Editor’s Note

There have been times when I’ve been accused of “drinking the Kool-Aid”. Back when I started interviewing (mainly) South Africans for articles in the lifestyle section of The Times newspaper, my (then) editor would accuse me of being too impressed by the achievements of our local stars, designers, filmmakers, artists, entrepreneurs, writers, chefs and musicians.

As I’m sure you can tell, I love a success story, especially if there’s South African talent involved and in the last few years there have been many South Africans to be proud of. It’s been like having Kool-Aid on tap.

Long before I started writing for The Times, I was a DJ and I played at the first ever Style Awards, 26 years ago. The Style Awards are the brain child of Jill Grogor, initiated to pay tribute to exceptional local talent. The first one took place in the court, below the escalators in Hyde Park shopping centre. I stood with my decks next to Jill, watching her command the entire production from her little earpiece microphone. She didn’t miss a beat. Luckily, neither did I. It was impressive and has clearly stood the test of time.

Since then, I don’t think I’ve missed one of Jill’s Style Awards. Every year, we glam up in the dress code of that year (one year it was denim ball gowns) and clink our glasses to celebrate some of SA’s best, established and new talent. Most often, those glasses are filled with Kool-Aid, and I’m happy to lap it all up.

Further afield, another team of excellent talent spotters, Trevyn and Julian McGowan, whose Southern Guild gallery has exhibited some of SA and Africa’s most gifted artists, have taken their show on the road. Read about their fabulous Los Angeles gallery in this Kool-Aid filled edition.