POP UP BLOG //

KAT VAN DUINEN // sustainable luxury

Slow fashion is the buzzword of the moment for good reason. In these testing times spending extra on an investment piece as opposed to buying in to the fast fashion culture is warranted. These conscious actions enable us to support local businesses whilst creating a more positive impact due to the use of sustainable natural materials as opposed to mass produced synthetic materials that cause manufacturing waste and pollution.

We shot Kat van Duinen’s luxury exotic leather bag range with the pandemic as a backdrop, contrasting the luxury and quality of her products against everyday mundane domestic scenarios. The take away? Less is more. Have fewer good quality pieces that will last you longer whilst supporting your local business community.

For more on this range click here.

Photographer: Jacobus Snyman

Creative Director: Lyal Seba

Featuring bags by Kat van Duinen.

A N Y O N // Lucy’s Magazine

Studio lights, paper rolls and a dynamic mix of print and colour set the scene for an inspiring editorial for Lucy’s Magazine. Working with photographer Jacobus Snyman always results in a creative journey for me as a stylist and art director. For this theme the styling combined a fusion feel of African geometric shapes with street style flair. Mix and match combinations included bold Masai print jumpsuits by Shakalulu, colourful character geometric knits by Chuulap and Maxhosa by Laduma, and beautiful graphic earrings by Lorne. Our model and muse Anyon Marial brought her magic and dynamism to set, with Richard Wilkinson adding his makeup mastery by adding flecks of shimmer pigment to Anyon’s skin, and a bold patent black lip. For more check out page 42 of Lucy’s Magazine Vol. 37.

Photographer: Jacobus Snyman

Stylist: Lyal Seba

Hair & Makeup: Richard Wilkinson

Model: Anyon Marial

URBAN LINES //

aff_urbanlines_06

With structural cityscape elements as our shoot backdrop, we woke up to a particularly misty morning in Greenpoint. After a bit of waiting around for the mist to lift we decided to start shooting with a white sky. After the initial weather hesitation everything seemed to fall nicely in sync, with even the unanticipated cloud cover from the foreshore working in our favour.

We took an all round minimalist approach to each element of the shoot. The styling consisted of contemporary clean cut lines and structured garments offset against textural stone and grey flyover walls and architecture. Neutral garment shades with accents of blush pink and metallics added a strong femininity to the story. Jen kept the hair beautifully loose and free flowing, with strong brows and a perfect highlighted complexion to enhance Jeanni’s natural beauty. Lesca matched all the looks perfectly to each location producing a beautiful end product.

And Voi la! View our full story in the latest issue of A Fashion Friend here.

Model: Jeanni // Boss

Photographer: Lesca Lea

Styling: Lyal Seba // Sixlove

Hair & Makeup: Jen Fechter // Gloss

SPRING TREND | SURFACE DETAIL ::

Whether you’re into it or not, this season is all over surface texture. Whether it’s Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere or Spring in the south, both seasons are displaying an equal obsession with an explosion of surface detailing. Gucci brought it in with retro glam appeal through their SS’16 campaign last year, and carried it through to their Garden capsule range with hypnotic snake and plant appliques. Zara is all over the badged and embroidered bombers for Spring, whilst H&M launched their Studio Autumn ’16 Collection that’s all about lavish beadwork, embroidery and grunge chained surfaces.

Not just restricted to denim jackets, bombers and jeans, the use of embroidery, fringes, badges, beadwork and brooches are also adorning handbags as a massive trend lead by the Gucci SS’16 collection into fall. Shoe and hat trends have followed suit. This tactile trend celebrates the melting point of subcultures and textures just in time for Spring festival season, in a true high street spirit.

Above 2 images : Gucci Garden Capsule Collection ’16

Zara Spring ’16

Zara Fall Winter 2015-’16 Grunge lookbook

Gucci Fall ’16 Collection

H&M Studio A/W ’16 collection

Gucci Fall ’16 Collection

Zara Spring ’16 patch bomber

Gucci SS’16 Collection

Esprit #Imperfect SS’16 Campaign ::

I absolutely love the successful Esprit #Imperfect campaign that’s been going on for a few seasons. The campaign showcases quirky and unique models in fun poses being themselves. It celebrates that our imperfections are what actually make us cool, resulting in them not really being imperfections at all.

So I was very stoked to be asked to do the incidentals product styling off the back of this massive campaign setup. With music blasting, models dancing and acting crazy on different coloured sets and us shooting the catalogue products in the background, this was one of the most fun , energetic shoots of the season. Check out the Spring ’16 catalogue at http://www.esprit.com/imperfect/lookbook/.

Esprit

Screen Shot 2016-04-06 at 12.44.36 PM Esprit 737x375px_men_ ss16 12719062_10153999911085452_5423850687055254241_o

Accessorize SS’16 Campaign ::

Doing the prop styling for the Accessorize Spring Summer 2016 campaign was both challenging, inspiring and taught me that great teamwork is essential. From coordinating the painting and hauling of colour backdrops down narrow Campsbay location house stairs, to having floral & foliage walls made up, the end challenge was to fight against the howling south easter to pull off pristine campaign images. I don’t think we did too badly 😉

Adriaan Kuiters + Jody Paulsen SS16 Lookbook

One of my favourite local design duos have produced yet another inspiring collection of fashion meets artistic print. Loving the beautifully shot black and white campaign but equally loving their beautiful prints in colour, so we’ve included a few images from their show this year at Fashion Week. Congrats to Keith Henning and Jody Paulsen who are currently in Dubai for the Who Is On Next? scouting project launched by Vogue Italia, dedicated to discovering design talent from the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

H&M | CAPE TOWN

Joining the likes of Topshop, Zara and River Island, H&M has landed on Cape Town shores. The much anticipated (and long anticipated) arrival of H&M has been welcomed by a glitzy double storey flagship store in the Waterfront. The Waterfront has been bustling with unusually high volumes of human traffic since the official opening on 17 October, so I’ve steered away from all the commotion until today. The store boasts an upstairs and downstairs floor, the one ladieswear and other menswear, including an activewear, kids and accessories department amongst others. Just in time for summer, H&M is yet another addition to the Waterfront’s choice of A list stores.

STREET STYLE DENIM SS’16 #NYFW2015 ::

Ripped up, retro, boxy, boyfriend, double denim, boilersuits, dungarees. These were just some of the styles that denim was worn on the streets and catwalks of New York Fashion week so far. Denim is definitely dominating the scene and it’s easy to see why, with stylish dressing down becoming the new dressing up. Here are some of my favourites from behind the catwalks and streets of NYFW 2015.

ABOVE 3: Karen Walker Spring 2016 Ready to Wear Collection

All images from Vogue & Tommy Ton.

DOUBLE DENIM ::

This Spring our cool friend denim is making appearances in the form of dresses, boilersuits, dungarees and denim on denim combos. Basically all in one denim or double denim is the way to go to make a street style statement. If you’re eager for a run down of the different denim looks at New York Fashion Week and on the streets of #NYFW2015 keep your eyes peeled for our next blog post.

Clockwise from top right: Country Road Spring Summer 2015 campaign | boildersuit, Cotton On | Stella McCartney SS’15 | Country Road SS’15 campaign | Fendi SS’15.