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Spree Celebrates 4 Years Of Supporting Local Fashion in South Africa
Rich Mnisi
Spree: The Number one retailer for SA designers
Committed to growing and supporting local fashion, Spree – South Africa’s most fashionable shopping site has been a platform for local and emerging fashion designers since 2013, with a vision to discover and showcase the very best South African design talent.Celebrating 4 years of supporting South Africa’s brightest stars and with close to 100 local brands and designer collections having been featured on the site, Spree has been the largest supporter of local fashion in the country, ensuring that customers have access to amazing collaborations and allowing the site to offer a much broader and exciting range of apparel.
Designers such as Lukhanyo Mdingi, Rich Mnisi, Ruff Tung and Tamara Cherie represent the new wave of SA design talent who are proud about their cultural roots and produce lines that reflect their own sense of individuality. Something that Spree Creative Director Chris Viljoen echos, “We are always looking for outstanding new brands to add to our unique fashion edit, and we seek the most exciting talents wherever they are. So it’s great to be able to support local talent of this calibre.”Spree has also been home to some of SA’s long-standing fashion establishments in the past such a Marianne Fassler, known for her superbly crafted designs and contemporary offerings as well as Craig Jacobs, whose Fundudzi line showcases some of the wildest pieces in menswear – truly making the site a shopping hub that bridges the gap between catwalk and consumer SA fashion.
Lukhanyo Mdingi
Whilst some of the SA brands available on Spree are already established long before showcasing on the site, collaborating with the ecommerce store means different things to different designers, from production and photography guidance to business mentorship. Julian Kubel, brand owner of Butan Wear comments ”Working with Spree has resulted in many benefits for our brand. Over and above giving Butan wider exposure and allowing our followers to purchase our goods from anywhere in SA, Spree has recently thrown their weight behind our ‘Searching For Mother and Child’ campaign, a project that is very close to our hearts.”
Another advantage that the retailer offers its designers as well as customers is the ability to deliver free throughout South Africa for orders over R250 either door-to-door, or door-to-post office counter or door-to-Pargo pick up point, depending on where the shopper is based.Founder and Creative Director of Funduzi, Craig Jacobs comments, “At Fundudzi by Craig Jacobs we don’t see ourselves as retail experts – our core business is creating beautiful yet accessible, modern yet distinctively African apparel, and we rely on our retail partners to provide our warriors with the ideal conduit for them to engage with our merchandise. Importantly, those partners need to match our value system – attention to quality, a distinctive experience and a high level of professionality.
David Tlale
What Spree has allowed me to do is concentrate on what we do best while knowing that, no matter where our warriors might be located in the country, they can simply tap on their smartphone app or click on their mouse and purchase a piece of Fundudzi.”
And with solid year-on-year growth of 76% in orders placed and a 69% increase in the number of site visits, it’s little wonder that Spree Creative Director Chris Viljoen is full of excitement for the future, “Spree is well-positioned to make a positive impact on the development of the country’s fashion industry and we’re so proud to have seen some of fashion’s leading lights pass through on their way to stardom.”
Shop your favourites from Spree
Meeting Themba Mbuyisa: South Africa’s Rising Star
Themba Mbuyisa is a young brilliant photographer from Soweto who took up photography as a way to keep himself busy because he had the time and a creative eye. Photography was an impulsive decision for him and not having a camera was definitely not going to stop him from being a photographer, so he decided to enrol himself into a photography course. Themba does not believe that photography is set in stone for him. I mean, after 4 years in the industry, he’s still trying to figure himself out while not allowing ‘fame’ to get to his head. He is currently studying for his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at the University of the Witwatersrand.
After entering Elle Magazine South Africa’s ‘ Elle Style Reporter’ for the second time after his first attempt in 2013, Themba finally won in 2016 and has been working with the magazine ever since. His win only registered in his mind when he did his first photo shoot, which he describes as being a great experience. The photographer’s creative process starts with a collage of images and notes that get revised until a clear picture comes up for the shoot. “I construct images,” he says. “My work has a thought process behind it and I decide what needs to be and how the lights need to shine on it.
Themba, who values friendship above most things, enjoys working with people who believed in him when he first started out in his career and works with young people in most of his shoots. Although he says that he does not have favourites, he especially loves working with Sthembiso Mngadi who has helped him transform his initial ideas into great images. 2017 for Themba is all about making connections and exploring other parts of photography that he has not given much attention to in the past while also putting himself out there by applying for exhibitions that he would not normally apply for. In April this year, the photographer is looking forward to being a part of the 32 nd Villa Noailles Hyeres Fashion and Photography Festival in France.
Accolades:
Youth Excellence Award
Sony World Photographic Awards 3rd Place National Award (South Africa) 2015
Sasol New Signatures finalist 2016
Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans 2016
Article originally published in Moon-Look Magazine
Taire Avbovbo Launches ODRIN A Premium Menswear Brand
Introduction of a premium menswear brand ODRIN – for the modern man
This new menswear brand aims to help men dress better by offering a wide selection of high quality premium products that are accessibly priced, both online and at the concept store. ORDIN opens its doors to the public from 10 March 2017 at 44 Stanley in Auckland Park. ODRIN offers a combination of in-house branded items encompassing both clothing and accessories in addition to an assortment of premium brands such as Naked & Famous denim, Merz B. Schwanen, Filson, and Saint. James
Founder, Taire Avbovbo, a 2nd generation fashion entrepreneur and Harvard Business School graduate, believes in a retail experience centered around the core values of lifetime quality, the perfect fit, and price transparency. The starting point for ODRIN is how well each item is made.
“We believe that premium quality and perfect fit are two sides of the same coin, you feel great each time you wear our products because they fit really well and feel even better – this feeling remains over time because our garments are built to last a lifetime”.Likewise, transparency is a very important part of ODRIN’s identity. Every one of the products has a story and is ethically manufactured in Africa to the highest global standards. “I love that we have personal relationships with all of our suppliers; it’s such a great feeling when you get to impact the lives of communities around you” – Taire
The end result of ODRIN’s philosophy is a considered collection of all that’s needed to be the best dressed version of you.
Website: www.odrin.com
Facebook x Instagram x Twitter: @odrin_menswear
Originally Kasified Clothing Revealed Art Inspired Women’s Collection
This year Originally Kasified Clothing has been showing women’s collection starting with the Autumn/Winter collection that they showcased earlier this year at Soweto Fashion Week, which I absolutely loved. but by far this Spring/Summer collection inspired by elements of Art is my favourite.”Not only was it a part of this year’s plans but also because I’ve always wanted to make a womens wear collection since I’ve started showcasing at SFW and other shows. It gives me an ability to tell a story through the style that I’ve created in a more realistic and understandable way” , says Afrika Mabena the designer. He wanted to show his other creative side.
The collection is telling a story of a young woman who loves shopping. A clean example of someone who just got paid, looking all nice and classy, feeling herself and comfortable in her outfit. And all this happens in a mall, heading to her favourite shoe store, to pick up her favourite shoes…the rest of the story is just the imagination of how this fun concept ends. Afrika used lines, shapes and colours. The colour combinations of the outfits was amazing, it was the right amount of black and white and the equally amazing touch of mustard and burnt orange. the stripes and the blocks draw you to the collection and the colours keep you there. I imagine that it was fun for the models to wear these outfits and there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a blast on the runway. There is nothing more sexy than an outfit that makes a woman looks stylish and still allows her to have fun and I believe that Afrika Mabena achieved style and fun in this collection.
All photos by Eunice Driver
Bulbulia Threads In The Streets Of Johannesburg
I was first introduced to Bulbulia Threads on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg runway this August and I instantly fell in love with the brand and the amazing work done by Tasleem Bulbulia who has been in the fashion industry for over 20 years (If you ask me she does not look a day over 20). From the fashion week I loved how her show was styled, from headwraps to jackets over evening dresses. It all looked too cool. I was so thrilled when Tasleem granted me a chance to style her collection my way and I must say that I had fun playing a model for the day.
The moment I laid eyes on this pink shirt dress I was sold. For a girl who doesn’t like pink I really had fun wearing it with the colourful and very springy jacket. #ShirtDresses are the in thing and for me what was interesting was how I was gonna style it. I didn’t wanna go with the typical scandal or sneaker so I went for a high heeled ankle boot. The dress is really comfortable and I think Ghandi Square as a location really brought the STREET to my street style.
It made sense for these denim pants to be styled with my favourite printed jacket to make the look pop . I loved how comfy the pants are and the detailed buttons are everything.
Seeing this coat at the Bulbulia Threads studio meant that I just had to have it even though I was not sure how to style it. Thobeka and I decided to go with all black and just let the coat and headwrap stand out. This look made me feel like I was in a movie playing some superhero.
I really love this skirt. It is my second favourite and wearing it was loads of fun. It is full and it really turned heads in Ghandi Square. It looks like I just walked out of some movie set and I own an upmarket penthouse in Johannesburg. I had fun playing a model and now I truly believe that I can be an actress because of all the roles that I played in this shoot.
These pants are everything. Tight at the bottom but a little loose at the top allowing you to be comfortable while looking stylish.
Now this is my favourite look. I love how the yellow pops and goes so well with my skin tone. I could not wait to get into this show stopper of a dress. We styled it with Maasai beads and a shuka to make it more dramatic.
Photographer: George Lewis
Co-styling: Thobeka Mbane
Diva Designs By Brenda Quin Shown At Durban Fashion Fair
Brenda Quin showcased for the first time at Durban Fashion Fair revealing a collection called ‘The Rhythm of Africa” which featured lots of colours while embracing the African Queen trend in headwraps and beads. Brenda travels through Africa a lot and that is where she drew her inspiration showcasing the vibrancy of Africa and the feel of locally produced fabrics. Having been designing for 18 years, Brenda has no interest in following international trends
Photos by SDR Photo
Tuelo Nguyuza Collectiv Bridal Range Brings A Spin To Traditional Wedding Dresses
Collectiv Culture
Taking inspiration from the multiple cultures in South Africa, TN Collectiv’s bridal range Collectiv Culture caters for the western woman looking for a modern twist on traditional wedding dresses. Instead of creating looks that already exist, Collectiv Culture has taken what is currently available for brides looking for traditional wedding dresses and reinventing them by using different techniques, finishes and embellishments in order to introduce a new class of traditional wedding dresses. Without completely westernising the dresses, the core aesthetic for each culture was kept without compromising the traditional look so that they can be clearly translated, while staying true to the fashion needs for the modern bride. Part one of the range drew inspiration from the Ndebele, Xhosa, Tsonga, Swati, Zulu and Setswana cultures. Besides having a past working experiences with the all of the women in the bridal campaign, they are beautiful, hardworking and successful women in their own right. Making them the perfect embodiment of the brand and the ideal models for the campaign.
I feel like the collection was specifically made for these ladies as I cannot imagine another person wearing the wedding gowns that they are wearing. Before I was drawn to the dresses, I was first drawn to these ladies and felt that they belong in those dresses and nowhere else. I love that these wedding dresses have evolved with time but there are still embracing our cultures. I think it is safe to say that Africans are moving away from “White Wedding” and I love that. We are beautiful and our cultures are too beautiful, it really warms my heart to see fashion designers like Tuelo Nguyuza showing the African bride that they don’t need to walk down in a white wedding gown in order to be considered beautiful.
Photos by According to Jerri
Accessories: by NtoZinhle Accesorise
Couture D’Afrique by #MBFWJ And Puma Select
ADAMA PARIS
My favourite shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg was Couture D’Afrique which featured 12 designers from the rest of Africa. I truly enjoyed Senegalise fashion designer Adama Paris‘ show with amazing headwraps and layering like I have never seen before. I loved the patterns and the styling really represents the modern woman that the brand is aimed at. Seeing that collection made me want to get myself a gele and I can safely say that it was one of my favourite collections from the show.
SORAYA DA PIEDADE
Soraya Da Piedade a fashion brand from Angola caters for everyone from women to men to kids. I loved the simple yet sophisticated garments showcased at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg. The kind of woman who wears Soraya Da Piedade is a woman who knows and loves her body, the kind of woman who loves to look great and still feel comfortable and I feel that the collection at MBFWJ16 was comfortable and sophisticated.
SHERIA NGOWI
Tanzanian menswear brand Sheria Ngowi showed the most amazing suits. I loved the cuts and the choice of colours and the way the colours are mixed together to form a great looking suit. A suit doesn’t always have to be one colour, you need to switch it up and a decide on scandals instead of formal shoes. With this collection Sheria Ngowi showed that a tie doesn’t always have to accompany a suit and that sneakers also complements a suit very well.
CISS SAINT MOISE
What caught my attention about Ciss Saint Moise ‘s collection were the details on the suit. It seems details are what makes Ciss Saint Moise stand out and have always been a signature of the brand. The involvement of Puma brought a new perspective on suits and sneakers and I must say that I have always loved suits worn with sneakers and no ties because it does away with the serious look.
HAUTE BASO
Rwandan brand Haute Baso‘s collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg was casual and stylish. The kind of clothes a woman would wear on a date, a family gathering and practically anywhere chilled. i love that you can play around with the garments til you get the kind of look that you want.
All photos by Simon Deiner for AFI
#MBFWJ: NN Vintage Perfectly Portrays The African Queen Trend
Last night NN Vintage wowed fashion lovers with a star-studded showcase at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg in Sandton. I was eager to see what NN Vintage had in store for us because I have always been impressed by their previous collections. I really relate to the garments and I am definitely the kind of woman who wears and understands NN Vintage. The African Queen trend has really taken over with women all over Africa embracing headwraps and really taking pride in their cultures. NN Vintage keeps up with the times and the collection is modern and played a lot with stripes, grays and a pop of colour just to brighten it up.
What stood out for me is that the showcasing was more than the fact that the Queens are proud of who they are. African queens love each other, they dance together, the have fun together and they generally encourage each other. African Queens uplift each other and provide opportunities to each other. That is what the African Queen trend is all about and I believe that the celebrities who walked for Nhlanhla Nciza’s show cemented the fact that African Queens support each other and they are happy for the other’s successes.
All images by AFI
#MBFWJ: Colour By Nandi Mngoma And Inga Madyibi
Nandi Mngoma and Inga Madyibi made their label debut at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg last night in Sandton. It truly was a great collection with lots of colour from the garments themselves and the choice of make-up. It’s a chilled back collection for a woman who loves to look great but still look simple. I loved the collection and the accessories complemented it very well. The Cleopatra inspired wigs were also highlight for many, especially me as I imagined what I would look like in one. It will be interesting to see Nandi and Inga grow as fashion designers because last night they certainly proved that they have the talent.
All photos by AFI
