DOREEN SOUTHWOOD COLLECTION

Last week I gave you a sneak peek of Doreen's latest collection. Here are five of my favourite looks from the ten piece collection shown at this year's Design Indaba last weekend!  I love how she is able to create new pieces that are so obviously by her, so true to her aesthetic. What do you think of the range? 

Doreen Southwood Latest Collection

Apologies for the quality of these pictures, they were MMSed from Cape Town. But I just had to. My dear friend, my sister Doreen Southwood is busy putting the finishing touches to what looks like an amazingly true to her style new range.  She's showing at Design Indaba this Saturday at 11.30 - if you're attending the Indaba, heck even if you weren't thinking of it, I highly recommend going to see this show. This stuff is really beautiful. I can't wait to see the finished collection.  Of course, it will be at Mememe when my poor friend has had a little bit of a rest after all the effort of putting this together.  Sh'es a panel freak and I really like the look of these pieces so far. 

A LITTLE MORE FROM SAFW

Here is the slow feeding folks. I'm a little thin on time this week, wish I could post a more edited version of this stuff but alas! Hope you like Chris' work.  Oh yesterday we had a meeting with our blog designers and because they are two very cool and very talented human beings, we have kind of decided that actually, there is no harm in fusing our talents to create something a little bigger than what we expected.  We are currently thinking of names for the blog and will revert again in a week to decide what to do next.  The other two people's names start with the letters J+K! For some of you, this is an easy guess. Have a wonderful day. 

I'm stuck working at home (what a painful existence) while 4 men in overalls fix our toilet which has been broken for about 6 months.  4 plumbers have tried to fix it before and failed so now it is being replaced and they have just flooded the entire passage with murky waters.  I just gave them a stack of newspapers and said ''see you later''.  Nana and I are hosting our friend's Bachelorette Party this Saturday, after the Feiyue Launch at Mememe. Hope to see all of you there. 

Fashion at Work: In Black and White.

This is what Chris Saunders and I got up to during the recent SA Fashion Week. He took all these photographs and others which I shall feed to you in small daily doses, but this is a taste of what's to come with our collaboration as a photo and word blogger.  We are meeting our blog designers tonight and will soon start the process of putting it together after the meeting.  But we couldn't wait to show you these stolen moments of our beloved fashionistas at work. 

I really love South African Fashion

Attending the Spring Summer 2012 collections at SA Fashion Week this past weekend confirmed two things I knew but have recently kind of forgotten because I'm so involved: 1.  I really love fashion and 2. I really love this country.  Mayan.  I'm pretty beat from working and walking in heels and sparkling along with the copious bubbly and Jameson between Thursday and Sunday evening.  It was good, the fashion was great and it was a great time for me to realise what it is I really want to do around these kinds of events.  

Chris Saunders and I are editing and compiling the images we managed to capture tomorrow afternoon.  Today we were playing catchup with our other lives.  When that's done, I will do a roundup of the fashion week and all the special moments we captured as well as later in the week, do a bit of a more in depth feature on some of my favourite shows, from new and older designers.  I saw the best fashion show I've ever seen in my life.  Guess from who?

I don't want to get into it now so for now, I'll just share some cool pics that Sharon Becker, Fashion Director at Marie Claire took of me and Chris from the weekend.   The first is from Friday and the other two are from Saturday night.

Suzaan Heyns dressed Chris and I this weekend.  I must say, I've never worn a dress so quintessentially suited to my personality. Shame poor Chris in these pictures, his face is blown out by the flash.....or by my dark energy that night, I was channeling The Craft. 

Black Coffee Autumn Winter 2012

It feels almost insincere to go on and on ad nauseum about how ''talented'',  ''edgy''  and ''innovative'' a fashion designer is.  But with Jacques van der Watt of Black Coffee, I'm willing to carry a foldable vom bag that will fit into my purse as precisely as his cuts fit the female form - because his work simply demands that you get up off your cynicism and take it for what it is, very good.

I sat next to Jacques at his quiet presentation at his shop in Melville.  It wasn't what one would call a fashion show, more than a showmanship of his skill.  He was very relaxed for someone who is presenting the essence of his collection to the country's media for the first time--a quality implicit of his experience as a type of creative--somebody seasoned in starting something from nothing and doing it better each time.

I sat squashed between he, wearing an unfamiliar pair of transparent frame spectacles that go with his silver messy mane, and a the glass doors to the Black Coffee store in Melville, where a CNN camera was recording my every move.  Do I sit and watch the the show? Do I tweet? Do I take pictures and notes?  I didn't want to appear as if I'm not concentrating on the vision before me and taking in the sounds of the sea from the audio,  but it was hard to sit and do nothing, what with the camera to my right and Jacques to my left. What kind of journalist am I, I wondered? 

I eventually decided to sit and take it in, writing down sporadic thoughts and feelings when the opportunity presented itself.  The show featured 4 models who to a distant observer could look like they are performing interpretive dance.  The clothing presented was from the summer collection which is only available later this year, a collection he called Oyster, featuring pleat upon pleat, squares, straight lines, rectangles and triangles all purposing a sound repetition to the tune of a Bauhaus architecture aesthetic.  Very defined lines and definite secure shapes, quilting in jackets, dresses, tops and skirts all with a double layer of sheer - sexy but very conservative.

I could have asked him the typical ''what inspired this collection'' kind of questions or what it's all about really, but that's like asking an artist to dispel his process, it would have kind of cheapened it.  So I sat and enjoyed the tip of an ice berg that was not presented at the show.  The following images are the rest of the range which is only available for viewing in a look book or in person at the stores.   The collection was shot by Chris Saunders, who I'm working with on a new blog and we have exclusive rights to publish these amazing images first.  The summer collection look book is on his blog.   Do yourself a favour and go there. I want to say more but I also want you to get to the images part of this blog post sooner rather than later. 

Black Coffee Autumn/Winter 2012

MARION AND LINDIE WINTER 2012 CAMPAIGN

This is one of the campaign shots from Marion and Lindie's new Autumn/Winter 2012 Campaign photographed by Ross Garrett. I have no doubt that the collection is no less than what we've come to expect from Marion and Lindie: always better.  

MY NOMINATION FOR MOST BEAUTIFUL OBJECT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Late last year, I got a call from the people at Design Indaba (International design expo held in Cape Town each year) which is happening from 2 - 4 March 2012.  They wanted me to nominate something for the annual Most Beautiful Object in South Africa award that is awarded to one of 10 objects nominated by prolific people in various fields to do with design.  I was pretty stoked that they thought of me and I was like, this is gonna be one smooth walk in the park. No it wasn't. We went back and forth trying to find the perfect object, not only in fashion. But in the end, I had to choose between these two pieces, which reduced me to a tremble when I saw them at Suzaan Heyns show last year.

I adore both the fishscale dress and the jackets and hats but in the end the dress is what you can vote for if you happen to attend the Design Indaba this year.  Well, that's obvioulsy if you like the dress as much as I do. Which I hope you dzizy. That's ''do'' for those who don't speak hip hop. These amazing pictures were taken by my clever friend, Chris Saunders. 

One Reason to go to Cape Town this holiday: Ida Elsje

She is such a nice lady and she makes the most beautiful things. Hers was my favourite jewellery at the Tinsel stand at Food Wine Design. I got these pics from Pop Ya Collar, taken earlier this year at Cape Town Fashion Week when she did a collaboration with David West. The last time I checked, she co-owed the beautiful Olive Green Cat store with jewellery Phillipa Green and Situ Diamond Jewellers.

FRIENDS IN SOME SERIOUSLY STYLISH PLACES

Tonight I'm going to a party! Ching Ching! It's a pre-party to the Sansui Summer Cup, a horse racing event that's going to be held on Saturday.  People don't horse around when it comes to looking good for the Met and Durban July so I'm sure there are going to be some serious fashion showdowns tonight. Bring it on bitchez, I am being dressed by Marion and Lindie. Danica Lepen is doing some really beautiful work as head designer there! She just came to drop off my outfit. How many reasons does one need to toast to oneself in the middle of the afternoon?

You can't see this mesh oversize shirt properly but I had a fitting yesterday and it is HEAVENLY! It's coming out in March Next year at Marion and Lindie and it's right, left and center up my alley! 

For my undergarments, I am wearing the following, which by the way came in this bag. 

At the crucial point of seeing this, I was like, I don't think it's necessary to open it. I could just wear the bag under the shirt. 

But now what does one do when they find their most coveted item for summer in the bag? This bra top by Black Coffee is insane. It's from Danica's personal wardrobe so it's a much appreciated borrowed item. 

Hayi man, there is not one, but TWOOOOO bra tops. And this one is a one shoulder... 

By Alexander who? Does that say Alexander Wang? Are you joking? 

So which shall I wear with my Jane Sews leather skirt from Mememe? I was thinking of going to buy some studded heels this afternoon but the rain got in the way, so I shall have to walk in my Luella cloggs tonight. They will still look good.

Oh, by the way, the dress code for tonight is pink.  Unfortunately it's not my colour, I'm more of a black girl, especially because it's Black November in South Africa after that Protection of Information Bill was passed yesterday.  My pink item will be my YSL bright pink lipstick and some pink nails complements of Nana's nail polish library. 

Self Portrait

On Sunday I went to swim at the public pool near Zoo Lake. It was so nice. I've been inspired to start swimming again by a fictitious character I shall not name for fear of looking like a shallow freak.  I've decided to cut down drastically on the nicotine and start focusing more on not treating my body like a garbage bag. So off I went swimming. I felt like I was a baby being born, it was traumatic because my lungs are so weak.

I haven't swum/swam properly since high school.  It wasn't easy but I'm going back on Monday morning for another 5 laps (still widths at this point lol).  But at least I did it in style wearing my new costume from Doreen Southwood.  For once, I forgot about cellulite and all the other things women find wrong with their bodies and enjoyed feeling like a woman. And yes, on weekends my room also has a weekend!

Suzaan Heyns Swimwear at Mememe Jhb

I couldn't resist this swimwear when I saw it at Suzaan Heyns. I've been looking for a high wasted bikini and this one is currently gracing the Memem Jhb window. For R1500 it's worth it, it feels like second skin.  Thank goodness I have a butt and some hip because fortunately, this cozzie will look better on curves! Mememe Cape Town already has some really cute vintage inspired cozzies from Doreen Southwood and we are also getting some of those in tomorrow as well as some bikini's and full cozzies from Eb and Am next week.  Splish Splash!