SA Fashion Week’s Spring Summer 2012 Collections got off to a star-studded start in Johannesburg on Thursday night with the country’s hottest celebrities taking to the ramp in the Sheer Glamour Collections Show.
Actresses and models strutted down the runway to rapturous applause, wearing the Rubicon label – Sonia Sedibe, Weza Solange, Mbali Mlotshwa, Sinazo Yolwa, Hayley Owen, Pabi Moloi and Pearl Thusi.
Opening the show was a dress constructed of rose and carnation petals by Johannesburg floral artist Franz Grabe, modelled by actress Minnie Dlamini.
Grabe said 1 800 roses and hundreds of tiny carnation petals had been stitched, glued and pushed through fabric to create the desired effect and he and his team had started the creation only at 4am on Wednesday to ensure freshness of the flowers.
Durban designers Terrence Bray, Colleen Eitzen and Gideon did the city proud when they joined six other fashion luminaries to present their takes on sheer glamour.
Earlier in the day, celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephens, whose client list includes pop and R&B divas Rihanna and Keyisha Cole, held a workshop to share her style secrets. Stephens has been appointed brand ambassador for Unilever’s international hair care brand Motions and Tresemme, who have signed a three-year sponsorship with SAFW.
Superstar Rihanna is known for dramatic changes of hairstyle but when pressed for what look Rihanna would be sporting next, Stephens would not say what was in the pipeline.
“I’m not telling!” she laughed.
The fashion event that ends on Sunday will showcase the collections of 41 designers, including Durban’s Bray, Francois, Eitzen, Narainsamy and Durban-born Joel Janse van Vuuren.
Newcomers Ludwig Bezuidenhout and Claire Mackenzie of Pietermaritzburg will join Laila Baderoon and Silindile Sibisi to fly the flag for KZN in the New Talent show on Sunday night.