Gary Stemmett / SDR Photo
An army of designers and their entourages descended on the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Joburg, for SA Fashion Week. Seen here is a design by Durban’s Karen Monk Klijnstra.
Models, buyers, media crew, hairstylists, make-up artists, an army of PR people as well as designers and their entourages descended on the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosebank, Joburg, at the weekend for South African Fashion Week’s autumn/winter 2013 showings.
Collections for next season were dominated by black, grey and white with spring colours, florals and neons, lingering as accents and accessories.
Durban designers in the line-up included Amanda Laird Cherry, Colleen Eitzen, Andre Martin, Karen Monk Klijnstra, Kathrin Kidger, Joel Janse van Vuuren, Cindy Armstrong, Hanrie Lues and Bianca Warren.
Van Vuuren’s usually colourful collections had a dark base, while Pietermaritzburg-based Armstrong opted for natural fabrics and self-print voiles. Both featured in the Renault New Talent Search Competition.
Laird Cherry presented an array of winter jackets, while Eitzen, known for her dresses, also included jackets with her signature strelitzia on them, in her collection.
The nude, corals and peaches in her range wowed the audience.
Upping the game in the colour stakes were Kidger and Warren.
Kidger opted for digital printing on silk, baby blue and neon pink, while Warren – also represented by the KZN Fashion Council – showcased lilacs, coral and mint on a taupe base.
Klijnstra presented her usual wild-card signature style, including interesting bags called Wow (worn on wrist) – no fashionista should be without one.
Martin proudly walked the ramp with his young son, Cole – proof that while Durban fashion dazzles on the ramp, it is also about real people who put their heart and soul into their creative work.
