African Fashion Week

Last September 22-25, 2011, I witnessed African fashion on the world’s spot light in South Africa. Hosted by the continent’s fashion capital, South Africa Fashion Week showcased brilliant and interesting dresses parading down the runway by noted fashion designers who have also had fashion weeks in Milan, Paris, and New York. With its winter 2012 designer collections, African fashion has once again expressed by exotic and exciting fashion creations with fresh trends for next year.

On its 20^th year, Johannesburg once again successfully hosted the whole week drama and action. I felt fierceness and sophistication among its dress. As usual, resident designers went their way up such as Black Coffee, Two and Chanelle, Clive Rundle, Lunar and Colleen Eitzen. Many dress collections focused on African fashion’s trademark, floral and loud prints, with leathers, luxurious knits, studded accents, modern fabrications, fur and layers of green, orange and yellow, which signifies African culture.

One of my favorites is Siesllsabelle’s creations which detailed layered colors of purple, minimalist dresses with floral accents. It has simple details achieving a lazy, loungy feel. Also a fan favorite, which also was likened to some fashion bloggers, is Amanda Laird Cherry’s runway collection. Fully bright and flattering, structured “trendiness” with lines in men and women, it has evident striped structures and semi-floral dresses.

The fashion week also brought the 2011 Student competition which showcased the intelligence, creativity and innovation of students from different fashion schools in South Africa. With their concept of making an interesting outfit or dress made out of recycled denim garment, this year’s competition has become tougher with design students battling it out for an opportunity to show their collection on the runway and a chance to receive an Apple Mac product. What a great way to motivate these students! And there was one big thing to look forward to. The winner had a chance to strut his/her creative juices with an internship to a fashion designer. How cool is that!

The South Africa Fashion week has offered a parade of 60 collections from different designers. What I like about this year’ winter collection is its being unconventional. I saw great pieces which can boost African fashion and culture and African models dressing up perfectly. The outfits are very marketable with the clients tend to look for more, going to Africa and Asia. Trends have shown the year 2012 will be a year for most African and Asian designers and has now started in the last quarter of 2011.