Show 2: Amanda Laird Cherry & Ephymol

Growing up in KZN, designer Amanda Laird Cherry has always being able to catch the eyes of those who aren’t expecting it. As for me? Well, owning 3 items of her clothing, I’m pretty much seated in a bias position.

But i’ll try be as neutral as possible.
Amanda did it again!
Ahem.
I remain neutral. Promise.
In Afrikaans we call autunm ‘Herfs’. Say it with me now – Hhherrffs. And it’s no doubt that with a word that is that comfortable to say you understand why they gave it to autumn and not summer.
Both Autumn and Winter have the ability to strip women of their glamour and leave them resorted to thick layered, un sexy jerseys. Those kind that your grandmother knit for you 3 Christmases ago but you couldn’t throw out due to how warm they kept you, and well – it’s your grandma. Gosh.
Amanda proved that you can be warm in winter and still look somewhat not like a woolly mammoth.
You can still be comfortable and feel feminine.
Imagine forests and cabins in the woods. The smell of sawdust and freshly topped soil.
Colours of brown, cream and grey flood the catwalk as the models walk out layered in fabrics that tug at their bodies. Sweeping jerseys made of wool and organic leather satchels that swing at the shoulders. Amanda experimented with goat hide and the way the material can be used to cover flat shoes and create head pieces with common things like alice bands. Always a fan of using materials that are organic, comfortable and casual to wear, the range breathed, changed and moved as though the clothing were feather-light. As ‘chilly’ as that sounds, the clothing was however still warm and thick enough to block out any sudden winter breeze or gust of wind. Long skin tight sleeves that tugged comfortably at the palms of the models met with the trailng drawstrings that swayed with each step the model took. Coherently the range made the meaning of what a moment is - what existing within a moment is all about. Minimalism and naturalism in melange pants was met with extravagance in a brown jacket that was made up of other jackets.
Yup. Other jackets. Where the arms of the jackets actually transformed the jacket into a skirt/dress.
For my last word here; Amanda never ceases to keep fashion casual yet sexy, warm but not uncomfortable. Scarfs. Jackets. Jerseys.
That is all.

Below: the massacred jacket/skirt

Ephymol designer Ephraim Molingoana brought back the meaning of what it is to be cool, funky, handsome and sexy. All of this in a range of menswear that revived Motown Jazz and Afro Funk. There's moments of the Retro 50's as well as the excitement of discovering something new.
My imagination moved to dark, smoke-filled bars where the sounds of Mama Afrika and Hugh Masekela painted the walls of the room. Men with fedoras, pollar necks and tightly pants filled the catwalk with attitudes of cool and class. Pashmina scarves and sweaters made certain that the South African Modern Man was to stay warm yet cool, this winter.
I was reminded of Sherlock Holmes and a return to spohistication.
Ultimately, old school met 2010 and funky dagwood infused itself with vintage modern.

Paris B

Below: The word 'cool' doesn't even make the cut.