Red is white hot for summer

South African Fashion Week presented a vibrant crop of new and established design talent in its Spring Summer 2018 collections shown in Sandton last week.

Men and womenswear designers presented their vision for a colour spring and summer, with white and red leading the colour charge.

Menswear designer De Mil Clothing presented a Spring/Summer

collection titled The Crown, that aimed to liberate the imagination and challenge convention.

Coenraad De Mol, the designer behind De Mil, used the collection to share a part of himself with the industry statement through a deeply personal collection which he said was a product of a three-year spiritual journey.

He drew his inspiration for the handcrafted pieces from the alter robes worn in the Roman Catholic Church. There were subtle elements of religious iconography that reflected through ancient weaving techniques as well as through unique jewellery pieces created by E.G. Jewellery.

Then there was a mashup of iconic fashion and fast food as designer Gert-Johan Coetzee teamed up with McDonald’s South Africa for the 50th birthday of the iconic burger, the Big Mac.

Coetzee’s glamorous Big Mac-inspired fashion collection at SAFW 2018 included a range of edgy streetwear. But it wouldn’t be a Coetzee show without high-glamour red-carpet showstoppers and he also sent glam casualwear down the ramp.

Sandile Mlambo, designer of Kumkani Bespoke, won the MINI Scouting Menswear when he brought the African Warrior to life on the SAFW Runway.

Kumkani Bespoke wins the opportunity to showcase his collection at 2019 SAFW Autumn/Winter collection (scheduled for October 2018), as well as an all-expenses paid trip to Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence, Italy.