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In an instance where a character model works, designer Karen Monk-Klinjstra and celebrity model DJ Cndo, who was dressed to portray the Zulu Tretchikoff theme of her show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg last week.<\/p>\n
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Professionals. That\u2019s what we like to see at major fashion events, of which we have plenty in SA. <\/p>\n
This month started with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, presented by African Fashion International at Hyde Park, and will conclude with SA Fashion Week (SAFW) in Rosebank at the end of the month. <\/p>\n
Each features a host of local designers showcasing their Spring\/Summer 2012 Collections. <\/p>\n
The organisations will present winter collection showings later in the year. <\/p>\n
Other fashion weeks, such as Cape Town Fashion Week and, perhaps, even a Durban event of this nature are also on the cards. <\/p>\n
As it stands, our city\u2019s foremost fashion event is arguably the Vodacom Durban July, which includes the Invited Designer Showcase, Young Designer Award, Fashion Challenge and Fashion Experience Shows. <\/p>\n
Last year brought the emergence of the 031 Collections by Mr Price locally. <\/p>\n
The issue of numerous shows aside, these are our biggest fashion events with national standing. <\/p>\n
It is on these runways that we expect to see \u2013 and show to the world \u2013 nothing but the best. After all, these are, among other things, portals to international arenas, trade fairs and ultimately markets. <\/p>\n
Designers wouldn\u2019t want to use anything other than professional photographers, make-up artists, producers and the like. <\/p>\n
However, in recent times a trend has emerged to ditch the professional model in favour of celebrities because their brand and the designer\u2019s brand have synergy. <\/p>\n
It is also done in favour of regular people. <\/p>\n
Ordinary<\/u><\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n The modelling world refers to everyday you-and-me types as \u201ccharacter\u201d models. <\/p>\n These are people who portray the characters that the designer sees wearing his or her clothes \u2013 an older woman, a truck driver or a plus-size person. Anyone. <\/p>\n Everyone I chatted to agrees that the idea of using real people is wonderful, but risky. <\/p>\n Derrick Mhlongo, a fashion stylist and model agent for iindoni models, says using ordinary South Africans in shows is one way to end perceptions that fashion is only for super-skinny people. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes an older guy or larger woman on the ramp is refreshing. In this way, character models are necessary to help strategically position a brand.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Greg Wallis, the chairman of the KwaZulu-Natal Fashion Council, says: \u201cOne of my students makes only sizes 38 to 50, some only make maternity wear. They would never use standard models. Other designers may not have such a niche target market, but they will have a particular market that character models can help them represent.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Bev Nates, a fashion editor at Cosmo magazine, says: \u201cIt is easier for the average person to see the clothing on the blank canvas that is a standard model \u2013 not everyone is progressive or has the imagination. <\/p>\n \u201cBut if the person is wearing the garment the way the designer intended it to be seen, this is fine. We must allow our designers creative licence. Sometimes it will work and sometimes it won\u2019t.\u201d <\/p>\n But what if the character is an awful model, with a weird walk that distracts the audience? <\/p>\n Coat hangers<\/u><\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Suspend your ideas of imposed, Western ideals of beauty for a moment and consider that at shows \u201cwhere all the models look the same\u201d (a phrase you\u2019ve no doubt heard before), the clothes take centre stage. <\/p>\n As soon as you replace the \u201ccoat hanger\u201d runway models with ordinary people, you draw attention to them. <\/p>\n Done successfully, a designer can reel in their target market, which identifies with this person and appreciates the gesture. <\/p>\n Doing it for the sake of doing it (especially by those whose names or brands are less well known) can be detrimental. <\/p>\n ICE Models boss Tiffany Prior says ordinary people should be used \u201cwhen the collection calls for it\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cMany designers design with real people in mind. However, when you put real people on the ramp, you still want them to look good. You must be aware of body shapes, your garments must be well made, fit beautifully and your message with the introduction of a \u2018character\u2019 must be clear.\u201d <\/p>\n SAFW director Lucilla Booysen says the designers who include ordinary people in their shows, such as Amanda Laird Cherry and label Black Coffee, do so successfully because they have the experience and \u201ceye\u201d for it. <\/p>\n \u201cA young designer shouldn\u2019t rush out to present oddball characters in their shows with the intention of simply being different. They are still learning and can benefit from the norms.\u201d <\/p>\n She says that while they don\u2019t dictate, none of their designers would dream of using unprofessional models for no good reason. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cInternationally, each designer hand-picks their models and they are flown in from all over the world to do shows. We don\u2019t have that kind of budget in SA, but we do have a level of professionalism. <\/p>\n \u201cI think you are only as strong as your weakest link and if your model doesn\u2019t show the clothes with confidence the designer suffers.\u201d <\/p>\n Plus-size professional model Melissa van Zyl agrees. She says you don\u2019t have to be the traditional runway-size model (size 32 and about 1.75m tall in SA) to be a good model. <\/p>\n \u201cProfessional models come in all shapes and sizes. You do, however, have to be well groomed, exercise, eat correctly, look after your skin and look great in the clothes.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Aspiration<\/u><\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Adding to the sentiment, designer Kathrin Kidger says it\u2019s important to remember that \u201cmodels and fashion\u2026 are aspirational\u201d. <\/p>\n Kidger, who always uses models, says: \u201cIts not about size. I want professional people, who know how to walk up and down the ramp and look good in my clothes because my aim is to sell.\u201d <\/p>\n Producer Jan Malan, who has worked everywhere from New York and Miami to France, says that at fashion weeks they can provide models for designers to choose from, but who they ultimately use is their prerogative. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Malan brings up a point pivotal to the debate. \u201cThe African question comes into play when I work in Africa. We are always asked why the girls are so skinny and told that \u2018the ramp doesn\u2019t reflect the true beauty of African women\u2019. This is why there are no rules or stipulations. It\u2019s up to the designer to decide.\u201d <\/p>\n To make that decision, Prior says, a designer needs to ask what this departure from the norm is going to do for their work. <\/p>\n \u201cMy advice to a designer wanting to include a character into their show would be to ask: \u2018Is this person interesting enough, well-known enough or different enough to make the statement I want to make?\u2019 <\/p>\n \u201cI think emerging designers may want to play it safe. However, I have seen emerging designers do crazy, wonderful things that work. <\/p>\n \u201cFor or against really should be about the message the designer is sending.\u201d <\/p>\n l See GoodLife<\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" . In an instance where a character model works, designer Karen Monk-Klinjstra and celebrity model DJ Cndo, who was dressed to portray the Zulu Tretchikoff theme of her show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg last week. Professionals. That\u2019s what we like to see at major fashion events, of which we have plenty in SA. 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