Setting sail for a stylish finish

Published Jul 5, 2015

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Durban - It has been said that a truly stylish woman is not the one who immediately stands out from the crowd. She is, instead, the one you can’t stop looking at once she catches your eye.

And that was certainly the case at Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July, where old-school glamour was the order of the day, eclipsing the handful of women who were either overdressed or wearing barely enough to cover their modesty.

It was a triumph for the art of the dressmaker, and the vision of both established and up-and-coming fashion designers, most of whom had clearly spent weeks creating a dazzling array of stylish outfits.

Initial predictions that this year’s fashion theme – The Captain’s Table – might result in a flotilla of nautical stripes were wide of the mark. Designers had clearly done their homework as to what it once meant to be accorded the honour of being invited to take a seat at the captain’s table.

It was predicted, too, that the 1920s – the so-called “Flapper Period” – would prove a strong source of inspiration.

And there were a handful of outfits that harked back to the jazz age. But far more were obviously entranced by the ill-fated Titanic and its passengers.

Victorian and Edwardian influences were interpreted in a range of innovative ways, and the 1930s and 1940s – the heyday of passenger liners – were also strongly represented in filmy fabrics, flowing hemlines, and gorgeous beaded and embroidered detail.

The July is often an excuse for outlandish hats, but this year headgear was more restrained, with a stronger focus on beautifully-constructed fascinators featuring delicate feathers, appliqué, beading, and wirework.

There were several stand-out outfits, including a strapless Ginger Rogers-style evening gown by Pretoria designer Bernadette, and modelled by Salome Hoogendijk.

Another noteworthy outfit, and far-and-away the most beautifully-crafted dress at the event, was by Durban North designer Hanrie Leus, modelled by Elena Jane Maier.

The three-quarter length gown, featured a boned bra-lette bodice with filmy, asymmetrical overskirt and breathtakingly intricate beadwork down the front and at the shoulders, incorporating genuine coral, seed pearls, tiny shells, satin ribbon and thread detail.

Another exceptionally stylish outfit, modelled by Nosipho Dlamini and designed by Sfiso Sabelo, drew its inspiration from the Victorian period, re-interpreting the bustle and replacing it instead with a cinch-waisted peplum jacket with faux fur and shawl collar atop a classically high-necked but form-fitting dress in guipure lace.

And for sheer fun, it was hard to beat the flirty, daring dress worn by Jemimah Kandemiiri and designed by Pretoria’s Sydney Designs label.

Made of luminous yellow-green netting, it revealed just enough to be cheeky, and featured a riot of appliquéd flowers on the chest and hips.

July fashion judge Tiffany Prior was most impressed with the fascinators and hats, which were “extremely beautiful”.

“I had hoped not to see too much nautical in the designs and designers did not disappoint.

They were elegant, stylish and well groomed. Simply amazing.”

Designer Terrence Bray agreed. “I was impressed. The fascinators were fabulous, with amazing detail. I was excited about the theme this year and designers interpreted it well.”

Bray said while most designs exuded elegance, some designers interpreted the theme more literally. But even those were beautifully crafted.”

Sunday Tribune

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