Recently I’ve been trying to re-ignite my love of fashion, it helps that I’m still on the mailing list for top fashion events, pr companies and so on 🙂

Gameplan media sent me the following pictures and info this morning and I just had to share, the pictures were taken by Anthony Grote on Wednesday night’s Vodacom Durban July Fashion Showcase, which gave members of Durban’s fashion community their first glimpse of this year’s eagerly anticipated Invited Designers’ collections.

The show is said to have delivered drama, theatrics and unrivalled designs not seen anywhere else in South Africa. My kind of show!

It was full on drama with SA Fashion Top Dog, David Thale who wowed the crowd with a black and white collection featuring strong animal printed chiffon and a regal showstopper, with layer upon layer of ombre-dyed tulle forming an elaborate shawl and a statement neck piece of beads cascading down the dress.  … The Vodacom Durban July takes place at Greyville http://www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za/ 

Leigh Schubert’s ultra romantic collection was the epitome of ethereal beauty with a range of sheer cream netting, falling in layers effortlessly over the body.

Zama Mathe’s  collection makes me think afro-goth , the collection set tongues wagging with a tailored  sheer black chiffon & netting, open necklines and lace-up backs featuring an ethnic twist with grey shell and bead detail on cuffs and necklines.

Suzaan Heyns’ collection was perfectly suited for a modern day Goddess, it featured intricate black and cream spider-web panelled dresses. Gold was the accent of the range with buckled panels restraining the body and a delicate contrasting gold crystal shawl adding a futuristic, yet delicately demure feel to the collection.

Gideon’s collection of cream, grey and snatches of rich scarlet and blue, told a dramatic story of forbidden love. The theatrical collection built up to a deliciously tempting sheer red panelled dress as his showstopper.

Brenda Quinn from Diva stunned the crowd with a collection only to be described as dramatic. The cream and beige collection with it’s updated victorian feel showed an array of textures from lace to crocheted doilies. Quinn’s showstopper featured a multi-textural handkerchief skirt which drew gasps from the crowd.

Colleen Eitzen who is known for a style which merges comfort with glamour showcased a flawlessly feminine range of tiered skirts in a gradation of tones from beige and grey to rich berry, which appeared to drip from the dresses. Eitzen’s leather accessories added a subtle contrast to the sheer fabrics.

Life by Andre Martin is a bit too futuristic for my taste but he cant be faultered for stayed true to his label by featuring a dominantly male collection. Martin awed the crowd with a powerful display of denim and PVC, embellished with metal-studded black leather strips dramatically accented in dark red.

Get Ready For A Sneak Peek At SA’s Best Designer Collections for Winter 2013 at SA Fashion Week
A feast of local fashion is on the cards for Johannesburg in September as 35 top designers prepare to show their collections at the country’s premier designer platform, SA Fashion Week (SAFW) for the Autumn/Winter 2013 Designer Collections.
SAFW’s 22nd seasonal showcase since its inception in 1997, will comprise of twelve shows at the Crowne Plaza Johannesburg – Rosebank from 27 – 30 September and will include industry stalwarts Clive Rundle, Craig Jacobs, Black Coffee, Ephraim Molingoana and Palesa Mokubung of Mantsho
An exciting addition to the line-up will be the signature collections of the six finalists of the Renault SA Fashion Week New Talent Search, a new SAFW initiative aimed at designers that have been in the industry for no longer than seven years and whose creative portfolios and business plans are of an exceptional calibre. The overall winner will be announced at the show.
Tickets are available from Computicket at R175 per show. For more information visit: www.safashionweek.co.za .
(info: safashionweek.co.za)