Lights, fabric, action at Fashion Week

Published Mar 6, 2015

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Johannesburg – The first day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg got under way with colourful flair last night.

The lights were dimmed in the all-white venue, the voices of Afropop trio The Soil filled the air, and models began strutting their stuff down the aisle for designer Khosi Nkosi.

Dressed in headwraps and outfits tailored out of traditional South African fabrics, both slender and fuller-figured models took to the white tiled ramp.

“We created a sophisticated and powerful mood with the make-up. Sexy but not overtly so,” said Keagan Cafun, the resident senior make-up artist, about the models.

The show was attended by celebrities like actress Amanda du-Pont and presenter Nomuzi Mabena, but the biggest celebrity in the room was actress Nomzamo Mbatha, who walked the runway.

Mbatha, who is an ambassador for Nkosi, spoke to The Star about the only dress she modelled which was in the finale.

“It was made with me in mind because it makes me feel like a Nubian queen. The dress embodies our partnership perfectly,” she said.

Mbatha wore the figure-fitting mermaid-style red dress after sitting in make-up for almost two hours.

“This collection represents the working African woman with a simple, sexy silhouette. It’s for women like me with hips, thighs and bums,” she added, giggling excitedly.

The Khosi Nkosi show was followed by Tsotetsi, who dressed Du-Pont for the evening. The lighting turned deep blue, and models walked out in skirts, shirts and dresses made of blue velvet.

Wearing hats with exaggerated wide brims and flowing fabrics, the models had the crowd applauding at regular intervals.

The evening was closed by a show from Marianne Fassler, and the legendary designer had a packed venue for her fashion reveal.

Fassler’s show was the high-level energy that people were expecting. Maskandi-infused rock music blared through the speakers and a harpist was at the end of the runway strumming along to the sounds. The models rushed down wearing tattered patch-work denim dresses and skirts.

The collection showcased clothes in warm autumn reds and oranges as well as dark blues. Fassler shied away from stilettos and had her models in flat sneakers or sandals. They accessorised with chunky woollen beanies and fingerless gloves. The impressed crowd gasped and clapped.

The Fashion Week is on at Melrose Arch until tomorrow.

The Star

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