STYLE NOTES: David Tlale//South Africa [Day 1, Africa Fashion Week 2010]

David Tlale's choice of a midnight showing for his "Emperor Butterfly" collection had already created quite the flutter before the first model stepped foot on the ramp. A well-known master of flamboyance with a soft spot for the sensational, his collection was filled with pomp and froth grounded in reality and wearability. Print, soft pinks, oranges and the classic black and white were infused with feathers, fringe, lace and sequin finishings, while netting and layering gave pieces the utmost volume and movement. We find Tlale's work over the years a little schizophrenic in that we never quite know what to expect, but put on a well-executed show and perspective he did, showing a broad range of options for the social butterfly with leanings towards the dramatic. 

See the entire collection here.

XO

ARISE L’Afrique-À-Porter: The full list of designers!

[Model wears a look from Eric Raisina at Arise Promise of Africa collective last summer]

o o o

Thanks to ifashion, we now have the full list of designers showing at ARISE L'Afrique-A-Porter this Friday. We've brought you press releases from Tiffany Amber [Nigeria], Jewel by Lisa [Nigeria], and MOMO [Nigeria], and in this post, we added Kluk CGDT [South Africa], Lunar [South Africa] and Clive Rundle [South Africa] to the list. ifashion.com tells us that the following designers will also be making appearances:

David Tlale [South Africa; our guess was right!]

Eyola [Nigeria]

Eric Raisina [Madagascar] and

Christie Brown [Ghana]

So there you have it! 10 designers, 5 pieces each and 50 looks we can't wait to see! Which designer's work are you most looking forward to seeing?

XO 

Who Wore What: Bonang Matheba at the J&B Met 2010

So here's the scoop: there's an annual event in Cape Town, South Africa called The J&B Met and it's a horse racing event that has also inevitably served as a sort of fashion runway for South Africa's finest. This year's event held on the 30th of January and the theme was "In Full Colour." We spotted South African TV Personality Bonang Matheba [she's just 22!] wearing a David Tlale piece, straight from his Audi Joburg Presentation no less. So SLiq! Love the layered ruffles and the understated drama of this piece. Was she "In Full Colour"? Not so much. But did she bring the dress to life for you or would you have worn it differently? You tell us!

See more photos from the event here.

xo

audi joburg fashion week day 3: david tlale

[the designer's mood board]

***

ABOUT THE BRAND: "both daring and dramatic, david tlale is a brand that defies convention and a brand that impenitently employs unpredictable use and understanding of fabric, colour and texture...his, is a  household label that firmly stands its own ground among a sea of other labels; this being attributed to the sheer design erudition and precision that challenges mediocrity." [source]

ABOUT THE SHOW//WHAT WE LOVED: now HERE'S how to put on a show. david tlale's exclusive invitation-only presentation titled "fantastical structures" represented the inevitable fusion between architecture and fashion. in david's words: "the relationship between fashion and architecture is not a particularly oblique one. both are based on structure, shape  and basic necessities - clothes and shelter...." we got a clear feel for that in this collection through and through. his designs struck a fine balance between edgy and feminine without losing his design ethos in translation. in other words, he created fantastical structures that were firmly planted on the ground. tlale brought much-needed spunk and liveliness to audi joburg fashion week with his impeccable attention to detail and his willingness to push the envelope without compromising on wearability. he employed a variety of fabrics [chiffon, leather, jersey, etc.] and kept his palette simple but strong. metallics certainly stole the show, but a hint of red shone through every now and again. we can't gush enough about the brilliance of this collection - this is truly david tlale at his sharpest and best and he certainly belongs in the canon of africa's most exceptional. fantastically well-executed, highly covetable clothes and a sure stamp of approval from anyone whose opinion counts. what more could one want?

SUGGESTIONS: please, please, PLEASE make these clothes available online. that is all.

see more pieces in the post below. these photos courtesy of SDR Photo.

xo

audi joburg fashion week day 3: david tlale [contd]

[this post continues from the entry above]

no words.

xo

source

in the news: luella bartley for david tlale

amidst news that british design house, luella bartley, has ceased trading comes news of a collaboration with south africa's david tlale, set to debut in stores just before christmas.

more info. here!

xo

style notes: david tlale spring 2010

david tlale presented a basic palette of strong black and white pieces alongside metallic lilacs, browns, and gold. there was drama, there was femininity and there was menswear. here are the highlights:

a. he used lots of tassels and fringe benefits to spice up some of his black and white pieces. the ruffled, high-neck also added a dash of edge:



notice the tassels on the shoulder...




b. we're in all types of love with his sheer, romantic little white dress...he also threw in an interesting little black dress for good measure.



c. a hint of metallic chic in the looks below:



d. browns and golds also featured and seemed to form a mini collection of their own, complete with a modern take on the pantsuit, a sheer sequined dress with matching pants, and a one-shoulder evening gown:

e. the men were not left out in the looks below:

there were several charming elements in david tlale's pieces, several of which we look forward to seeing off the runway in the coming months.