Monday, February 16, 2009

the african fashion collective: stoned cherrie by nkhensani nkhosi


"Stoned Cherrie, established in 2000, is an African lifestyle brand that is expressive of urban culture in South Africa. Our vision is to become a premier African brand pioneering a Cultural Revolution in Africa. The brand was started in an effort to represent afro-urban culture by creating a platform for self expression. We have built brand equity over the last six years by representing this culture in a way that is truthful and that takes fashion out of the realm of pretense, emulation and frivolity."

source: stoned cherrie

o o o

without further ado, we present to you south africa's stoned cherrie. vibrant, sophisticated, and modern are the adjectives that came to mind when we saw nkhensani's brilliant use of color, textures, and range. she can do it all - from pants, to dresses, to skirts, to jackets - and so can the stoned cherrie woman.

dresses - maxi-style

two-toned, fabulous color, great detail at the neck -- red carpet ready.

dresses - short and sweet

playful, sophisticated, time to play. from mini and muted to mini and vibrant in one broad stroke without missing a beat? we call that brilliance.

skirts + blouses


poet sleeves, ruffles, romantic but with a backbone. we love how she combines her stunning, delicate silk blouses with strong, structured leather skirts. we especially like the last two looks - her use of ankara/african print in the belt, collar, and sleeves, and the dramatic print poet sleeve blouse and high-waisted leather skirt. mouthful, yes -- but it works.

pants

not our favorite looks, but noteworthy nonetheless. notice the collar and sleeves in the first look and how she contrasts the stunning colors. for the second look, we don't think the pieces work as well together, but give us those high-waisted pants in every color and we'll make it work. trust.

misc - the jacket, the skirt suit, and the dress that didn't quite work

love the structured jacket and the detaling. we'd probably wear ours with a belt and the fiercest pumps on the block.


we like that she attempted a delightful skirt suit but we're not a huge fans of this look. a fitted skirt and 3/4 sleeves in another color could've been a 10/10.

don't like it at all. a little too much going on here that just doesn't seem to fit in with the vibe of the rest of the collection.

accessories

she kept her accessories simple - we spotted colored tights, a beaded belt, plain, colored pumps, and the conversation piece clutch pictured above.

o o o

our verdict? nkhensani's platter is rich and varied and anticipates as many looks as there are occasions in a busy, on-the-go fabulous woman's life. stoned cherrie put on a complete show that wasn't afraid to mix and match and throw it all in without coming off as chaotic and ill-executed. nkhensani, we're very proud.

xo

photos from kk+ and wwd.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nicely written, as always. You guys do such great work! I'm here everyday even though this is the first time I've left a comment. Love your blog!

Fly Girl said...

Yes, Yes Yes! I love these pieces, the colors and textures are right up my alley. Now when are they coming to Chicago?

Katarina Kühl ~ PencilFashion said...

i love alek wek :)

Dropsofglamour said...

I love the colours in this collection. Very vibrant and perfect for summer.

xoliquoricexo said...

@ anon: awww, that was very kind of you! thanks :-)

@ fly girl: chicago? sigh. soon, we hope :-) helloooo!

@ kat: she's stunning, isn't she?

@ dropsofglamour: couldn't agree more! feenin' for several of the pieces as i type, lol.

xo