ELLE South Africa

street style

2008-11-13T09:36:00.003+02:00

While looking around Joburg for a street style feature we noticed that the guys are making a much more concerted effort than the ladies!
Working the prints

Great vintage framesLove the mix of plaids

Nicholas Kirkwood

2008-11-12T09:25:00.003+02:00

After seeing these images on www.jakandi.com - an amazing shoe spotting blog, I have a new favourite shoe designer...

Nicholas Kirkwood- fine arts student and Cordwainers (also home of Jimmy Choo) graduate, has made an incredible debut- showing for Belstaff, Tommy Hilfiger and Philip Lim on the Spring 2008 runways.

I am in love- from his Autumn Winter collection!

Check it out on nicholaskirkwood.com

Tiaan Nagel opens his new store

2008-11-06T23:27:00.004+02:00

Talented young designer Tiaan Nagel has opened his new store in Parktown North, with stylish interior design by Tonic.

Tiaan Nagel and Lindie Ferriera, for whom he once worked.

Tonic co-owner Phillipe van der Merwe and his wife Carmen.

Sringtime

2008-09-18T14:05:00.001+02:00

Its really feeling like Spring in Joburg. I love the heels and floral print jacket!

Burberry launch

2008-09-16T12:18:00.005+02:00

Me and my date jewellery designer Pierre- he made my earrings and his signet ring!

It's finally open! Went to the Burberry store launch last week in CT. The champagne flowed, and the crowd seemed to wear predominantly black- those Capetonians! Luckily I chose to save my orange vintage sixties dress with matching ostrich shrug for a different occasion, as it may have stood out a little too much!
I need a Burberry trench, desparately!
How beautiful is this store...

ELLE Beauty shoot

2008-09-16T11:59:00.002+02:00

Yesterday we shot beauty for the December issue, getting all inspired and geared up for the party season!
Photographer Mia and Beauty Editor Zanele on the set
Hair maestro Saadique was on top form all day, with some wonderful, inspirational hair ideas while ELLE fashion intern Phahamiso was the on call as hair assistant using some dangerously hot old school rollers.

Harvey Nichols London Fashion Week windows

2008-09-15T19:14:00.005+02:00

Harvey Nichols' window display for London Fashion Week is an inspired work using a complex array of coat hangers to create dinosaurs. They stretch across several windows at the famous Knightsbridge store.

Alexander Koutny

2008-09-15T09:12:00.004+02:00

One of my favourite South African designers- although he is no longer based in SA- is exhibiting at The Royal Academy of the Arts in London. He is a master patternmaker that studied at St Martins and is making a huge splash in London and New York. Alexander uses geometry and stylised structural silhouettes to create a darkly organic form.

All I can say is that I wish he was available here, these draped and pleated dresses are truly beautiful!

http://www.alexanderkoutny.com/

Out and about

2008-09-15T08:39:00.004+02:00

So this Friday was The Boy's birthday party. Had an amazing tapas dinner at The Gypsy Lounge at The Bluebird centre, I must say I am loving the idea of long, drawn out dinners with a million courses. Everyone was dressed up- I had a huge wardrobe crisis due to it suddenly being winter again, and having packed away all my warm clothes, but was told to move it as it wasn't my birthday dinner...

Love the detail on this silk top, matched perfectly with a vintage bag

Usually I am not a fan of leopard but she really pulls it off, especially with a red lip...

Kangol underwear

2008-09-05T09:31:00.004+02:00

We at ELLE have tried and tested Kangol's new underwear range, just launched and new in SA! I can say its got a great fit and is really comfortable with some cool Brittania designs. Available at Edgars nationwide

Return of the fullpiece

2008-09-02T15:18:00.003+02:00

If like me you are so not ready for that bikini yet, you will be glad to know that it's all about the fullpiece, it's pared down and grown up. This is from Black Coffee
Black Coffee
Lunar- love the lace ribbon effect
Terence Bray, also a great cover up

If I had to choose a bikini, I would go with Terence Bray's great 50's style one!

from runway to realway

2008-09-02T15:05:00.003+02:00

This was the number I had to have, my first purchase from Tiaan! Took her dancing, felt like a princess, a definite winner

Clive Rundle

2008-09-01T15:16:00.002+02:00

When Clive spoke about recycling, we had no idea that it would involve his own couture garments being taken apart and painstakingly reworked into something completely new and fresh!
It was like trainspotting, wondering which era the next garment had come from, considering the labels long history...
The looks were layered with second hand men's jackets which were deconstructed and became pockets, collars and detailing.
An exciting range that all at ELLE fell in love and lust with...

Story

2008-08-30T17:37:00.003+02:00

Enjoyed the crafted detachable collars, a definite must have!

Great silk maxi dress with hand painted print detail, a beach holiday essential

Mantsho

2008-08-30T17:24:00.004+02:00

Palesa's use of colour and print in her fabric was sublime

This is street couture

The garments were constructed with engineered precision

Kluk CGDT

2008-08-30T17:10:00.003+02:00

The showstopper, loved the fringing on the inner coat

The inspiration was their favourite things, a little girls idea of playing dress up in a playful fairytale world

Beautiful sequined cardigan, with a vintage feel. These are ELLE's top 3 looks from the show

ELLE wins again at Sanlam SAFW Journalism Awards

2008-08-29T17:04:00.008+02:00

ELLE features director Tamara Rothbart has won the prestigious Sanlam South Africa Fashion Journalism Awards for the second year in a row.
Rothbart scooped the fashion writing category with her article I am Koto Bolofo in ELLE.
Jenny Andrews won the visual fashion editing category for her Licensed to Thrill feature published in Business Day's Wanted magazine.

ELLE's features director Tamara Rothbart and Ferial Haffajee, the Mail & Guardian's ever-stylish editor and one of the judges.

Wanted's contributing fashion editor Jenny Andrews with editor Gary Cotterell. Wanted has won the Advantage ADmag Gold Award for ‘Best Magazine Supplement’ for two years running.

Dancers show off Abigail Betz dresses in an innovative performance by the newly-formed Mzanzi Productions dance company. Using ballet and other dance movement techniques, they displayed designs by Black Coffee, Ephymol, Julian Couture, De Mil, Ruby, Strange Love, Stoned Cherrie and Clive Rundle.

Underwear by Ruby.
Julian Couture on points.

Clive Rundle - the images are a bit blurry but you get the picture.

Abigail Betz

2008-08-29T12:29:00.003+02:00

Abigail was all about spring gardens, fresh flowers, ruffles and roses, clouds and romance

Seen out and about

2008-08-29T12:22:00.003+02:00

Sibling love, great neck detailing
Suzaan Heyns intricate plaited leather piece
ELLE loves The Smarties, as seen in our September issue

Tiaan Nagel

2008-08-29T11:34:00.002+02:00

Look at the draping on this Techno fabric, Tiaan achieved this by using silk with a parachuting weave which was industrially heat washed to make it more pliable. This gave an amazing wobbly paper effect!
I am completely in love with the monochromatic minimalism of this dress...

We loved the jewellery by Marchandt, and the sheer skeletal feel of the collection
One of Tiaan's favourite pieces

Tiaan Nagel

2008-08-28T13:08:00.003+02:00

Tiaan we will get to you as soon as we have your show pics!

Franz Grabe Flower Couture

2008-08-28T12:51:00.004+02:00

Franz does things with flowers that some designers can't even do with fabrics...The smell from the front row was amazing
Anglo Gold Auditions and Franz Grabe had a perfect collaboration

All in the details

2008-08-28T12:35:00.003+02:00

Love Palesa from Mantsho's new fabric, it's her hairdo!
Palesa
Yellow was definitely a theme
great corsage
Loving the yellow shirt

Pics by Alexandra Ross

Black Coffee finale

2008-08-28T12:31:00.001+02:00

Black Coffee

2008-08-28T12:04:00.003+02:00

We were desparate to show you the Black Coffee show, so please excuse the quality of the pics, but they were taken from front row by the ELLE fashion team, because we are completely in love with this collection!
Jacques says the collection all started with some Mozambican fabric with a geometric print, which led to experimentation with geometry and repetition. The overall idea was a modern African aesthetic.
ELLE loved the origami , and how the folded repetition of the African fabric formed it's own new pattern. We loved the engineered sculpting of the ribbon which had a skeletal effect. Black Coffee was able to transport us into their vision of what is contemporary with African spirit, uniquely South African.
Some of these dresses took 6 days to make and have over 100 metres of ribbon!

Dress of the day

2008-08-28T11:53:00.002+02:00

She was a Kenzo, crochet chevron stripe. Definitely made for dancing, you should see her twirl. High maintenance number? Of course look at it . Lots of compliments

more cute people

2008-08-28T11:41:00.003+02:00

Chevron stripes and great shoes
Great metallic sixties coat
Cute couple, great Amish style

Cute People

2008-08-28T11:28:00.002+02:00

Ran into artist Alexandra Ross who kindly agreed to take our pictures!
Great print on shirt
Yellow everywhere
Love the flat lace up brogue
Styling

We have a winner!

2008-08-28T10:52:00.004+02:00

Mr Price and ELLE hand Anisa the giant cheque

Anisa and family

ELLE New Talent Awards winner: Anisa Mpungwe

2008-08-27T16:26:00.002+02:00

She’s young, talented and at 24 winning the ELLE New Talent Awards today makes Anisa Ami Mpungwe South Africa’s newest designer to watch. The announcement was made after the ELLE New Talent show, in association with top fashion value retailer Mr Price, at the opening of Sanlam SA Fashion Week in Sandton.
Chosen from six finalists, Mpungwe impressed the judges with her understanding and approach to the brief and execution of her range. She has a BA degree in Fashion and Marketing from Midrand Graduate Institute and has also studied creative pattern cutting at the London College of Fashion. Her work experience includes working for wedding dress designer, Melissa Botha, freelancing for African Mosaique and working on a project for Paris Fashion Week. Currently she works for Black Coffee.
“What has become apparent looking at last year’s winner and Anisa this year, is that success in this industry does not happen overnight, one has to study, do the internship, be mentored and put in a lot of hard work. More than talent, hands on experience is invaluable and you can see this clearly through the creative and execution process,” said trend analyst, Dion Chang who headed the judging panel.
Open to recently qualified designers, the Awards held by ELLE magazine in partnership with Mr Price are focused on developing and nurturing talent in the fashion industry. This year’s Awards will for the first time give the winner an opportunity to be exposed to the full retail cycle through a mentorship programme with Mr Price. In addition the retailer will give Mpungwe a cash prize of R10 000.
“We are excited with the pool of talent coming through in this country and we want to increase our involvement in the growth of this industry. We look forward to working with Anisa in furthering her career,” said Joanne Coelho, Trend Executive for Mr Price.
The competition has in past years brought to the fore talented local up-and-coming young design talent in the South African fashion industry. Previous winners of ELLE New Talent Awards include: David Tlale (who was part of this year’s judging panel), Frances Andrews (Library label) and last year's winner Tiaan Nagel.
“Judging from the talent exhibited during this competition, we are thrilled to see a new breed of young designers with fresh thinking who are not inhibited by their history or dictated to by international trends. They are not afraid to be themselves,” said ELLE’s Fashion Director Chris Viljoen who also judged the awards.
David Tlale agrees with Viljoen that the future of fashion industry looks bright if the level of talent projected at the ELLE New Talent Awards is anything to go by. “These are driven young people who are brave enough to say this is my signature but still manage to approach design through a global eye.”

Cocktails

2008-08-27T10:42:00.006+02:00

Judge David Tlale
Finalists and their great prizes
Jackie giving her speech
Lindie Ferreira
The fabulous Mr Price girls

All about Romance

2008-08-27T10:37:00.003+02:00

Love was in the air when Stephan Martin took old school romance and gave it a contemporary twist

Designer details

2008-08-27T10:22:00.003+02:00

These are just few of the details we really loved:Look at Marize Malan's wonderful clash of florals and gingham
loving the tiered skirt
Anisa Ami Mpungwe's kisses on the belts thrilled me!With Robin De Klerk it was all about hand crafted detailing, folkloric type embellishments, look at the great back on this number!

Judging ELLE New Talent

2008-08-27T09:54:00.007+02:00

5pm Judging for ELLE New Talent in association with Mr Price begins:After a month and a half of preparation,blood. sweat and tears- it finally comes down to this:

Shaking and quivering, finally the finalists are marched down the ramp, interrogated by the judging panel and questioned on their ranges....

Designers were asked about their fabric choices, colour spectrum, interpretation of the new romance theme, favourite looks and most difficult pieces

Judges looked at the details, fabrication, garment construction and overall feel of the entire collection.

The attention to detail, and serious hard work was obvious to the judges proving that the standards were once again very high!

Welcome to ELLE's fashion blog

2008-08-25T13:34:00.001+02:00

The latest in fashion from the world's biggest-selling fashion magazine.
ELLE South Africa's elite fashion team cover trends in fashion, and report live from fashion weeks around the world - including our very own.