ARISE MAGAZINE AFRICAN FASHION COLLECTIVE III: BLACK COFFEE [NYFW WINTER 2010]

BLACK COFFEE (SOUTH AFRICA)

ABOUT THE SHOW:

"Counterpoint is a body of work that consciously re-engineers the aesthetic convention and function of the coat. The powdery romanticism of the palette and the unassuming comfort of the textiles find a counterpoint in the segmented construction of these inspired garments." [Black Coffee]

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Black Coffee [run by South Africa's Jacques van der Watt and Danica Lepen]  put on quite the show at the Arise Collective yesterday, albeit somewhat of an incomplete show. Themed "Counterpoint" [i.e. to emphasize by contrast], the focus was on outerwear and featured cocoon-like long jackets brought to life through spectacular pleats, ruffles, and layers, and held in place with simple hooks for utility sake. There seemed to be a transition also - from the fairly basic to the more structured, resulting in a full circle bloom of craft and layers. The color palette was kept muted and featured grays, powder blues, and peaches with a touch of taupe and brown. For Black Coffee, the era of the statement coat is well upon us and requires minimal fuss - a simple dress, vintage pumps and gloves, and oversize Africa-inspired earrings should do just fine for the 21st century woman who appreciates a dose of glamor every now and again. Here are the pieces up close and personal [click "continue reading" below to see the entire post]:

a. A transition from cocoon shapes to more structured pieces

b. Suede coats

c. Powder blue - playing with draping and looser fits

d. Soft peach and almost pink - a replication of two looks from section a. above, done in the most gorgeous colors.

f. A touch of gray

CLOSING THOUGHTS: While we understand that their overriding mission was to re-invent the coat and while there are a number of coats we covet for their play on shape and design, we have to say we feel a little robbed of the opportunity to see Black Coffee's mastery of range. After all is said and done, though, Black Coffee put on a cohesive, brilliantly-executed and commendable show.

XO

Source: Getty Images

audi joburg fashion week day 2: heni

    

heni's pieces were mostly a sea of browns and blues trimmed in leather and fur. we got a sustained global nomad/oriental vibe from the fusion of gold and jewel tones and the use of lush, rich fabrics that touch on glamor with a tinge of opulence.




this is a very modern interpretation of the sort of glamor that doesn't rely on floor-length silk robes - draped and embroidered minis offset by leather and meshed with modern silhouettes translated these pieces to the here and now.

 

xo

photos courtesy of SDR Photo.

audi joburg fashion week day 4: thula sindi

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

audi joburg fashion week day 3: david tlale

[the designer's mood board]

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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