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Cape Town - Fashion students at CPUT spent their holidays stitching, sewing and slaving at designs for a chance to be fast-tracked into the finals of the Most Elegant Couple at the J&B Met at the end of the month.
And for a sneak preview of their exciting results go to Cavendish Square on Wednesday evening when their work will judged at a fashion show.
Students will compete again on January 28 when they show their designs live on the TV show Expresso and will be judged by public SMS vote. This winner will also receive a direct intro to the finals.
This year’s most elegant couple prize is at R20 000 to spend at Cavendish Square.
Discussing this year’s theme, “A Rare Blend”, J&B brand manager Shayna Amaidas said the pair behind the brand, Giacomo Justerini and Alfred Brooks, were “very different people”.
“This is about the rare and the unexpected... We are a rare blend. The theme is open to personal interpretation. You could be combining textures, it’s not too restrictive. The Met day is one where everything is different; it’s a rare blend of people.”
B Tech fashion lecturer Walter Buchholz said the students’ assignment was a warm-up for their collection.
“It’s quite different in that the public judges it, it is out of my hands... It’s a rollercoaster, but I think they are completely capable. They are resilient.”
Student Hanim Gierdien printed and embroidered clashing images on an off-white belted, jacket with kimono-like features. “For ‘A Rare Blend’ I created a rare blend of different art. I asked my (designer and artist) friends if I could use some of their work,” she said.
Leon Coetzee is working with pieces from his third-year collection, Pow, a nod to pop art from the 1960s.“The stripes in the look are in line with the horse racing and music elements. ‘Most elegant’ is about class and looking like a gentleman.”
Sasha de Gouveia is trying to blend fire and ice for her couple. Over the holidays she worked on an ice look for a woman’s outfit, while the man’s look will embody fire. Her woman’s bodysuit, with a bead-encrusted bodice, took hard work. “I had to crush these beads before sewing this. I think elegance comes across in this fabric.”
Arhan Lindoor went androgynous, creating gender-bender looks. “I’m mixing men and women’s looks, and the old and the new.”
Quaid Heneke presented a bold armour ensemble suitable for men or women. “I looked at luxury, I looked at armour. The garment makes use of oversizing and is draped. The silver will also give an imprint in the sun on the day. I want you to look and be confused.” If he wins, he’s planning to buy a sewing machine.
Also breaking gender norms, Thabo Mondreki designed two identical male outfits for his most elegant couple entry. He designed a double-button, three-quarter sleeve blazer in red and navy with African prints, paired with a plain navy shorts with safety pins for belt loops.“I enjoyed interpreting the theme in a creative way.”
Lauren Langley has been following the Met for years and rather than going extravagant and outrageous, she opted for “simple and elegant”. “I wanted to be trendy so I created what I thought most ladies would like to wear in summer.”
Keeping with the horse theme, Leigh Kleynhans accessorised her design with a gold horse brooch and a mixture of long jersey fabric and flowy white chiffon. “I took my interpretation literally, by putting together two rare combinations of fabrics – soft and rough.”
Ashleigh Fortune said her velvet, dusty pink long dress with pleats and a draped back was inspired by a 1920s elegant look.
Kenilworth punters spoilt for choice of prime spots to watch the big race
Ticket options:
* General entry: R125.
This gives you access to the public village – to the food, bar facilities, shaded seating and live music performances. Book at Computicket.
* Grandstand: R150.
Unreserved seating on the winning straight grandstand. Book at Computicket.
* FlipSide Fest at The Met brought to you by MTV: R495.
The Flipside Fest is the replacement of the previous Lifestyle Village.
It permits entry to the racecourse and access to the Flipside Fest, where you get three complementary Brandhouse drinks and gourmet food on offer to purchase. You also have access to the J&B Met After Party.
Call 011 023 5262 or e-mail [email protected].
* Jet Lounge: around R1 100.
This gives you: access to a private Bedouin-style tent, dedicated lounge and cocktail seating areas, a raised dance floor with big screens showing all live performances at the FlipFest, private tote facilities and race cards, private bar facilities, three complementary Brandhouse beverages, a food voucher for access to gourmet food vendors.
Call 021 671 5410 or 071 626 6667 or e-mail [email protected]
* Picnic Site: around R8 000 per site.
These are informal picnic areas where you can customise your own race day experience for 20 guests.
It provides open-sided marquees, mounted Tote TV set and picket fencing.
General area services include electrical supply, security, cleaning and waste.
No alcohol is to be brought on to the premises and food to be is to be purchased from Kenilworth Catering.
J&B Met entry tickets not included.
Call 021 671 5410 or 071 626 6667 or e-mail [email protected].
* Corporate Bedouins: about R1 500.
This is a hospitality package including a picnic-style experiences in reserved Bedouin structures in the picnic village.
It will have buffet style catering and a bar service between 11am and 7pm.
Call 021 671 5410 or 071 626 6667 ore-mail [email protected]
* Jet Lounge: about R1 695.
This hospitality package gives you access to a private Bedouin enclosure, dedicated lounge and cocktail seating areas, raised dance floor with big screens showing all live performances from the FlipSide Fest, private tote facilities, full buffet catering and complementary local drinks bar service between 11am and 5pm.
Call 021 671 5410 or 071 626 6667 ore-mail [email protected].
* Urban Honey Lounge: about R2 650.
This hospitality package includes: in- field viewing decks, full service catering throughout the day, non-premium drinks all day, VIP parking and shuttle service and J&B Met entrance tickets.
Call 021 671 5410 or 071 626 6667 ore-mail [email protected].
* The Championship Pavilion: about R3 695.
A premium, all-inclusive multi-user rail-side hospitality solution in an airconditioned marquee with viewing deck. It includes J&B Met entrance tickets, VIP parking and private shuttle facility, round tables of 10 with cocktail seating on the viewing platform, private tote facility, full service catering with a three-course buffet lunch and complementary local bar service.
Call 021 671 5410 or 071 626 6667 ore-mail [email protected].
The heads-up for summer fashion from the experts
For racegoers still uncertain about what to wear, advice from three South African fashion enthusiasts might be all that’s needed.
Head designer Richard Huisamen from the Fashion Collective said their look for the day will be one of style and elegance.
“We are going for an eclectic mix of colours and fabrics. By using contrasting prints in the same colour, we can create a mix of prints, but can keep the cut of the dress very simple.”
As for hats, Huisamen agreed horse racing is one of those rare occasions when women should definitely consider headgear.
“Choose a one-colour hat that complements the colour of your dress.”
Wayne Govender, head designer from CSquared, said the 2016 J&B Met was an ideal opportunity for men to dress to impress. “We have used colours that rarely blend, but stand out individually as bold, strong statement colours.”
For example, there are colourful blazers incorporating an exotic python print in bold pink, teal blue and sun-kissed yellow. These are paired with an acid-washed dip-dyed silk shirt, inspired by the setting sun, and creating a distinctive race day look.
Other blazers have also been created using a rare blend of different textures, from woven linen for the blazer and shorts, to soft cotton voile with a 1970s print for the shirting, an ideal interpretation of the theme. Another trendsetting style and interpretation for race day includes a typically mixed camouflage print. But instead of the traditional authentic camo colours, bright pops of orange and red give it a real edge.
For those racegoers who prefer more of a 007 Bond tuxedo look on race day, a blended classic tuxedo-style jacket is slightly dressed down by using a strong cotton houndstooth lapel, a very unusual blend in the world of tailoring and one that will make for a show-stopper ensemble.
CSquared has paired this with shorts to give it a summery youthful feel, especially given the current Cape Town heatwave. Comfort is, after all, key.
Promoting South African fbrands is a passion of fashion activist and lifestyle influencer Tara Johannisen, from the blog Soiree, showcased some of her favourites from the talents of these local fashionistas at the media preview.
Avant-garde designs from Design Academy of Fashion in Woodstock’s second-year students, Salva Dembele, Phillipa Crooks and Danmari Wege, take the little black dress to even higher heights.
Another highlight is the casual chic Asian-inspired emperor suit from Habits, for a comfortable look that will work perfectly with gladiator flats on race day.
ANA