Author Archives: bcAdmin

The revolution will be streamed: SA Fashion Week to present digital-only shows in light of coronavirus

By Afika Jadezweni

Gert-Johan Coetzee fashion show during Day 2 of the SA Fashion Week (SAFW) Autumn/Winter 2020 Collection Showcase at Sandton City rooftop on October 24, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. Photo by Alet Pretorius/Gallo Images via Getty Images.

First, fashion weeks went fur-free and now they’re going people-free. It’s all for the greater good, we suppose.

Remember when we conjectured in a previous article around how the coronavirus pandemic has threatened fashion weeks around the world, that perhaps Covid-19 is the unlikely, yet unfortunate 4IR nudge fashion needs to start reconsidering its ailing fashion week model, using Armani and AFI’s closing day as early ‘case studies’?

And let’s face it – technology (our smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets supplementing photography) has always been the primary lens through which we appreciate and analyse collections shown at fashion week anyway, even when we’re there in real time, sitting pretty in front row.

London Fashion Week goes fur-free for the first time

London Fashion Week opens for the Spring/Summer 2019 seasons with shows from Richard Malone and J.JS Lee. For the first time, London Fashion Week also goes fur-free.

Of course, this comes in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak; hence SAFW declares they are committed to supporting and adhering to the directives given by President Cyril Ramaphosa – including the prohibiting of mass events/gatherings of more than 100 people.

“We had been wanting to push change and the agenda. This was the push we needed,” their media alert received this morning reads.

COVID-19 has paved the way for something rather beautiful and unique to happen. Our designers’ stories will be told in a refreshing and relevant way. And our sponsors and other stakeholders will be part of a bigger, global audience. This is our 23rd SA Fashion Week. We believe it will be our most important.

SA Fashion Week

However, a “Fake News” Instagram post made earlier today by SAFW, captioned “SA Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2020 is NOT POSTPONED!”, has been misunderstood by a few concerned members of our local fashion fraternity… understandably so. This gainsaying of fake news around the fashion week’s postponement only provides a link to sign up to their newsletter without providing clarity on a way forward with regards to the Spring/Summer 2020 shows.

Perhaps it’s just a marketing ploy to create enough buzz around the upcoming showcase to prompt people to sign up to the newsletter to gain access to their new digital explorations.

Fashion retailers are also slowly but surely beginning to punt their e-commerce divisions in light of Covid-19, encouraging consumers to visit their online – over their brick-and-mortar stores.

Two such stores that we’ve received word from so far are Cotton On and Sissy Boy, who have made the below statements respectively:

Sissy Boy sanitises

A letter from Sissy Boy founder, Ronald Sassoon

The health, safety & well-being of our customers, employees and partners will continue to be our number one priority which is why we’ve implemented the following measures: Hand sanitisers have been positioned at all till points in our stores which we encourage customers to use on entry and exit from our stores. Strict cleaning measures have been implemented in stores and the frequency thereof has increased significantly. Internal awareness about the Virus has been amplified to empower our staff with the knowledge they need to combat the spreading thereof. Our cleaning team at our Head Office and Factory has increased and so has the frequency of daily cleaning times. Hand sanitisers have been placed at all high touch points throughout the building and every individual who enters must sanitise their hands before proceeding further. If you feel more comfortable shopping from afar feel free to explore our online store at www.sissyboyjeans.com or connect with us via social media for daily fashion inspiration & trends.

Cotton On cares

“To our global community” – Peter Johnson, CEO

Are you still keen on shopping for clothing while we’re encouraged to social distance? Tell us here how you’re resisting the urge or finding ways around the risk.

Fashion Quote of the Day

Global artist Raine Tauber’s top 5 runway make-up trends

Raine Tauber, global make-up artist and talent director at creative talent agency LMDA, will once again spearhead the make-up artist team, powered by Avon, at the AFI Fashion Week in Cape Town this March.

Commenting on partnering with Avon for the second time for Fashion Week, Cape Town-based Tauber says, “It’s always thrilling to put a brand to the ultimate test in a backstage environment and even more exciting when they exceed your expectations like Avon did.”

With nearly two decades worth of professional experience in the industry, Tauber has travelled around the world working behind-the-scenes at fashion weeks in Paris, London and Milan, creating runway looks for the likes of John Galliano, Lanvin and Moschino. Back home, she has managed the South African Fashion Week make-up teams for the last decade.

In addition to being an artist to the stars, Tauber’s new role as talent director at LMDA sees her using her keen eye to find and train artistic talent.

Here, she shares her top 5 make-up trends dominating the runways:

1. Artsy

Think impressionist paintings where colours and textures collide, euphoric festival makeup and colour pushed to the max. This trend sees punched up pastels worn in sheer washes on eyes lips or cheeks, with placement that’s effortless and fun. Pick your favourite colour eyeshadows to create colour splatters as seen at banish Arora or a Northern Lights inspired eye like at Kenzo.

2. Ornamental

Embellished, gilded and opulent are all words to describe this trend. Metallics, glitters and even rhinestones to add adornment to the face. This season, more is more as ornate decoration feels modern set against winter fashion – metallics, glitters and even rhinestones add adornment to the face. From full-on gilding or delicate touches there’s a way to wear this trend that suits any personality. Think disco glitter looks at Ashish or gold foils at Halpern.

3. Sensual

Blurred, understated and enchanting, this look allows the skin to shine through the makeup. Non-traditional colour combinations make this trend less bridal and more poetic. This is portrait-like beauty at its best. Grab your favourite nude and neutral-toned makeup and layer them sheerly. Foundation is minimal but perfected and all the products have a pushed-in-stain-like look. Look to the mid-nineties indie kids as seen at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi or Teenage girls applying makeup with their fingers at Sies Marjan.

4. Carnelian

Seductive, nuanced and dominant but not punchy describes the red lip for this season. We are seeing a layered effect of reds with browns giving it simultaneously a vintage and pragmatic feel. Think everything from Bordeaux to cognac, a 3D red if you will. Look to the strong confident women from Luisa Beccaria and the modern 90’s glamour at Salvatore Ferragamo.

5. Inky

Just as we are destined to see a take on a red lip every season, we see the same with a black liner. This season it is architectural, elongated and structural despite being effortlessly taken apart. Each brush stroke is considered and engineered even to convey a feel and mood. Black is powerful and acute. Look to eyes that don’t lie at Brandon Maxwell to Mary Katrantzou’s emo and grunge, anti-glam eye for serious attitude inspiration then grab you black eye pencil and have at it.

AFI Fashion Week is being held at the CTICC in Cape Town from 12 to 14 March 2020. Tauber will also be presenting a Runway The Real Way Exclusive Masterclass on 13 March from 14:00 to 17:30. Tickets are available on Webtickets at R450 per person.

Fashion Quote of the Day

Hoka One One launches first-ever apparel line

09

Mar ’20

Pic: Hoka One One

What: Hoka One One, a division of Deckers Brands, has launched its first-ever apparel line, designed for athletes to enjoy for both fitness pursuits and everyday wear.

New product line + USP: The 27-piece collection features running and fitness staples – including performance tops, tights, woven shorts, socks and hats, plus many other styles – which are designed with industry-leading technology to maximise both performance and comfort. Additionally, the lineup includes bold, unexpected new pieces designed to solve everyday problems for all athletes: the versatile Performance ¾ Sleeve top and comfortably-fitting yet secure-at-the-waist Women’s Performance Utility Shirt, for instance, will fill previously uninhabited niches in the athlete’s wardrobe.

Price point: The apparel price ranges from $52 for the men’s and women’s Lifestyle Tee and Performance Tank to $250 for the Gore-Tex Shakedry Run Jacket, while the accessories range from $12 for the Performance No-Show Sock to $35 for both the Adventure (bucket-style) and Performance Hats.

Design aesthetic: The Hoka apparel and accessory lines are designed based on extensive consumer feedback. A survey sent out by Hoka in 2018, which received nearly 4,000 responses, found consumers desired apparel that was simultaneously high-performing and accommodating of every type of athlete. This inclusive approach, already a pillar of Hoka performance footwear, has been incorporated into the function of the new apparel line: runners, walkers, fitness-seekers and outdoor adventurers of all levels will find their perfect fit in Hoka apparel.

Existing product portfolio: The company’s portfolio of brands includes UGG, Koolaburra, Teva, and Sanuk. Deckers Brands.

Retail presence: Products are sold in more than 50 countries and territories through select department and specialty stores, Company-owned and operated retail stores, and select online stores, including Company-owned websites.

Fabrics sourced from: The new apparel line is an opportunity to continue making environmental strides, and to help Hoka progress on its journey toward sustainability. For instance, the Unisex Puffy Jacket insulation is made with PrimaLoft which contains 100 per cent post-consumer recycled content. While all performance tops are made with Polartec Power Dry fabric, which consist of at least 50 per cent recycled fibres. Additionally, all performance tops, tights, sports bras and women’s shorts incorporate recycled raw materials.

About the company: Deckers Brands is a global leader in designing, marketing and distributing innovative footwear, apparel and accessories developed for both everyday casual lifestyle use and high performance activities.

Hoka One One produces premium performance footwear for athletes of all types. Born in the mountains, Hoka One One shoes were initially distinguished by their oversized midsoles; today they are designed with the same enhanced cushioning, inherent stability and problem-solving inspiration to meet the running, walking, fitness and outdoor needs of a wide variety of users.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (

Battling the damaging effects of ‘fast fashion’

By: Pavithra Rao

The numbers are astronomical: to make one pair of jeans, it takes close to 8,000 litres of water – the amount a person drinks over seven years. Even a simple cotton shirt requires close to 3,000 litres of water. Within 10 uses, these jeans and shirts will be discarded for newer, trendier items, contributing to the 21 billion tonnes of textiles sent to landfills per year, according to the UN Economic Commission for Europe.

Getty

The fashion industry is the second-most-polluting industry – coming in right behind big oil – according to the UN. The fashion industry not only produces 10% of global carbon emissions, but also contributes 20% of wastewater production.

“The industry consumes more energy than the aviation and shipping industries combined,” calculates the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. If production practices do not improve, the greenhouse gas emissions from the fashion industry are expected to rise by 50% by 2030. It is no wonder, then, that environmentalists are calling for a cleaner and more sustainable fashion industry.

Today’s ‘fast fashion’ is largely to blame for the unsustainable state of the industry, say environmental activists. Fast fashion is inexpensive yet stylish, cheaply produced and soon discarded, replaced by newer styles.

#BizTrends2020: Fashion won’t be sustainable until consumers are educated

If you’re wondering if sustainable fashion really does exist in South Africa, the answer is yes, but only on a small scale…

By Emma Longden 15 Jan 2020

Roberta Annan, a Ghanaian entrepreneur and founder of the African Fashion Fund, which supports Africans and those in the diaspora to advance in global fashion, is also a UN Environment Programme Supporter for Creative Economy.

She advises African countries not to embrace fast fashion and sees investment opportunities in the creative industries. “We don’t have to go towards fast fashion,” says Annan.

“My focus has been to bring proper sustainable manufacturing and production processes to the continent because I feel Africa can position itself as the next hub when it comes to creative economy. We are in the position to do things differently; we can set a new pace. We can do things in a way that is more sustainable.”

African designers are making gains in this direction. Senegalese fashion house Tongoro sources materials from Africa and offers eco-conscious pieces to its client base, including those made from silk and linen. Tongoro has caught on with celebrities, including global music sensation Beyoncé, who has shared photos of herself wearing the label with her millions of social media followers. The brand has also been featured in various large-scale global publications, including Vogue, Elle and Forbes.

Tongoro’s founder, Sara Diouf, says she had local talent and sustainability in mind when starting the company. “I train Senegalese makers to produce quality goods matching international standards. Tailoring is such an important part of our culture here. My ultimate goal is to train local artisans to professionalise their craft,” says Diouf.

American actress Rosario Dawson, and US-based African fashion expert Abrima Erwiah have been promoting sustainable African and African-inspired clothing on Studio One Eighty Nine, their New York-based fashion brand’s e-commerce site. The brand curates pieces from artisans who use natural styles of craftsmanship, sustainable dyes and environmentally-friendly materials. It also promotes African talent.

“I am Ghanaian, Ivorian and American. When I travel home and visit my family in Ghana, and I see young girls that look just like me, I see myself. It is one reason that I think it is important that everyone gets a fair opportunity and why I hoped with Studio One Eighty Nine we could train others and empower them to be able to do the work themselves so that they can take control over their own futures and not rely on charity or someone else’s generosity,” says Erwiah.

Industry is not moving fast enough

Besides the efforts made by individual brands, the fashion industry needs to take larger steps towards sustainability. Pulse of the Fashion Industry: 2019 Update, produced by the Boston Consulting Group, the Global Fashion Agenda and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, reports that the fashion industry is not moving fast enough in terms of sustainability to counterbalance the harmful impact of its rapid growth.

According to the report, by 2030 the global apparel and footwear industry will have grown by 81%, to 102 million tonnes, exerting an unprecedented strain on planetary resources.

Kering to go carbon-neutral across entire group

Luxury fashion conglomerate Kering has pledged to become carbon-neutral across the entire group, within its own operations and across the entire supply chain…

25 Sep 2019

So, what does a more sustainable apparel industry look like, and how do we get there?

We’re starting to see some early signs of an industry in transition. In 2018, fashion industry players and others launched the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, aligned with the goals of the Paris climate change agreement, with a vision of how the industry can achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Signatories include global brands such as Adidas and H&M Group, along with companies such as global logistics giant Maersk.

Milestone charter sees fashion giants pledge to reduce emissions

The global fashion sector has increased momentum to address climate change by launching the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. Premier fashion brands, retailers, and supplier organisations have agreed…

19 Dec 2018

Luxury fashion brands Gucci and Gabriela Hearst have announced that they will be making all operations, including those in its supply chain, carbon neutral. Business models based on reuse, such as Gwynnie Bee and Rent the Runway are the beginnings of an industry that supports longevity instead of rapid consumption, by offering consumers the option to lease clothes.

This is only the beginning of the radical transformation required. Apparel companies will increasingly have to confront the elephant in the boardroom and decouple their business growth from resource use.

For people keen to take individual action on sustainable fashion, the UN’s Act Now climate change campaign says recycling, donating unwanted clothes, refashioning – or upcycling – them into blankets or other clothes, as well as shopping in vintage clothing shops could go a long way in slowing down fast fashion.

Fashion Quote of the Day

Pioneering bio-design in the textile dyeing and fashion industry

By: Angie White

Founder and CEO of Faber Futures, and Index Award winner, Natsai Audrey Chieza took to the stage on day three of Design Indaba to talk about new models for design and technology that are driven by ecological thinking.

Natsai Audrey Chieza

Born in Zimbabwe, Chieza moved to the UK when she was 17. She explored architectural design at Edinburgh University and says it gave her a fascinating framework to think within. She later studied material futures at Central Saint Martins where she had the opportunity to unpack what fabric actually is.

Textile dyeing in the fashion industry is one of the biggest causes of pollution. This is something that this bio-designer and researcher is tackling head-on through her work, and says she’s learnt a very important lesson: “Don’t talk about what you want to do – Prototype what you want to do and then show it to everyone.” This is how design is born and is able to develop.

#DesignIndaba2020: Natsai Audrey Chieza promoting sustainability and eliminating waste in fashion

Designer Natsai Audrey Chieza founder and director of multidisciplinary agency Faber Futures will be speaking at the 2020 Design Indaba Conference…

By Juanita Pienaar 2 Jan 2020

Bold design through new imaginaries

Faber Futures, Chieza explains, was founded with the goal of building new imaginaries that allow design to be bold. She says people are starting to consider that design needs to be more than human and that there has been a distinct shift in design since the industrial revolution: “You can see how the curve shifts and evolves to design for consumers according to an economic shift,” she comments.

According to Chieza, there is also a shift away from only seeing design as human-centred to designing for nature. She applies four lenses when creating designs:

Ecology – The use of microsystems to shape design
Cultures – What are the cultural shifts we need to start to make?
Materiality – How do we use the changes in institutions and companies to co-develop and build new material systems together?
Futures – How can you predict the future if you haven’t tried to design something to shape it?

Blue sky thinking with Project Coelicolor

Project Coelicolor (which means sky blue) began in 2011 and is an ongoing project that Chieza is using to integrate the inner workings of a pigment-producing bacteria called streptomyces coelicolor with design processes, to try and find a more sustainable way of dyeing textiles.

The bacteria lives in soil where it helps to decompose organic matter. It also produces an antibiotic called actinorhodin, which ranges in colour from blue, pink and purple, depending on the acidity of its environment.

This method for dyeing textiles is not only chemical-free (as the bacteria is grown directly onto the pigment to generate the pigment and requires no fixing agents) but it also uses up to 500 times less water than commonly used dyeing processes.

Chieza says the first attempt at this dyeing process was unsuccessful, and the first screen-printed textile, The Print Room (2012), didn’t last. She explains how she went back to the drawing board, soon decided to simply through the bacteria straight onto the textile – an idea that, through development and replication, was a success.

Explaining the benefits of the dyeing process, Chieza describes the effects it has overall:

It reduces water use, with 500 times less water than typical industry standards and with minimal runoff.
It eliminates chemical inputs as the dye is non-toxic, natural and does not use any mordants or finishing chemicals.
It is innovative with novel processes offering self-replicating systems for high-yield pigment development.

Chieza went on to build a body of tools and recipes to design textiles with, and spent four-five years developing protocols and recipes to develop pigments. Once the designs were replicable, she designed her first garment, Assemblage 001, with these protocols.

Where is the designer that understands the real world?

“Platforms and technologies are going to shift,” Chieza comments, demonstrating her point with images of textiles, building materials and clothing being designed using sustainable biomaterials and fabrics. She explains that there is a greater potential to shift the material flow and be more resource efficient, while focussing on how to create completely different ways of production that minimise the potential of overproduction, Chieza explains.

Chieza ended off by saying there is great potential with design, and the more we seek the more potential will be created.

Puma x First Mile sustainable collection goes beyond recycling

Global sports brand Puma and First Mile have co-created a sportswear collection made from recycled plastic, rooted in social impact and human connection.

The Puma x First Mile collection consists of shoes and apparel made from recycled yarn that is manufactured from plastic bottles collected in the First Mile network.

Strengthening micro-economies

The First Mile is a people-focused network that strengthens micro-economies in Taiwan, Honduras and Haiti by collecting plastic bottles to create sustainable jobs and reduce pollution. The bottles are then sorted, cleaned, shredded and turned into yarn, which is later used to create products with purpose that truly empower from the first mile forward.

click to enlarge

“Even though one of the key benefits of this partnership is social impact, the Puma and First Mile programme has diverted over 40 tonnes of plastic waste from landfills and oceans, just for the products made for 2020. This roughly translates into 1,980,286 plastic bottles being reused,” said Stefan Seidel, head of corporate sustainability for Puma.

“The pieces from this co-branded training collection range from shoes, tees, shorts, pants and jackets – all the apparel is made of at least 83% to even 100% from the more sustainable yarn sourced from First Mile.”

According to Puma, the collaboration with First Mile is part of its commitment to reduce its environmental impact and live up to its code of being “Forever Better”.

#BizTrends2020: Fashion won’t be sustainable until consumers are educated

If you’re wondering if sustainable fashion really does exist in South Africa, the answer is yes, but only on a small scale…

BY EMMA LONGDEN