Africa Fashion Week 2011: Day 2 - Gloria Wavamunno >> Uganda [Mensch/Unmensch]

Gloria Wavamunno has been one of the most intriguing and organic transformations - and fluctuations - to watch. From early days filled with wax print cutout minis and a simplicity that made us somewhat dissatisfied, Gloria seems to have found a steady footing, if somewhat unsure of itself on occasion. Time, perhaps, and significant exposure in the last year, from runways in London (one of her strongest appearances yet) to Africa Fashion Week, New York, where we saw  a mixed bag of spunk and simple - sometimes, far too simple. For Spring/Summer 2012, Gloria Wavamunno is finally back in top form, delivering her strongest pieces yet.

Dubbed Mensch/Unmensch (German for human and inhuman, or dignified and undignified), everything from the accessories - half-gloves for the seemingly half-conformist 'good', horns for the 'bad' - to the pieces themselves carried that duality. Sheer tapered harem pants, thigh high slits skirts with maximum movement and torso-baring jackets met a buttoned up jacket with metal embellishments, batik jackets also similarly embellished and combined with faux fur - all more covered up than the dazzling black latex jackets (our particular favourites). Yet, the good/bad distinction was hardly linear - the 'bad' pieces only required a little buttoning up to integrate them with the well-behaved. Is anything, then, strictly always Mensch/Unmensch? Or do we mostly stride the middle ground - reflected in the grey pieces and a sweet brown signature mini - not being wholly dignified or undignified? For designers of African origin, is there pressure to pander to print or is there room for freedom to explore? Whatever the answer is, Gloria bats for both sides confidently.

From staple spring black, to a dose of red, and a taste of Africa by way of the batiks; to a cropped leather jacket and a sheer, cropped grey one; to jacket and dresses gilded in fur and chain, Gloria clearly put a good deal of thought into combining easily disparate elements into one, ultimately leaving the tussle between Mensch and Unmensch an open-ended one. Whichever direction you feel drawn to for spring, this collection comes prepared to enable you - you shouldn't feel compelled to be one or the other. We like this Gloria very much and hope she gives this level of work more consistently.

- SLiq

Photos courtesy of SDR Photos

Africa Fashion Week 2011: Day 2 Edit - The Swim Team

ADAMA PARIS - SENEGAL/PARIS

Bright wax print was the name of the game at Adama Paris - from statement poolside/beach wear with angular sleeves, to pretty separates finished off with bows. From the more daring, cutout one pieces were available - an incentive to hit the gym well in advance if ever there was one. We're not sure how practical these are for dipping into the pool, given that they're fashioned from cotton, but if all you're after is flopping on a beach chair with a giant hat and sunglasses, these pieces would make heads turn regardless.

DAX MARTIN - SOUTH AFRICA

Gorgeous, clever custom seashell nylon lycra prints stole the show at Dax Martin - from cool sea blues to deep browns mimicking cowrie sea shell spots. Dyed caftans finished off with silver and gold sequins reminiscent of water and sand continued the sea of tributes to mother nature. Our favourite? The vintage-style pin-up girl separates.  

EKI ORLEANS - NIGERIA/UK

Eki Orleans offered a brilliant peacock fiesta of free, floor-length frocks, minis and bikinis; a glamorous resort-ready wardrobe of fluid silks and beachwear featuring prints from Eki Orleans' earlier collections. We adore the layered dresses, giving off a multi-tone sheer effect and the dramatic trains of two of the longer pieces. The brighter the print, the better for us.

- SLiq

Photos: SDR Photos

Africa Fashion Week: Day 2 Edit - Madam Wokie, Duaba Serwa, Kiki Clothing

As with yesterday, more full-blown reviews of our top shows from Day 2 to come. Please stay tuned.


MADAM WOKIE - SIERRA LEONE

Bandage mummy-like pieces, an ultra chic wildcard suit with old-school appeal and distinctly Sierra Leonean embroidery were the highlights of this collection. At times muted in brown tones, at times highlighted with purple and yellow, the thigh-grazing minis were the most recurrent looks. While the collection was far too small and thematic for our liking, we enjoyed this ode to femininity and the jolt of electric blue, which we wish had been explored in more detail. The pieces that will probably linger the longest are the burnt gold bandage dress and skirt - the perfect fusion of naughty and nice.

DUABA SERWA - GHANA

Duaba Serwa's collection was a pleasant surprise. Being the young label's first full-blown collection and introduction to a global audience, one might have expected nervous jitters or a lack of direction, but not so for Duaba Serwa. Golden girl dresses reminiscent at times of Roland Mouret were an undoubtedly sexy (especially a structured, corseted number paired with an effortless jacket) celebration of the female form and were finished off with a metallic sheen. Form fitting minis in deep purple and grey had necklines adorned in seed and pearl beads - an early hint at a signature detail perhaps? Beading also showed up on a jacket and side panels on a custard yellow peplum dress, sprucing them up nicely. The show-stopper? A floor-length red dress with extensive, perfectly-positioned beading. We're certainly looking forward to this label's future offerings as they fine-tune their point-of-view in an industry where a unique selling point is key. Still, a commendable first attempt.

KIKI CLOTHING - GHANA

Print lovers after easy, ready-to-wear pieces may find some level of fulfillment in Kiki Clothing's collection. While offerings didn't dig deep enough for us we can't deny a commercial appeal in the poet sleeves, pussy-bow detail and the rompers, dresses, and shorts. Good for customers who don't do fuss and frills, especially with Kiki Clothing's fair asking prices. Highlights were a chiffon pussy bow blouse contrasted with print and wax-print sandals - a go-to accessory for warm summer days.

- SLiq

Africa Fashion Week 2011: Day - 1 Alexander Koutny [South Africa/NY]

Much has been made of cross-border appeal in our increasingly global village - fashion beyond borders, if you like - and its insatiable appetite for newness. While it may yet be a distant and daunting dream for many out-of-Africa designers battling constraints from funding to infrastructure, Johannesburg-born and Central Saint Martins MA graduate Alexander Koutny is already fluent in international speak. His home-coming collection brought with it a dark turn - a detour of sorts from his recent flirtations with print, but it also hearkened back to earlier collections when black was his base.

Obvious heaviness aside - wool, tights, leather, heavy coats and layering, however gorgeous, don't exactly scream Spring however you cut it - but, incidentally, it's the strong finger on cut, technique and detail we are most curious about here. Seen from a sculpted origami jacket with strong angular shapes (the statement jacket to end all statement jackets, save for a Viktor and Rolf creation) to a layer of mesh peeking from a boxy, asymmetric layer, mesh skin tight leggings paired with a silk blouse and hair extensions playing the role of embroidery; it's an artful tug-of-war between dark and light from which neither ultimately prevails because they are so beautifully combined. Many pieces started as simple crew necks, from which they became an angular cocoon dress in one case and an asymmetric piece with padded sleeves in another.

For a designer who left South Africa to escape 'commercialism', his attention to detail is hardly surprising and bears the traces of an aesthetic fine-tuned and understood over time - this level of effortlessness doesn't just happen. Sadly, the fine art of approachable construction that distinguishes Koutny isn't obvious in these one-dimensional photos; this strikes us as the sort of collection you meet one-on-one and deconstruct, layer by layer. In the absence of that, however, Koutny has evidently returned to South Africa fully formed with a strong point of view and his own self-assured take on international chic. We await his future projects somewhat impatiently, while we hope for a forecast of more lightness and less wool next summer.

- SLiq

Photos courtesy of SDR Photos

Africa Fashion Week 2011: Day - 1 Marianne Fassler [Street Juju]

Marianne Fassler is bound by an underlying commitment to showcasing and promoting Africa, and is something of a local legend in South Africa where she has consistently offered a divergent point of view for over two decades. In a budding industry where 'African Fashion' has undergone many makeovers and shorned strict definitions, Marianne Fassler, in her words, 'understands the strength of contemporary South Africa with its mixed cultures and mixed messages and her work exudes an exuberant Africanism that never descends into cliche'. This intimate understanding is reflected in the spirit of her Street Juju collection at Africa Fashion Week - a streak of irreverent, timeless spunk (reminiscent of Vivienne Westwood), with street charm and distinctly African sensibilities.

From markings echoing a long heritage of scarification, to ombre and bright polka dot jersey dresses, and wax print mixed with leopard, a varied pot of print was offered in Marianne's signature way - shredded, criss-crossed with tulle, deconstructed and re-combined. Usually soft and romantic tulle and lace brought additional edge in the form of ruffled, free layered skirts, taking a cue from patterned bodices - a carefree, unscripted celebration of independence. For all the fun dresses and separates - one look combined polka dots with a multi-coloured underlay and a gorgeous lace bodice - there was also room for some grown-up seriousness. A dark tie-dye dress (seen on the timeless Ajuma) suitable for red carpet sass, a black leather dress straight from the set of the Matrix, and a silk floor-length leopard print stunner easily come to mind.

Clearly, Marianne is a master of craft, and while not every single look struck a cord, the diversity of her offerings - from the practical jerseys to the fantastical tulles, all joyful and unrestrained -, the homage to the colour and verve of street style, and the nods to Africa point to why she's an enduring talent, firmly in a league of her own.

- SLiq

Photos: SDR Photos

Africa Fashion Week 2011: KLuK CGDT [The African Cinderella]

[Image courtesy of JenaDova]

You may be forgiven for being a little breathless after seeing KLuK CGDT's unprecedented production - one Twitter fan was confessed to being positively weepy (@StyleGuideCT), another said 'I do believe in love - but I'd rather wear Kluk or CGDT' (@IsobelStellar). Superlative, gushy, emotional - call their cult-like profession of admiration what you want; it's all too easily justified. From the sheer breadth of it (we counted about 60 looks), to the alarmingly - yes, alarmingly - brilliant depth of it (everything from embroidered lace to belted paper bag shorts found a place), KLuK CGDT put on a delightfully crammed show that has earned them one of the few prime spots in our hearts.

Lace (African and French) and lightness set the tone for fantastically crafted dresses combining sheer net with embroidered lace cutouts. When lace wasn't acting as an embellishment on the hems and bodices of many-a-dress, it was standing alone as high-waisted ivory trousers and a glamorous buttoned-up blouse - a welcome re-invention of a textile usually reserved for traditional use. A sheer mood pervaded several pieces - sometimes as tunic-like tulle overlays on simple slips, as see-through poet sleeves, and even as a zig-zag motif running through two floor-length frocks. A mostly muted palette of lilac and off-white allowed the craftsmanship to shine through, but a brilliant burst of yellow and print were welcome intrusions in this compelling ode to romance, Africa-style. For all the pieces on display, an interconnectedness held them together where a less seasoned hand may have offered schizophrenia - a well-deserved nod especially in that regard.

From the evening frocks to the day dresses and the ultra chic separated held together by bows and ribbon, KLuK CGDT is clearly gunning for relevance in virtually every aspect of our summer wardrobes, from cocktail parties, to all-night soirees, and afternoon ladies-who-brunch meetings. A collaboration with Cape Cobra on exquisite high-end leather accessories could point to the makings of a KLuK CGDT lifestyle experience. No easy feat to be relevant in many different ways, but perhaps undaunting for a brand that's strong across the board, from ready-to-wear, to bridal, and couture. An extraordinary accomplishment and a pointer to the boundless possibilities Africa holds, and a timely reminder that brilliance abounds in every corner of the continent in ways one cannot always predict. 

- SLiq

Photos: SDR Photos

Africa Fashion Week 2011: Day 1 Edit - Tart, Stefania Morland, Mataano

*Below, we've highlighted the bright sparks from Day 1 of Africa Fashion Week. Later in the day, we'll bring full-length reviews of the most compelling shows. Be on the lookout for our reviews of the Alexander Koutny, Marianne Fassler, and KLuK CGDT shows. 

TART - South Africa

A preponderance of black is Tart's forecast for Spring 2012. Possibly too anti-summer sunshine for some - especially given the abundance of colour on many-a-runway the world over - but also a practical, sure-fire approach to seasonless style. When it wasn't veering too close to autumn (we spotted knit and leather), silhouettes were simple and approachable, although not terribly ground-breaking or out of the ordinary. However, the part of us that craves straight-to-the-point clothes is easily swayed in this direction, and perhaps we may even sample the seat belt chic.

STEFANIA MORLAND - South Africa

Lace. Sheer. Bows. Girly, but not in a syrupy or sickeningly sweet way, thank goodness. Once again, not much in the way of bold colour - black (and white) may yet be an emerging trend -, but certainly abounding in charming details. Layered ruffle mini skirts, metallic lace, and a supple silk jacket and romper. As a whole, several looks were too plain and simple, but a few of the gems are highlighted below, with Ajuma's evening frock (above) offering the most irresistible choice.

MATAANO - Somalia/USA

Finally, a healthy dose of fashion vitamin D by way of Mataano. A good number of these pieces were seen - and loved (read our extensive review here) - in New York last month, but the new nautical direction for accessories (rope necklaces,  espadrille wedges - mostly white and tan in South Africa to New York's black) lent an air of freshness and summer-worthiness.

Expect more extended reviews from the most memorable and compelling shows throughout the day.

Any favourites yet?

- SLiq

Photos courtesy of SDR Photo