MEET JANE ELIZABETH KOTZE

1 Oct 2012
Comments: 1
7630 Views

0

She came, she sewed and she conquered. We introduce ELLE’s 2012 Rising Star Design Award in association with Mr Price winner Jane Elizabeth Kotze here.

What was your first reaction when you heard that you’d won?

Honestly, I was in shock. We couldn’t hear any of the announcements backstage, so when I walked out I thought I was walking out for the finale. I was about to walk off the ramp when I was presented with a big bunch of flowers. ELLE editor Jackie Burger then stopped me, and I had to ask her what was going on. I got really emotional. I was so shocked as I thought all the finalists were so good. I really didn’t expect it.

Highlight of the Rising Star process so far?

Definitely the business course that all the finalists got to attend at the Gordon Institute of Business Studies. It has not only taught me business skills, but it also made me feel like a professional and it was an excellent time to bond with my fellow contestants. We had a really great time together.

How would you describe your designs?

Starting out, I wanted to be a costume designer, so I always bring that sense of narrative and character to my designs. I also always like to reference historical styles, while keeping it young and modern.

What was the biggest challenge in the creative/design process of your winning collection?

There were quite a few; mostly big emotional hurdles. When I saw the call for entries for the ELLE Rising Star Design Award, I really wanted to enter. But, I was in a very low place and suffering from a creative block, and I struggled for almost two months before being able to come up with this range. It has been a huge learning curve as well. I now know what I’m capable of and what I can endure to succeed.

Three things we don’t know about you?

1.    I love organising.

2.    I presented a radio show when I was studying at Stellenbosch.

3.    I’m a science-fiction nerd.

Tell us what most excites you about winning the award?

The time I will be spending at Mr Price and ELLE excites me the most. It’s the kind of experience I’ve only ever dreamed of and I hope to learn as much as possible from all the wonderful people I will be working with. I have never worked in the fashion industry, so I feel I have a lot to learn and I hope the time spent at Mr Price will help me learn what I need to know in order to go forward in this industry.

What’s on your iPod?

Florence & the Machine, Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire, Johnny Cash, Annie Lennox, Simon & Garfunkel and many more. I’m very eclectic when it comes to my music taste.

Florence Welch

Fashion inspiration?

I love vintage fashion; it always inspires me. I also love old fabrics and prints.

Heels or flats?

Flats.

Describe your personal style?

Eclectic. I wear a lot of clothes that I inherited from my mom.

Tell us about your collection for Mr Price. Will it be an adaptation of the competition’s collection?

I’m not quite sure myself yet, but I think it will be an adaptation of the range I did for the show. So you can probably expect a lot of pastels and candy colours, lace, shimmer and sequins.

What did you want to be growing up?

To be honest, I never knew what I wanted to be when I was growing up. I went from wanting to be a police officer in grade one to an archeologist when I was in high school.

Who is your fashion-designer icon?

Alexander McQueen s/s 2012

Current obsession?

Tumblr.

Who would play you in a film?

Christina Ricci, but I only say that because I was teased at school and called Wednesday Adams.

Your definition of style?

It is an outward expression of your confidence and personality.

Who would you love to design for?

It really depends on my mood, I guess. I’d say Zooey Deschanel, for that cute girly style, or Rooney Mara, for something dramatic and strange.

What’s on your radar?

Gosh, my radar has been off these past few months, as I have been working on my range. With that in mind, I must say that I love songstress Azealia Banks’s style; it’s colourful, urban and fun.

What’s next for you?

I’m taking a little bit of a holiday – my first one in three years – and then I’ll start work on a small commercial capsule collection that I hope to get into some Cape Town boutiques by the end of this year or early next year.

Where do you see yourself in the next three years?

Working hard in my sewing room, bringing out more collections, building my brand and working on my other passion – a design co-op. 

Images: SDR Photo, Gallo/Getty Images, ELLE South Africa July 2012, Picturenet.