Saturday 1 September 2012

SAFW Pop-Up Shop

Although I couldn't make day 1 of the SAFW pop-up shop I most certainly did not miss yesterday's opening fashion show that feature Guillotine by Lisa Jaffe, Joel Janse Van Vuuren's floral marble prints and the cherry on the top, Gert Johan Coetzee.

The SAFW pop-up shop event allows customers and of coarse us bloggers to connect with our South African designers. It's a great platform for designers to build up a database of clientele and market their brands directly to us. One brand that stood out in particular was Rayne by none other than Jessica Rayne. Jessica collects vintage pieces and transforms them into wardrobe treasures, each accompanied with a little story. My favorite being an 80s sequenced jacket that she so cleverly transformed into a skirt. There is something for everyone hanging on this designer's rack making it an extra special collection. 

After wandering about from stall to stall meeting and greeting some of the most creative people in the industry I came across the label Parooz. Flicking through each piece one by one took me one step closer to packing up the entire stall and stuffing it into my white clutch. A definite on-trend brand that is making waves in SA.






Being surrounded by fashionable people and gorgeous clothes filled me up with inspiration from head-to-toe. Can't wait to get my hands on my next DIY project!



Images from SAFW Pop Up Shop:

Why not keep up with the pastel palette trend in one of Natalie Creed's gorgeous pieces. She is serving us ice-cream parlor colours in beautiful lace dresses and ruffled crop tops. 

A stand out piece for me by Bello Couture. This geometric print  is surely one to invest in this season.

Absolutely loved these bow tie detachable collars! 
A definite DIY inspo from the Shirt  & Co


These stunning Afro-chic necklaces accompanied Tian Nagel's collection.

I just have to congratulate our very own Tuks student Andea Roods on becoming a finalist for the SAFW Trabsformation  Competition. Well Done!



Sunday 19 August 2012

Wardrobe Essentials #3

Candy Floss Treasures

As I've mentioned in a previous post (Winter Wardrobe) creating a closet full of pieces that are wearable, trendy and super stylish starts with the basics that flatter your body type. And as each trend passes by you can enjoy it too by investing in some key pieces: 



How to wear the trend:

1) Stick to 2-3 colours when deciding to strut a full pastel ensemble. Opting for a head-to-toe pink may end up making you look like one of the soft-surf ice-creams in an ice-cream parlor - and who wants to be part of the decor? I personally love the lemon yellow and lilac combo as seen in a previous street style post.

2) For a more casual but still stylish approach pair your colour choice with a beige blazer, tan skinny belt or even a satchel.

3) If you are going for a print pair it with a neutral colour. Choose grey over black as it it blends well with these ice-cream parlor hues.

4) Mix masculine pieces (boyfriend blazer) with feminine pieces (pussy-bow blouse) for a contrast.


Need some inspiration....?

Quinta Witzel in Nylon Magazine March 2012
Image: the-electric.blogspot.com
Quinta Witzel in Nylon Magazine March 2012
Image: the-electric.blogspot.com
Philip Lim S/S 2012
Image: emersonfashionsociety.com



Trends #1

Lost in a world of ice-cream parlor colours

After a really chilly winter I had had enough of being engulfed in my over-sized printed jerseys. Don't get me wrong that was indeed a trend to be reckoned with! The perfect piece for those cold varsity mornings or just fashionably lounging on the couch, fingers wrapped around a tea cup and eyes racing across the page of an ELLE magazine. But the dull shades of winter have happily been replaced by the soft pastels and bright neons of a long awaited spring. I don't care if I'm a million years too late but I am obsessed with Louis Vuitton's S/S 2012 collection which brought back memories of the days when I'd have my R2 at the ready waiting for that ice-cream van's melody to signal it's arrival - a memory most of us here in Gauteng can relate too.

One of my current subjects at varsity is all about choosing or designing clothes that fit different body shapes and sizes and so I firmly believe that following the trends should not lead to making bad styling decisions. One way to always keep trendy is to stock up on accessories in those candy floss shades. My  favorite pieces for this season are my DIY tassel earrings which you can customize for any trend actually and my wrap bustier crop top. This is a neat piece for those blistering hot summer days and gives you the added advantage of grabbing a quick tan. I love pairing my pastel palette inspired outfits with a bold red lip as this really makes the colours pop. Oh! and let's not forget the accessory tucked under my arm - the envelope clutch.




Digging through my pandora's box of bits and bobs I came across a little vintage embellishment with an image of a beautifully hand painted windmill. The funny thing about vintage pieces are the natural pastel colours they already exhibit. The soft creams, pinks and powder blues remind me of the old treasures that may be found in the pandora boxes of our mothers and grandmothers. 




Every fashion student has his or her muse for an upcoming trend be it a designer's collection, a celebrity or even an inspiring photograph. I have, without a doubt, been inspired by images of street style not only on the net but on campus too. I think each person brings something incredibly unique to a trend which I love to capture and keep to inspire my own style and designs:

Sofie
Tuks campus


Tuks Campus
      Photographer: Skye Pienaar (me)


Sunday 5 August 2012

DIY Update:

What to do with left over fabric trimming....how about a waist belt?


DIY Update:

Check out my DIY page for Part Two of my fabulous Detachable Collar