A steady thread of talent...

Anna Raimondo

Sew it seams that South Africa really does house some talented designers, one of them being Anna Raimondo, an amazing jewellery designer from Cape Town, with an incredible eye for detail and all things beautiful.  Not only is Anna a talented designer, but she also received a scholarship to complete a Master of Design in Milan, Italy, where she amplified her skill level to European standards.  On completion she started an internship with the legendary fashion brand Chloe, working in their leather department in Milan.  After a well deserved 2 years of working and travelling, Anna returned to her hometown, Cape Town, where she launched SMITH in 2010.

Anna is constantly in search of simple, elegant, timeless designs with a little bit of diversity, and she has managed to capture these elements in every collection that I have had the pleasure of viewing to date.  Each piece of jewellery is bold, yet understated, elements, which create an astounding collection every time, with every piece being as beautiful as the next.

Every SMITH piece is 100% hand crafted by Anna herself, ensuring that no two pieces are the same.  Working with lightweight sterling silver, brass and copper makes every piece unique, and ensures that there is an element for everyone within the collection.

From 2011, SMITH jewellery became available for men too.  Anna was inspired by the Victorian Gentleman, translating traditional men’s jewellery into fun and quirky looks.  An incredible collection will soon be available at Egality, along with her ladies Tribal range, taking on a military ambiance, Anna has managed to translate this theme into a fun style, designing some striking cufflinks and tie-pins.

Anna is definitely a designer to watch, with her timeless pieces and unbelievable design talent, I see SMITH becoming a successful South African fashion brand that everyone will want to aspire to.

See the SMITH collection at www.smith-jewellery.com

Wide beaten brass cuff

Beaten brass waist cuff

At ease tie pin

At ease cufflinks

South African Fashion Week 2013

Sew it seams that SA fashion week has come and gone and I got to experience it from the front row with Egality as their new Assistant Buyer.  It’s amazing how different the industry appears when you are experiencing it from this view.  I definitely had a few favourites from the week such as Clive Rundle, Joel Jansen van Vuuren, Anmari Honiball and Tiaan Nagel just to name a few.

Clive Rundle’s show consisted of an amazing installation, whereby models would walk up on stage and either stand or sit on a chair, whilst having photographs taken, which were projected onto a screen behind them.  In the background there was a male voice asking the audience what they see, as if we were looking at inkblots.  The whole experience showed off his ability as an artist and an amazing fashion designer, and I left feeling inspired.

Clive Rundles' S/S13 installation

Joel Jasen van Juurens’ collection was incredibly breathtaking, with his signature unique dying techniques taken to another level using the Shibori dye technique, and combining this with beautifully unique patchwork.  He was inspired by a quilt his mother made for him when he was a child, which he used to hold over his head and with the light shining through it, created an illuminating stained glass effect.  The collection had an essence of an old work traveller, using tones of ivory, veld, slate and sky.  His inspiration was evident in his collection and I am proud to say that he is available exclusively at Egality. 

Joel Jansen van Vuuren S/S 13

Another one of Egality’s amazing designers was Anmari Honiball, who won the Lufthansa Best Collections competition.  Her collection was inspired by the movement, fragility and colours of moths.  Striking iridescent patches of fabric seamed trapped under layers of an amazing combination of sheer fabrics, which created such a beautiful movement in each piece.  There was a hint of a sporty feel throughout the collection too, with a solid metallic piece peeping through every now and then, and a mini visor to complete the look. 

Anmari Honiball S/S13

Overall fashion week was a great experience, South Africa really and truly has some amazingly talented designers, and I feel proud to say that I am a part of this industry.

Eliza Ioannou, Joel Jansen van Vuuren and Felicty Spies

Kick start your winter wardrobe...

Sew it seams that winter is slowly creeping in and it is only fitting that we take a look at a few of the trends rearing their heads for the up and coming season.  One I’ve noticed and personally purchased on my recent trip to London is the sneaker wedge; I would describe it as the perfect match of comfort and style.

One of the designers well know for being involved in the creation of this trend is Isabel Marant with her self titled fashion brand, she managed to take a popular silhouette and classic design and transformed it to give it a feminine flair.  Many of the affordable fashion brands have now jumped on the bandwagon and are creating “the look for less”, and the trend is therefore filtering down into mainstream stores such as Aldo, Topshop and Zara.  The trend has also been spotted on celebrities such as Jessica Alba, Nicki Hilton and Beyonce Knowles.

I think this trend is perfect for the South African customer who wants to be fashionable and comfortable simultaneously.  Whether or not this trend will be successful in South Africa is another question entirely, with a country as conservative as ours, I think that it’ll only be the true ‘risk takers’ who will adopt this spot on trend.  The sneaker wedge can be used to improve a simple blue jeans and white t-shirt combination, as well as being worn with shorts or dresses, the possibilities are endless, why not allow your inner fashionista to explore this new trend, and get a kick start on your winter wardrobe.

What the frock!

Sew it seams that Jaq and Bel have found their signature style dress, this is the dress that the label will be associated with, that people will talk about and will differentiate Jaq and Bel from the rest of the crowd.  It has already been featured in Woman and Home and Glamour magazine, with its next prospective move going to television. 

This soft, flowing, feminine gown allows a woman to feel sexy no matter her body type or style.  It does not constrict the figure, if anything it is so comfortable that you would want one for every day of the week.  What makes this particular dress so special is that it is a very simple, classic style from the front, with the signature Jaq and Bel surprise element of a tasteful, sheer, sexy open back, without being too revealing.  It oozes an understated sexiness that most women work very hard to achieve, and is now handed to you on silver platter.

The dress started off in black, and has been made in a wide range of colours, from colouring-blocking fuchsia pink and bright orange to navy, cerise and purple and it seems to be a hit no matter what the colour.  What’s great is that with just a few accessory tweaks, you can take it from a day at lunch with the girls to an important event in the evening, making the versatility of this particular frock vast.

So ladies, why not get into the shopping mood and go check out the signature Jaq and Bel frock, you will not be disappointed.

Photograph by Roxanne Lindenberg

 

Available at www.jaqandbel.co.za or Egality, 25, 4^th Avenue, Parkhurst, Johannesburg

Put a Spring in your step...

Sew it seams that Spring is here and everyone looks ready to clear out their old heavy winter jerseys and bring in the new light and airy Summer dresses, shorts and t-shirts.  Personally, I have a Spring-time ritual of purging clothing that I no longer wear or fit into, and it makes your entire wardrobe seem so fresh and new.  My rule is...”if you haven’t worn it for the past year it should be donated or thrown out”.

Although, my favourite part of the new season is the shopping, the excitement of seeing all the latest trends and colours, and getting energized for the season ahead, thinking of outfits to wear and accessories to match.  Especially this season, with all the beautiful pastel colours for the girls and guys forming the bulk of the Spring/Summer 2012 trends.  What is even more exciting now is that we have beautiful international stores in South Africa, such as Zara, Cotton On and Topshop (flagship store arriving in Sandton City at the end of November 2012), with a Topman included for the guys.  This affords the South African consumer the opportunity to show the European market what we can do with European trends, and I have a feeling that we are going to blow them away with our keen eye for an amazing ensemble, combining our unique South African style with what’s hot in the rest of the world.

And if that wasn’t enough, we have also come up-to-date with our online shopping experiences, with big South African brands such as Woolworths and Mr Price giving us the opportunity to purchase our favourite items from the comfort of our own homes, and have it delivered straight to our door.  Even though I feel that this takes away from our store shopping experience, it is very convenient for the lifestyle that most of us live in today’s world. 

So whether it is shopping online or going to the mall, put a Spring in your step and get inspired for the season.  Happy shopping!