AND THE FINALISTS ARE…

10 Oct 2012
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Yesterday was the second round of judging for the ELLE Style Reporter in association with BlackBerry® search. Judges Ed Suter, ELLE’s Jackie Burger and Jenna McArthur and BlackBerry’s Ulanova Visser and Christa Botha were faced with the difficult choice of selecting our seven finalists. The competition was tough and we were overwhelmed by the creativity, raw talent and extremely high standard of the work. We challenged our 18 semi-finalists to create and submit a blog post titled ‘South African style’ using elements of pop culture (e.g. music and art) to illustrate their take on how South African society shapes South African style. Without further delay, put your hands together for our finalists and their work!

My mother used to say to me ‘Us South Africans… we dream in colour.’ We’re expressive, vibrant, playful and passionate. Our fearless take on colour and our beautiful obsession with pattern is easily distinguishable from the rest of the world and is what our style has come to be known for.

Long before Gucci and Burberry gave the green light to tribal print and in-your-face palettes, South African traditional art was spearheading the movement. Luscious colours mixed with earthy tones and audacious pattern have made for one of the hottest trends to date. Just think of the Orlando Towers in Soweto (Yes, the ones from Generations, what’s more South African than Generations?) one of SA’s most historical artworks with colours so bright that tourists from around the world come to share in its glory. Jo’burg CBD which is marked with graffiti and inner-city style is bold and individualististic. The Bo-Kaap homes, which decorate the streets of Cape Town as an artwork, have come to be celebrated as part of what we call pop culture. These demonstrate the love affair we have with colour.

South African music has fearlessly interpreted that into its diverse sound. Flash Republic and Lira (musicians with completely different sounds) have a deliberate South African feel to their music. Though there are elements of westernised harmonies, their beats and fusion of the lyrics are indigenous to SA, it’s through vibrant music videos swarmed with diverse interpretations of a rainbow society, to lyrics in any of the eleven official languages that these artists show the world what Mzansi’s style is: expressive and vibrant.

This expression has become evident in how we carry ourselves: we are playful with our choices. We make use of lively pattern and have a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude to colour – these are all the things that make South African style.

RAINBOW NATION

The first thing that comes to mind when I hear the words ‘South African style’ is diversity. All the colours of the rainbow nation are present in our South African landscape, colour-blocking the African landscape.

South Africa’s young post-apartheid generation epitomises eccentricity. They are not afraid of taking risks. They are free-spirited and streetwise, it definitely takes a modern sense of style to mix and match prints so effortlessly. The youth of today are becoming extremely fashion conscious, whether boys or girls, both making strong fashion statements.

Colour is what makes South Africans stand out in a crowd. Bold colours, statement pieces and African influences like the head wrap, it’s very fashionable, regal and uniquely African (my mother grew up in a culture where women cover their hair with different hair coverings).

I was born a magazine junkie, by the time I was 15 years old, my bedroom walls were stocked high with posters of Brenda Fassie (I never knew then that her signature hairstyle would later be mine) posters of Destiny’s Child’s flamboyant ensembles, I had a music book that consisted of more pictures than lyrics. Now fast forwarding to the present. I constantly have to clean after my nieces’ paper cuttings from magazines; they are as fascinated with celebrities’ dress as I was. I found myself going back in time and remembering that fashion is timeless, how people of the ’80s truly stood out with bold fashion statements and how, in 2012, South African style has a great mix of old and new. Mixing vintage pieces and accessories into your everyday wardrobe instantly make your look unique. There’s a real sense of change, optimism and individuality around our country at the moment.

I am proud to be part of a generation that’s known for its non-repressed approach to fashion. I am enjoying so many trends at the moment and it’s so refreshing seeing even kids playing house and dressing up in older people’s clothes, their look almost accidental, they are dressing for themselves. We are acknowledging our parents’ way of dressing and it’s very refreshing to see the old-school style mimicked in new pieces.

 Kutlwano- Print explosion, just a touch of print headwrapped with oversized sunglasses and a biker jacket.

Bobby and Nqobile. They remind me of the smarteez.

Nhlanhla,Refiloe. Not so girly girl,Androgyny is still cool,sneakers update the look

 Relebohile, Akona, Palesa. A perfect summer’s day, the popping colours-pink and   mint green complete the outfit especially the flowers. Love it

Anisha. The classic white dress

Relebohile. turbans aside,the floral hat is fun and sporty.

Ayanda, Nhlanhla,Wise-lee, Nqobile, Oyama,Bobby, Anisha. Colour blocking, a very refreshing trend

Bobby, Oyama,Nqobile. Rock a sock-pull them up to your knees or push them around your ankles, an instant way to update your look.

 Zimingo. Move over LBD,  The Little Pink Dress is a breath of fresh air.

Nqobile, Bobby. Back to school-I’m obsessed with backpacks,very playful and convenient.

South African style derives inspiration from a montage of art forms. It is an untamed tapestry, which, if you look closely enough, pays homage to our ideals, our faith and pride. In connecting the dots, the themes which I chose to engage resonated with prototypes, which subliminally create what has come to be known as South African style.

Johannesburg, the City of Gold, is a space wherein the purity of the artist may potentially become diluted by preoccupations with ‘the cool’ and where essence could be suffocated by a need to oblige to prescriptions that promise success. However it is always awe-inspiring to come across people who choose to revolt against that which is prescribed and instead harness the power of individuality in their artistry, creating gold in their movement, sound and style. They do not regurgitate imagination, but embellish it in their unique and subjective approach toward it.

Three blocks away from Maboneng District, I found women in prayer, dressed in white cloth, kneeling on a hill that overlooks the city. There was a sculptured form in the way the cloth draped over their bodies, a prevailing femininity, urban yet reflective. They reminded me of the many women that I have admired at exhibitions, at flea markets and in life. Women who wear femininity as though it were a faith in itself, not a mimicked doctrine but rather an extension of their selves, a whimsical performance of art etched around their bold sunglasses, pouting pink lips and flowing dresses.

I was drawn to the turban because it clothes the crown that holds our thoughts. Regardless of who you are, the turban lends its wearer dignity. In this it gives my grandmother and women like her a place in a world of style, which is foreign to their comprehension. Where graffiti paints our stories on walls; turbans display them proudly around our heads.

South African style makes art a tangible and personal fixture. Our style is ambitious, experimental, proud and sincere. It transcends the clothes we wear and makes statements about our ideals, our multi-faceted elements and our identities.

Identity creation is the premise that defines the stylish faces of South African society.

Electric phases speak to South Africans becoming an expressive people, namely the apartheid era, democracy and modern consciousness. Amapantsula emerged in the late ’70s as the radical piece of peace. Their relevance to street style especially in cities and major townships is in their raw dress sense and dance moves that made Kwaito music. Amapantsula progressed, giving birth to what we know as Amabujwa, as these catalysts came to usher us into a new era.

Amabujwa-Amapantsula

They are 21^st century South Africans who played with accents of Italian design in the form of loafers, skinny pants for both sexes and not forgetting floral prints on formal shirts. Their step towards bold mixed prints and bucket hats neutralised the playing field to better experiment with patterns and designs that counter the norm. This experiment has since formed the hipsters and bloggers of our time.

 These very people are those who come to set the trends, they boldly introduce to you the elegance of pastels, radical neons, the riches of fine architectural clothing lines and tribal accessories. The wave of upbeat individualism in South Africa accommodates Western and European influences through hip-hop and jazz.

We occupy a time and space where the internet is readily available in the palm of our hands. The modern South African relates with social networks and in the same light they are a part of a large sphere of fashionable arenas such as Look Book and tumblr. Communication and connection breaks distance and time, the distribution of different styles is instantly received across many borders. The mediums of photography/videography and telecommunications allow the process to be a whole lot simpler. These are the forces that strengthen our union internationally, as trendsetters.

South African gems in style are those who have come to realise that excellence is in mastering these mediums. Our collective experiences strive to articulate the art that is fashion; it is a wholesome experience  from inception (communication) to execution (identity creation).

One of the basic foundations of South African style is our history (as in any other country); we have adopted elements particularly from Sophiatown culture and Afrikaans culture.

Vintage clothing is also characteristic of local style; the vintage ethos is displayed by personalities such as Funeka Ngwevela (of Quirky Stylista), Siyabonga (Scoop) Ngwekazi and through fashion blogs such as I See A Different You.

Minimalism and the ethos of casual chic are also constitutive elements of South African style. Designers such as Two and Gideon apply this design philosophy in their collections. There is also definitely a conservative attitude to the way South Africans dress.

Gideon A/W 2012

South Africans are more daring, bold and expressive through hair, accessories, colour and print. An appreciation of colour is visible in pop culture youth groups such as The Smarteez and Cream Cartel. Print has been a constant part of our dress culture, and many designers have supported this; from the Afrocentric movement of the 1990s to modern-day designers such as Loin Cloth & Ashes, Fundudzi, Babatunde and 46664 appropriating print in their collections.

Hybridity is a key characteristic in South African style (a reflection of our multicultural landscape); we mix Eurocentric and American styles with South African tribal or cultural references and sometimes incorporate African tribal/cultural references. South Africans adopt styles from these above-mentioned sources according to what they are most exposed to and what is relevant to them.

South African black youth’s style is influenced significantly by African American hip-hop culture. There is a strong T-shirt culture locally and an appreciation for sportswear (fashion), a reflection on our strong sporting culture.

Although more affluent minority groups do adopt fast fashion trends offered by retailers such as Mr Price, Zara etc. most South Africans often gravitate towards more timeless and simple fashion options.

South African style is almost always based on functionality, which is why a number of high fashion designers such as Suzaan Heyns, Black Coffee and Clive Rundle create couture pieces specifically for the runway.

‘There is a force that I call the tyranny of place; the kind of unrelenting hold a place has on a person that gives him… a style’ – Es’kia Mphahlele

Bandana-strapped foreheads, leopard-print creepers, neon parkas, a cropped top in a spectrum of hues and white patent-leather Doc Martins. Where am I? A brightly coloured sweater and equally cheerful tracksuit pants, a gold, chunky chain and a mohair Bermuda casual hat. Queens, New York hip-hop scene? No. Right here is where I found this kaleidoscope of style and self-expression.

South African style gives trace to identity and culture still plays its part here. Wander we may from the stringent fundamentals but I see them woven into the new take on the traditional veldskoene now transcending age and race; and the suave yet subtly trendy modern Xhosa initiates pulling us ever so modishly towards ourselves.

SA style is all-encompassing, embracing place and time far and forgotten yet current and socially aware. Perhaps the most resilient and long-standing of South African trends has been the return of vintage. Borrowing from its Sophiatown ’50s and ’60s jazz era, the (dapper) gentleman look has now been revived, borrowing elements from conscious and liberal thinking artists. Clashing textures with clean lines à la Theophilus London, the eclectic mix of bold prints loved by Solange Knowles or a pair of Lennons now lend themselves to a new way of expression, uniqueness and antagonism of the mainstream.

As multi-faceted as South African society is, so too are the styles it moulds. As if straight out of ’90s Grunge or Britpop concert in London Town, juxtaposed among loud prints and gold chains as though an Alex Cherry painting was hanging in a midtown gallery with Run DMC studying the piece, stood a small group of friends engrossed in only themselves. Grunge and hip-hop, old school and contemporary, have a place in South African style. Although providing sometimes competing world views, they seem to coexist in the same social space. Perhaps music, skateboards and graffiti are the finest olive branches when given a chance.

SOUTH AFRICAN STYLE

Alive, full of spirit and infinite possibilities.

A commonly found definition of style according to fashion folks is described as ‘a prevailing mode of expression’. South African style not different in this regard.

Fact is, fashion trends advance most rapidly during times of economic change, social commotion and an overall emotional reverence. In contemporary times, however, Western society and the ever-increasing global culture has made a habit out of continual evolutions in clothing design.

As much as South African style always remains firmly rooted on the exemplary African soil, we do find ourselves utilizing an encompassed global perspective to source freshly relatable ideas and produce cutting-edge trends. On the other hand, our continent has served as inspiration to the catwalk elite. Well-referenced textiles and (some) shapes dominated worldwide Spring/Summer 2012 Fashion Weeks alongside many a trend.  Renowned fashion houses such as Burberry, Marni and Michael Kors drew a great deal of brainwave from the mother continent in their amazing collections.

South Africa is undeniably rich in culture, history and heritage. Our style is partly inspired by our proud cocktail diversity and the available global influence. This becomes very evident in the current street trend to wear one culture on one’s sleeve. However, this culture is remixed with an understanding that the world is big out there. The perfect example would be wearing a traditional wax print shirt with a pair of denim jeans (for a flexible take) and a pair of trainers – because a sports-luxe element is the craze to adopt right now. Our other infinite style resource is definitely the meeting point of our unique architecture, modern structured facets stem from fluid traditional designs and together, they result in an exciting formation.

On the design level, it goes without saying that David Tlale reigns among South Africa’s most spirited creative jewels. I had an opportunity to witness his runway presentation at the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Cape Town aptly headlined: ‘I Am Colour, Not Coloured’. The collection dislocated jaws and pleased many with his beautiful take on layering in conceptual and emotional relevance.

Mzansi style keeps elevating on so many levels and we take pride in our colourful nature.

By Trevor Stuurman (Stuurman Style Diary).

 Our seven finalists have more challenges to face so watch this space for exciting reporting and your chance to vote!