Designers use clever fabrications to expand their ranges @ Market on Main

By Guy Little

Sunday 23rd January saw the first run of The Market on Main – a creative depot and hot spot for Joburg’s design talent. Despite the usual mid-month madness, the turnout was astounding.  An apparent trend from designers Anisa Mpungwe (Loin Cloth and Ashes) and Peta-Lee Woolf was the introduction of smaller, fabricated elements into their ranges.  Babycakes Goodies (stockists of vintage fashion ephemera) had some quirky yet well chosen pieces - correlating directly with newly released 60’s-style fabrics from Sonia Rykiel.

Loin Cloth and Ashes presented earrings (above) - simple and circular in form with others featured in cascading layered threads. Earrings were fabricated using traditional Tanzanian cottons, leathers and vintage-style fabrics – all complimenting LCA’s existing read-to-wear range.  The earrings have been created under LCA’s sub-label, Farra and the Little One by Araffa and Alma Mpungwe.  Prices start from R 30.00.  For more information visit http://www.loinclothandashes.com or call+2772 468 8266

Peta-Lee Woolf’s felted designs (below) span both the realms of fashion and interior decoration.  Her latest offerings include edgy crocheted 'neck-wear' – combining the functionality of a scarf with the aesthetics of a decorative neck piece.  For more information visit http://www.peta-lee.com/

Below - Clever sourcing by the Babycakes Goodies team saw apparel reflective of current international fabric trends.  Some pieces in particular relate directly to fabric designs recently launched by Sonia Rykiel for Lelievre Paris.  For more information visit http://www.bcgoodies.tumblr.com/ or call +2772 532 5103

The Sonia Rykiel Maison range (above) of cotton velvets and silk-cotton taffetas is available from Mavromac  South Africa.  For more information visit http://www.mavromac.co.za/ or http://www.lelievre.eu/

 With all the progress noted – one can only anticipate great things from these creators

Runway’s Luxury Woven Tartans and Lush Linens Hit SA Fabric Trade

Mavromac delivers the best in luxury fabric – ripped straight from the catwalk

by Guy Little



Menswear trends from Milan and Paris, for Autumn/Winter 2011-12, have dictated looks that are worn-in and countrified.  Pringle of Scotland and Issey Miyake launched runway looks reflective of a man from the outback – donned in checked and tartan coats and casual hooded sweaters.  With this, Mavromac South Africa continues to maintain a lead in stocking the latest in fabric styles and weaves relative to this design trend.   Home to some of the finest luxury branded textiles; Mavromac gives South African creators a chance to indulge in the ultimate luxury of the trend that is woolly, woven and tartan.



Above; Issey Miyake and below; Pringle of Scotland - Mens Fall 2011 Runway - Paris and Milan Menswear Fashion Weeks

Loro Piana’s latest luxury cashmeres and wool blends are now available to South African designers and decorators.  Representing the pinnacle in quality cashmere and wool production, Loro Piana carries the proud label, ‘Made in Italy’.  Piana’s latest range presents an understated mix of simple weaves and detailed tartans - filtered into muted greys, rustic reds, light chocolate hues and ripe grape tints.  There is however, nothing understated about the fabric's structure and weave.  All created using the finest raw fibres, one can indulge in 100% cashmere softness and other wool blends right off the roll at Mavromac. In the same bracket as Piana – UK’s de le Cuona continues to maintain its excellence in producing some of the world’s finest linens. A new range offering linen tartans is a refreshing alternative to the embroidered and more opulent styles synonymous with the brand.



de le Cuona’s offering of tartan-style 100% linen.  Weighty and plush to the touch, de le Cuona’s Aviator design has a rub count of 20 000 and retails from R 2 093.00/m.  Visit www.mavromac.co.za for more information



Tartan cashmeres in a variety of styles from Loro Piana’s Harris design – 90% cashmere and 10% Hair Corshair.  Price per meter available on request.  Visit www.mavromac.co.za for more information

Both Loro Piana and de le Cuona exude the timeless quality that comes with being a luxury brand.  Feed your senses this winter by viewing these ranges at Mavromac.  Visit www.mavromac.co.za; www.delecuona.co.uk and www.loropiana.com for more information.



Looking Good and Going 'Green'... Livia Firth shows us how

Livia Firth’s dress for the 2011 Golden Globe Awards is a major step forward in promoting worldwide eco-friendly fashion

by Guy Little

 Going green has cultivated industrial and architectural design industries, adding further dimensions to their features and lessening their carbon footprint.  When it comes to fashion industries however, going green has always been somewhat of a grey and nebulous area.  Fabric sourcing and usage, as well as the effects of clothing production, need to be strictly monitored for a garment to be considered ‘green’. 

Livia Firth, wife of Colin Firth, is a passionate key-holder in this movement – supporting eco-conscious Jeff Garner of fashion label, Prophetik

Prophetik’s design principles and philosophies are simple and grounded.  They revolve around a more naturalistic state of being, much like the ideas of the medieval scholastic thinkers during the Renaissance of the 12th century.  Today’s fashion industries largely acknowledgethe aesthetic and design appeal of their products before considering any kind of impact on the environment.  With the exception of design houses like Prophetik  - going green makes for a very different design philosophy.  From the tiny silkworm that is used to spin the silk, to growing free-range bearing fruits to produce dyes, Jeff Garner seems to have nailed eco-chic on the head.

Dyeing fabric takes place on the work premises using natural dyeing techniques

Prophetic’s Green Habits

As in Livia Firth’s dress, Tussah silk was used - a plain weave silk fabric made from wild silkworms.  It has irregular thick and thin yarns creating an uneven fabric pile and unusual lustrous colour.  The fabric may also be referred to as raw silk. Wild silkworms feed on numerous leaf-types other than just the mulberry leaf.  Tussah silk-making avoids killing the silkworm and possesses no harmful chemicals apparent in other silk productions.

Garner has revived natural indigo dyeing.   Using a ‘home-grown’ Indigo plant, no synthetic substitutes are used and the process is completely sustainable.  Dyeing is also done on his business premises.

Livia Firth states, “The thing I really appreciate about Jeff is that he thinks very deeply about problems in the fashion chain such as the heavy chemical pollution associated with dyeing.  He then comes up with a considered response. His understanding of ecologically intelligent fabrics and processes is as extraordinary as his respect for the natural world.”

Follow Livia Firth’s Blog at www.prophetik.com/livia-firths-blog-the-green-carpet-challenge or visit www.prophetik.com for more information

The Fabric of Scent

As layered as the oils are in your fragrance – eu de toilette or perfume - so it is also important to note how fragrance should be layered on the body

by Guy Little

The notes and oils of a perfume, or other constructed fragrances like eu de toilette, weave together and intertwine to uncover its scent.  A friend in the cosmetic sales industry once mentioned something about the ‘layering’ of fragrances.  I thought nothing of it at first, and understood him to mean it is the way in which fragrance is sprayed onto the body.  What I didn’t realise at the time was that the creams and lotions we apply to our bodies also contain fragrance and a certain amount of perfume.  The layering of fragrance thus refers to complimenting creams with your eu de toilette or perfume.

It is however rather easy to get the layering-fragrance technique wrong.  As one who is always conscious of smell, applying Nivea body lotion underneath Terre d' Hermès
 EDT was not a good move.  I ended up reeking of some potent sunscreen lotion.   Obliterating the Nivea lotion and switching to another fragrance-free brand, I seemed to have the problem solved.  Later, whilst at my grandmother’s house, I remember scratching around for some hand cream and stumbled across a tub, from the Crabtree & Evelyn's Wisteria range.  I opened it up half-expecting to smell a mix of something relating to granny-floral drawer liners.  It was very floral indeed - in quite an unobtrusive way and rather fresh smelling – very fluid and easily absorbed.  I applied the cream and later realised how well it emphasised my Eu de Parfum – Tom Ford Black Orchid.  I revelled in my new find.

Crabtree & Evelyn’s Wisteria range of body care works excellently with Tom Ford's Black Orchid EDP – for both men and women.  For more information, visit www.crabtree-evelyn.com or www.tomford.com

It is fantastic to emphasise your fragrance through the fragrance of a cream or body lotion.  Most design houses that make perfume carry body lotions to compliment their signature fragrance. In my case, Black Orchid’s range of creams was a little out of my budget and I was lucky enough to find a cheaper alternative.  Something in C&E’s Wisteria cream clicked so beautifully with Tom Ford’s Black Orchid EDP.  I had found a winning match.

Visit www.clarins.com - or any Clairns counter - for more information on their range of body moisturisers

Be Inspired

• Visit the Tom Ford counter at Stuttafords’ Flagship Stores and take a whiff of all the latest in his bespoke fragrance range.  For more information visit www.stuttafords.co.za
• Always apply body lotion or cream to your body before spraying on your fragrance.  The moisturisers will help your fragrance and scent last longer. Another great product is the Clarins Moisture Rich Body Lotion.  It has a great smell that mixes well with most fragrances.  It works especially well with the Nina Ricci perfume, Ricci Ricci.

Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci.  Visit your nearest Stuttafords or visit www.ninaricci.com for more information

The Art in Craft



The craft trend has made its way from tiny table trinkets and decorations to fantastic focussed pieces of art

by Guy Little

More and more of us are becoming conscious of the way we entertain, specifically focussing on the dressing of the dining table and creating the right ambiance for the home.  Otto de Jager (major player in the South African events and entertainment industry; Otto De Jager Events) is probably responsible for introducing decadent, quirky and sometimes very over-the-top inspirations into table dressing.  His works caught much favoured attention in his baroque-style table settings and elaborate displays at Rooms on View, Johannesburg 2008.

De Jager’s creative senses are spot on in his food and table displays.  Visit www.odjevents.com for more information

A movement toward a more eclectic way of table setting and decoration has evolved.   From the very rustic to the ultra-mod, décor retailers and suppliers cottoned onto the importance of consumers entertaining in style.   In one sense, this has further spilled over into a more dainty and impermanent form of decor product - one that enhances both home and ambiance for entertaining. A turn to craft and all things hand-made reveals displays as clustered, stacked or shown as collections – very evocative of the Victorian era. 

Victorian interiors were characterised by collections of objects that reflected both owner’s interest and wealth, as well as further enhancing the look and feel of the home.  Clustered paintings and ornaments are easily relatable to modern ways of display and decoration



An emerging trend - some years ago - was the introduction of felted orbs and pebbles.  They started small and now, creations are the size of boulders.  One such artist I tapped into on the net has this very profession.   Ronel Jordaan - a textile designer – has a website that works seamlessly with the design and display of her creations.  I was quite taken by an image of weaver nests intergraded into raw branches.  The nests – all fresh tones of blue, pistachio green and white – have been moulded to mimic real bird dwellings.  The juxtaposition of the felt nests against a stark wall is very affective in creating a modern and aesthetically pleasing focal point.





Jordaan’s modern creations are reflective of a movement toward hand-crafted objects that serve to adorn and enhance an interior.  For more information visit www.roneljordaan.com

Fabricating, crafting and moulding objects into a space carries with it sentiments of love and more importantly – the good energies used to create it.

 

Be Inspired

When spotting divine decorations you are really keen on – think about the use they’ll have after you’ve entertained.  As in Ronel Jordaan's designs, her felted design arrangements can easily be tanslated from party pleasure to beautiful decor piece after.





Designer Fabric at a Price that’s Nice

A little ground work and initiative can get you the designer fabric you’ve always wanted
by Guy Little

Decorating on a budget is always a little difficult when deciding on the best possible schemes, colours, prints and weaves.  It requires much time and patience.  In my case – decorating my first apartment required plenty of bargain hunting - not just for furniture, but for fabrics too.

Fabric sales are a win when sourcing for large scale works like curtaining and major upholstery.   However, working on a budget is somewhat limiting when trying to source a fabric that really speaks to you.  Local fabrics, as in the South African textile industry, do a sufficient job and are affordable, but generally lack the ardour of their imported counterparts.   

On a visit to esteemed South African fabric distributor, St Leger & Viney, I glanced across the showroom to a sample hanging that instantly grabbed me.  It was absolutely perfect in complimenting the pink accents I wanted to achieve in my home.  Recognising that it was of course an import, I immediately became quite despondent.  It was beautiful though - percale-like cotton, so tightly woven it glistened.  The print had a brush-on-fabric quality, in hues of gentle pinks and maroon.  It was a toile designed by Clarence House and it was unlike any other I had ever seen before.   Quite naive and quaint in nature – the print revealed animals dressed up like ordinary people – utterly charming and reminiscent of artwork done by Beatrix Potter, but with more of a sketchy, gestural feel.   

A detailed example of the paint-on-fabric-style Clarence House has adopted - simple, elegant and understated

I went back to St Leger & Viney on more than one occasion to look at that fabric hanging.  I eventually enquired about the price only to find the fabric had been discontinued.  I abruptly asked the sales lady, “Well what are you going to do with the hanging then?”

She scurried to a back room with the sample whilst I waited in the showroom.  She arrived back stating, “We have no use for this anymore...”

The naive and somewhat juvenile qualities of the printed depictions only add to the fabric's charm and allure.  The above design by Clarence House

At the end of it all, I was able to purchase the hanging for only 50 bucks! A cracking bargain I thought – considering that that particular design retails in the thousands per meter.  The fabric was given to my upholsterer straight away to make two rectangular scatters.   They now take pride of place on two broadstripe-pink (St Leger & Viney) occasional chairs.

For more information on Clarence House, visit http://www.clarencehouse.com/ and St Leger & Viney; http://www.stleger.co.za/

Pringle’s Outback-Boy - Milan Fashion Week, Menswear A/W 2011

Fabrication is subdued and understated; creating the worn-in, cloudy nature of the outback-boy - from fashion design house, Pringle of Scotland

by Guy Little

A more understated approach is evident in Clare Waight Keller's collective fabrications for Pringle of Scotland; Menswear A/W 2011.  A simple layering of reveres and roll collars paired with lengthy, flowing fits - in deep hues of mud and varying greys - creates an air of total rugged masculinity.

Fabrics reveal themselves effortlessly, creating a lived-in appearance that looks like it has spanned generations.  Raw furs, fibrous knits, panelled leathers and ribbed accents reveal a man who chooses comfort first - making this range easily translatable into street and urban wear.

Stand-out pieces from Pringle included an oversized cable-knit pull-over sweater, with the length reaching almost mid-thigh.  The knit may be bold – but hues remain overcast and shady in their mud-and stone-greys.   Some intricate detailing – reminiscent of American Indian tribal art – was incorporated into the knitwear as patterning on certain zip-up anoraks and pull-overs. 

Be Inspired

Get grandma to knit a broad and bold cable-knit sweater.  This, paired with figure flattering jeans, creates the understated look that governs Pringle of Scotland, Menswear 2011 Autumn/Winter