Johannesburg - Traditional brides, this isn’t for you.
Bold, modern, non-conforming women… if you’re considering taking a wedding vow, it’s you that couturier David Tlale has in mind.
Tlale’s show-stopping new 20-piece bridal collection took audiences by storm at the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Cape Town, and he’s had “quite a lot of interest” since. His designs were super bold, challenging everything you know about conventional bridal wear.
We’re talking dresses that eschew white, corsets with buckles and chains, leopard-print panties under sheer silk organza skirt, double sash-style bodice worn with nothing but skin underneath… “It’s your day, you got to rock it, girl!” declares Tlale.
Not for just the wedding market, these creations are deliberately versatile, with detachable skirts and layered silk organza necklines that can be configured into different shapes. “So you can re-wear the outfit to a gala dinner or any glamorous event. Modern women today want value for money. They want a gown that they can wear for more than one day,” he says.
We caught up with Tlale at his Maboneng studio in Joburg, where he walked us through the collection.
Outrageous as a wedding gown but elegant and striking nonetheless is the lemon sheer organza dress with visible leopard-print panties, finished with feathers at the bottom and an abundance of tulle flowers around the neckline.
Just as daring is the corset made of feathers, with gold buckles and chains. “You’re the bride. Make a noise to say, ‘I’m here’,” smiles Tlale. This is teamed with an organza skirt which you can take off when “the party gets down”.
Next is the double sash – in feather and silk tape flowers, twinned with an organza skirt.
“There are elements of Miss World here. You wear nothing underneath. Be a bold bride!” grins Tlale.
There’s a short, multiple-layered organza skirt, and a long version with a front split to reveal a lot of leg, along with organza jackets – sleeved and sleeveless – and a sheer organza cape. “Instead of a bolero, wear a cape, like a queen,” he says.
Emerald green, grass-textured lame suits finish off the collection, which includes a long “kilt” with a detachable waistband for the groom. “You can wear a tux underneath but for the wedding, you look like royalty,” he says.
Tlale says the idea was to come up with a bridal collection that defines the “22nd century woman”.
“Who decided brides should be in white, like a fairy-tale princess? And the flouncy silhouette? So much has evolved, and today women want to own their world. They aren’t scared to embrace difference.”
Tlale concedes his dresses are not suitable for a church wedding. “What about going to the magistrate’s court, getting married, then have a massive party afterwards and come out in a killer dress? A lot of brides don’t even enjoy their day, when it’s really supposed to be all about them. I’m saying, let’s change tradition,” says Tlale.
His couture isn’t all about pushing the envelope, of course.
He’s made gorgeous white wedding gowns for a crop of brides, among them Nomachule Gigaba, the wife of Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.
Tlale’s ready-to-wear collections are for the discerning, aspirant woman, conscious of quality, but who wants to look different.
“I make clothes for women who want to make a statement, but with quality fabrics and beautiful finishes,” he says.
Tlale is preparing to showcase his collection at New York Fashion Week from September 10 to 18.
“New York is highly competitive, incomparable with South African fashion weeks,” he says.
“But I’m intent on creating a global brand, and to do that, I have to tell a South African story.
“I have to be true to myself and my roots. I am proudly African.”
Helen Grange, The Star
Pictures show creations by David Tlale at the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Cape Town. Pictures: Simon Deiner / SDR Photo