Durban - It’s Tuesday morning, I flew back into Durban only the night before, and a celebrity interview is the last thing I want to be doing.
I get into my car and find myself in front of Sorisha Naidoo’s grand mansion.
Sorisha is one of those people who gets you to smile even if you don’t really want to.
She sashays down the stairs, dressed in a gorgeous brown jumpsuit and black heels, screams “Babe!” and gives me one of the biggest hugs I’ve ever had.
We then play catch-up.
I am meeting Sorisha and Haroun Hansrot to chat exclusively about their latest venture, aptly named S&H. The pair, who have been friends for over a decade, are finally realising a four-year dream to launch their own fashion label.
“Haroun has always designed for me. He is my go-to guy for the Durban July, and we are also really great friends. We both love fashion and we are very creative, so it just made sense to do this,” says Sorisha.
Known as an actress, a presenter, model, businesswoman and socialite, Sorisha is used to wearing more than one hat.
“I have had amazing opportunities come my way, but I have always wanted to venture into fashion. I just never did it until now because my parents paid for me to be a journalist, not a designer; so I kept my eye on that goal,” she said.
“For the past four years, Haroun and I have been talking about it. We have been discussing colours and even sketching designs, but from January we really started with the line.”
Sorisha said she found herself doing the bulk of her research in the comfort of her own wardrobe.
“I started picking out the clothes I loved and looking at why I loved them. From there I began to get an idea of what would work and what wouldn’t. Our line is all about comfort. It’s about having items that can be dressed up or down, whichever way you like it.
“They are very high-end items, but they don’t come with a high-end price tag. The collection will definitely appeal to every woman and is timeless,” she said.
Sorisha and Haroun will also be launching a swimwear line.
“I love swimwear. We live in a country where you can be in a bikini all year round. I also travel a lot, so I have picked up inspiration from many island getaways. The swimwear line is about glamour and beauty.”
I asked Haroun what it was like to work with a friend and client.
“Well, apart from the odd email at 2am and the 4am phone calls between us, it is a breeze,” he says with a chuckle.
“Sorisha and I are very different but similar people. This collection is very different from my usual work and was refreshingly challenging.
“Often I found myself sticking to the Haroun signature, but Sorisha was there to rein me in. She is also a businesswoman, so I worked a lot with the technicalities of the designs and structures, while she looked at their appeal to customers.”
The seasoned designer says fashion lovers can expect a collection with clean lines and neutral colours.
As they are launching the line at the Spectre party, there will be elements of James Bond in the evening, but the collection will be distinctively Sorisha and Haroun.
“This collection is not simply the entertainment for the evening. People will be seeing S&H for a very long time,” Haroun said.
l S&H will be launched at Vivian Reddy’s official Spectre Premier on November 18.
Sunday Tribune