The power of collaboration

Ensuring THE Future of design talent In sa.

ick n Pay Clothing, in collaboration with iconic fashion designer Gavin Rajah, has once again partnered to create a platform for emerging designers to showcase their talents at the Cape Town Resort Collections Runway Show. Hazel Pillay, Pick n Pay Clothing’s general manager, explains the conception of this project was fuelled by a desire to unveil and nurture design talent in South Africa, and bring designer garments at affordable prices to the masses.

Of the winners of the Futurewears incubator project recently announced, we had the pleasure of speaking with Zarah Cassim, a fine art graduate from UCT’S Michaelis School of Fine Art, about what the award means to her.

Glamour: Congratulations on being one of the Futurewear winners.

What inspired you to enter the competition?

Zarah Cassim: I saw the post advertising it and felt excited by the prospect of creating something in a different medium as it was an opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone.

G: As an artist who specialises in painting and photography, would you say it was a natural progression for you to venture into the world of fashion?

ZC: I wouldn’t say it was that, but fashion is something I’ve been interested in for a long time. I see it as another creative outlet, an exciting form of expression.

G: I read this quote in an article: ‘Historically, fashion has rarely been elevated to the same stature as painting, music, sculpture

or architecture. But fashion is one of the purest expressions of art because it’s art lived daily.’ do you agree with the writer’s sentiment?

ZC: I think that’s true as fashion is often considered mundane and functional. But that doesn’t mean it has to be dull. It’s appreciated by some people as a form of artistic expression. To me, quality and aesthetic are as crucial in fashion and clothing as they are in art.

G: Which local and international fashion designers inspire you?

ZC: I’m inspired by local designers who persist in their practice and value quality and detail during the age of fast fashion. My mother, the designer of Seven Ounce Childrenswear and Lazuli, has always inspired me. Internationally, I’m inspired by fashion houses that have collaborated with other creatives, bridging the gap between art, design and fashion.

G: What made you fall in love with the arts?

ZC: My parents pushed me to be creative. They started their business in Greenmarket Square, Cape Town, which, back then, was the equivalent of The Neighbourgoods Market [a market for local designers, also based in Cape Town]. So, I grew up in a creative environment.

I’ve always loved creating, whether it be art, architecture, interiors, ceramics, sculpture, fashion or food – each one fuels the other.

G: What advantages do you believe your fine-art training affords you?

ZC: It’s opened up a conceptual world for me, in which I don’t feel my expression is limited.

I can experiment with different mediums and create beyond functional.

G: How has your heritage influenced your art?

ZC: I’m always exploring and discovering heritage, which in the context of South Africa isn’t just about the country we were born in because of its many cultural and political layers. I see discovering the past in the present as a way of putting together fragments and layers to create an eclectic identity. I think it influences my art practice in the way that I’ve painted landscapes in multiple layers. The blurry, nostalgic quality of a daydream or distant memory and the relationship between reality and illusion is a theme I’ve often explored.

G: What can we expect from your debut collection? ZC: The clothing collection will explore the idea of reality and illusion. Surrealism is an exciting movement for me; I love the idea of an ethereal, romantic collection for everyday wear and the idea of a daydream.

G: last year was challenging. How did you navigate it?

ZC: I was in Cape Town, my home town, surrounded by my family and friends.

I had a baby and met so many interesting people. I think that it was a year of looking inward, appreciating the small things and reflecting on the big things. In these turbulent times, I think it’s vital to have a sense of community, support each other and cherish brotherhood.

G: What advice would you give to aspiring young artists and creatives?

ZC: Be true to yourself and your art. Honour your contracts with others and yourself – and enjoy the process!