together a tribute to Alexander McQueen and there are links to articles and statements written by some of the fashion industry's most respected critics, writers and editors. This list includes Anna Wintour, Suzy Menkes (whom was sitting 5m from me at a show last night)Cathy Horyn and Bridget Foley. Check it out here http://videofashion.tumblr.com/

The day was long but very exciting - I enjoyed every moment of working. Here's my first day in pictures...











New Pictures

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Check out the new pics from Wednesday - my first snow experience. I had a really good day today. On the train to work this morning, I met some guy who is good friends with Vera Wang, then realised that the day after I leave for London, my crew is shooting at a store launch where Kim Kardashian is the special guest. Mmmm I wonder if I can change my flight. I am unashamed about the fact that I do wanna see a celebrity, before you judge me. Tomorrow I get much more serious about the fashion related stuff. It's my first day spot marking and the first show is Richard Chai Love then my crew is shooting L.A.M.B's presentation (I'm not needed though cos it's not a runway show) and then my last show is Chado Ralph Rucci - a big deal American designer, the first to receive an invitation to the Paris haute couture shows since Mainbocher. I will post all the pics I can take. xoxo

More snow!!!!

I made a snow angel while I was walking home. You're not supposed to eat the snow but I did and it was (n)ice.



I walk past this restaurant on my way home! I love the neon sign in the dark.



This is me in the subway. Sometimes travelling alone sucks cos how do you guys really know that I was not just sitting in my room taking pics of myself?



I walked past a snowman and put my glasses on him. The guy who made him was very happy with that!



Look what I ran into...



Okay, I stuck it on a restaurant wall in Williamsburg the day before...nice to see it was still there. I hope it made somebody smile.

Snow and the City

Today was the first time I've ever been in snow and I couldn't have asked for a more chillingly brilliant experience. I won't say much, I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Biker Chic! I couldn't stop taking pics of parked bikes! So beautiful.







China Town

Wednesday, February 10, 2010



Today I had the absolute pleasure of vising China Town in NY, one of the most exciting and not even awe inspiring, but awe-inducing places I've ever been to in my life. Whatever you've read or watched on TV doesn't do this place justice. I went to a restaurant on the corner of Mott and Broadway East called the Golden Unicorn, where there are 5 floors of restaurant, yes the same restaurant. Marlene, the incredibly kind founder of Video Fashion decided to treat me to a delectable Dim Sum experience - she unfortunately couldn't come but sent somebody to take me there!

Somebody in the west or even in SA should wake up to the concept of eating the Chinese in this place use - because it works deliciously for them. So we went up to the third floor, the Dim Sum floor where, yes the entire floor serves all sorts of dumplings and dumplingesque desserts - and sat down at our gaudily decorated table.

We had literally been sitting down for 47 seconds when a cart with all kinds of dim sum rolled right in front of us for us to pick whatever right there and then. This dim sum deal they have going on her totally kicks traditional fast food's ass. We had dim sum with shrimp, spinach and shrimp, pork, plain veggies and a lot of other indescribable (as in I really didn't know what they were) fillings and shapes and each and every one of them was tasty, healthy and filling.

The dim sum cart laday kept rolling on over every 15 minutes or so with a whole new, more exciting variety than the last and the overall element of choice that New York offers was demonstrated perfectly. There were desserts made from pork, beans and every other unlikely thing you can imagine being used in pudding...and I had to try at least one! I had a thick and sticky lime green ball of something with sweet black bean sauce in the centre and although it sounds like I ate a ball of wet grass...it was truly delicious, I couldn't resist another!



By the time we were ready to leave, we'd had two pots of tea, too many sweet things, plenty of dim sum and a truly amazing experience.

Please note, that was before we actually trawled the streets which resulted in me spending all my money on this stuff, that stuff and every stuff for my friends and family - all under $30 mind you. There were deals from here to China. And there's so much more I could write about...but I don't wanna bore you!

Tomorrow I prepare for my first day of New York Fashion Week. I managed to get another camera from a housemate here so you'll have pictures (that I took) from tomorrow.

This apple is delicious.

P.S

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Everybody looks great! The Lumberjack (or should I say Lumberjane?) look is everywhere!

Manhattan

It's 9pm and I'm still at work, though honestly I should have left at 6pm! I managed to work the NY subway system to get myself to work - in the most beautiful and inspiring street I've ever seen. I've been at Video Fashion all day doing interny things like organising disks and doing whatever I can do to help anybody really. The team here is extremely friendly and helpful and I'm honoured to be working with them! Everybody gets here at 10am for work and leaves after 6pm. That was meant to be me, but I decided to wait for a friend of a friend, who is going to lend me her phone while I'm here.

During my wait, I decided to go get some dinner on the street and thus began my downfall as a frugal control freak when it comes to buying clothes. My head is still spinning from the amount of AMAZING clothes and shoes there are in so many shops, at soooo many good prices. I'll post photos of the stuff I bought when I fix my camera!

I bought a pair of cream and gold Diesel sneakers for a friend for...wait for it...$20! A long navy blazer with blue and white turnup sleeves for $17, a pair of black rubbery brogues for $69 and theeeee cutest guava coloured granny knit jersey from H&M....for $10. I believe that store invented "hinges" and then decided to get OFF them...It's off the hinges...It's insanely out of control how there are so many clothes there at unbelievable prices! By the time I got back to the office, I think they were about to send a search party out for me because I had said I'm going for a bite to eat an hour and half ealier.

I'm so sad my camera's broken cos I can't take any pics but I promise to fix it and post some pics!

Tomorrow I'm going to China Town and a young designers store...I forget the name. Then Thursday, Fashion Week is in full swing!

I love the blog the Mr Price girls keep. It's such a delicious breakfast in the mornings. xoxo

Thursday, February 4, 2010




http://www.inthefashionloop.com/

On Your Marks...


The day has finally arrived. Tomorrow I leave for New York where I'll be going to New York Fashion Week, unofficially working as a spot marker (a great bottom of the ladder debut) for www.videofashion.com during the fall 2010 collections at NYFW. I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity to see how things work in the bright lights of the concrete jungle where dreams are made!



So what's a spot marker? It's literally that - somebody who marks the best spot for the photographer to sit during a fashion show. I'll be working with Video Fashion's photographers and production team and literally be a grade one pupil on their first day everyday. I know nothing and want to know everything. And yes, I'll most likely be in the same room as Anna Wintour and whoever follows her in the hierarchical ladder that is the fashion industry.