about the brand: while thula sindi doesn't have an official website, several sites have information on and photos from his past shows. one describes his work as "the gentle and nostalgic contrast of naivety and excess" and as "for the woman who wants a look that ranges from tailored wear to elaborate occasional dresses". also, several of his pieces are available for purchase online at africhic and myasho.
about the show//what we loved: thula sindi dubbed his show "a woman of consequence" and filled it with deceptively simple pieces [mostly dresses and pants] that had pockets of creativity sprinkled all over them. from his use of lace trimmings, sequins, sheer fabric, color, print, and his technique [we spotted several one-shoulder pieces and innovative craftmanship], there's plenty of evidence that this designer considered the many things "a woman of consequence" might get up to and designed accordingly. another thing that became apparent as we saw each piece was that there was a cohesiveness to this collection.
we saw classic black and white pieces with a twist:
leopard print:
touches of yellow:
sequins:
pops of color finished with lace, sheer panels and sequins:
shades of gray and metallic dresses:
accessories:
thula made use of brooches copiously throughout this collection, statement necklaces, and simple clutch purses. his use of brooches was a particular highlight for us as they added sparkle in ways that inspired us.
all in all, a very commendable collection with several pieces worth coveting and bound for commercial success. definitely one of our favorites from joburg.
suggestions: we must add that one or two of this pieces fell a little flat and seemed more mall/clubwear than runway. the collection would've fared well without them. more and more creativity and less of the commonplace and thula sindi'll be that much closer to perfection.
xo
photos courtesy of SDR Photo