The Secret's Out!

A few weeks ago, I got a very friendly call from a very cheerful Durban person, inviting me to be a guest judge of something the 031 Collection presented by Mr Price.  I agreed and said she should rather email me because I was busy and needed to get back to preparing for the shop opening. I got the email and it turns out that Mr Price is sponsoring so to say, a new design competition called the 031 Collection.  It's similar to the Elle New Talent Awards, which Mr Price is also involved in but it only involves Durban designers.  So this was an already cool idea when I agreed because discovering new local talent is but my MO.  I knew that I was going to be judging with SA Fashion Week's Lucilla Booyzen, designer Leigh Schubert, whose work I have followed from the day I set foot in this industry but I had completely forgotten that they said that there's an international guest judge.  I literally exploded when my assistant, Zoleka, read that Agyness Deyn is that guest judge. She actually left the room and I'm convinced she's crying in the corner because she's so excited!

    

I don't think I need to tell any fashionista who this beauty is, but there's an office girl sitting somewhere in a boring job who could use a heads up! Agyness, whose real name is Laura Collins (not as cool as the uncooly cool Agyness) or Aggy as she's affectionately known, was apparently discovered while working in a fish and chip shop in the UK and since then, has been top of the pops of international modeling.  At some point she was said to be the next Kate Moss, something she cooly downplayed as she rose and rose to superstardom. She's walked for everybody from Marc Jacobs to Vuitton and has been the face of Armani fragrances and featured on Burberry, Mulberry, Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood campaigns; and been on loads of magazine covers. I hear she sings in a band and has even had an acting stint, playing Aphrodite in Clash of the Titans.  Now, Mr Price is bringing her to share her expertise and to infect us with a little of her cool fever! 

The competition will feature collections from Durban's finest including Amanda Laird Cherry, Terrence Brey, Leigh Schubert and young un Sibu Msimang! Can't wait for the 21st of May!