Fashion Criticism by Megan Nicholls

 “Up Town Cool” 

By Megan Nicholls

The talented designer Mpho Mphuti took the runway by storm with his 2015/2016 Spring Summer Ready to Wear collection. This collection gives you the sense of very sporty, yet very street savvy garments with a dash of elegance. The theme “Up Town Cool” represents your daily outfits with some kind of twist on the ordinary, it portrays the ideals of a modern young woman.

This colour scheme of the collection is what really brings the collection together. Mpho knew how to grab his audience’s attention with his bold yet minimalistic colours , such as, moss green, shock white, shock black, cassis, shock pink, pure orange and a few more. The necklines differ from plunging necklines, to a chokers to straight necklines, giving each design a look of its own without taking it away from the whole. By using shorts, skirts and dresses each with a different length, he did not limit himself to only one style. Mphuti used different stitching techniques that suits the fabric and the look.

The collection is very trend forward and accepted by the public. His collection is being sold on iWearNwsd, a student based online store that allows students to sell their one of a kind garments to the public. This collection could also be sold in retail stores that targets young woman between the ages of 18-25.

Mphuti defiantly did his research before hand, looking at his target market, the runway trends and keeping an eye on what young woman wear on a day to day basis. I must say, being a young woman myself this collection is defiantly a winner. By having overall knowledge before starting to design his collection, he did not just intrigue and surprise the audience and media, but he is also building himself a name in the buyers circle.

Fashion Criticism by Joane Schoeman

A sense of modernity By JOane Schoeman

Stripes stormed the spring/summer 2016 runways in every style you can possibly imagine—some ran horizontal while others vertical; there were thick lines and super skinny ones, too. Stripes don't necessarily have to walk the straight and narrow path.

At the Platinum fashion festival in 2015 Sindy Marè made her collection one to remember.  Making use of Asymmetric black-and-white stripes. Staying on the fashion cycle with the classic colours black and white. Her stripes went in every direction. I can definitely see that she did her research properly getting a head start on the trends that will be hitting stores in the next season.

A LE MODE LE DAME reached her target market through young affluent woman between the age of 23 and 40. Her collection flows in very well with the abstract designs and Asymmetrical black and white lines, which ties her whole collection as one. The printing was very special and unique from the other designers. She got her inspiration from a tiger that was hunted down and killed.  She really captured the audience`s attention with her ready-to-wear collection.

I kind of feel like this collection is something a Kardashian would wear because of their stylist, Monica Rose. She always has them wearing midi-length dresses and skirts. So this collection is perfect for their wardrobe. The details on the designs are just as good: the long flare points on the sides, the halter necks, the off- the- shoulder tops and the round necklines. We have already seen some of these designs in store and online.

Fashion Criticism By Nadine Milne

New flow on IndigoByNadine Milne

Jana Fourie

took that moment and claimed it hers – the freedom to walk the runway barefoot and in that this nelipot designer herself became the final piece to her collection that night. Her approach to her collection is unconventional and primarily marketed for the fashion forward late teens and young adults.

That is a good thing.

As for jana’s inspiration to her collection, voicing indigo children are the new age concept some definitely find eerie. The second part of her inspiration that stamps the whole of the concepts is, space. Finding nebula photography to inspire and capture the beautiful colours and effects of interstellar on her garments is interesting. The galaxy detail on Jana garments forms a soft flow in the collection. One comment from a design student who attended and show cased at the Platinum Fashion Festival 2015 said: “Stylistically the elements are very creative in terms of the fabric dying methods, but it’s not your everyday kind of look. It is very risqué.”

She work out the sartorial effects and this made her work stand out both on and off the runway,  amid the other vast collections that was sure to fill the air November 2015 at the Platinum Fashion Festival and even now for any buyer, moved by Jana’s intriguing collection.

Jana Fourie’s daring and soft feminine ready-to-wear garments were made from white shade of scuba and soft sheer fabrics. To

create the unique galaxy inspired details she had to dye the fabrics in hues of blues, purples and pinks. Combining flairs, tubular and hourglass silhouettes to fit the “out of this world” concept. These looks predominantly inspired by the 70’s and 90’s style, referencing the past that incorporates a grungy and bohemian feel.

It is still a kind of beautiful, to witness the designers bona fide personality on such an occasion. You don’t find many designers these days that is willing to show the spectator their identity, a transparency of who they are behind their designs. Jana became part of her collection – the final look. “being able to see true beauty in others and everywhere around your life, the door is open to create more and better”.