Johannesburg - With excitement and anticipation, fashion lovers took their seats around the labyrinth of rows that made up the runway.
The first show of South African Fashion Week began with an extract of a speech by Nelson Mandela about the importance of education. It was then that the audience, which included Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and presenter Minnie Dlamini, were treated to designer Gert-Johan Coetzee’s spring/summer collection.
In line with the introductory speech, schoolchildren in uniform made up part of the audience.
The soundtrack created a lively ambiance, while the first few models walked black outfits that flowed, such as jumpsuits, maxi-dresses and LBDs (little black dresses).
In the frow (front row), bloggers and fashionistas held up their phones to capture the experience for social media using the #safwss16 hashtag.
For the rest of his spring/summer collection, Coetzee focused mainly on fitted silhouettes, sheer fabric, frills and cut-out details.
It culminated in a standing ovation as he walked the runway with his show-stopper.
The next show was Colleen Eitzen, Lunar and Clive Rundle. It got off to a slow start, with Eitzen’s collection showing everyday items like shirt dresses in navy and pine tree-print items in green and white.
A key item in the collection was the structured collarless denim jacket with embroidery detail.
It was followed by Lunar, which played on white and cream fabrics with soft textures. The items had simple cuts and were loose-fitting and billowy.
The black dresses were sheer and chiffon-centred.
Rundle’s collection, titled Geisha Wars, featured clashing patterns, with a punk-rock look and flowing silhouettes.