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.