Silk on the catwalk
Designer Patel gives every abaya an individual flair
A ROOM full of women and a former intelligence service minister were among the guests at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton for the Silk Eid 2013 collection.
Muslim women from as far as Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal attended the show to get a taste of what the design house had in store for them.
The crowd gathered in the foyer, catching up with old friends and sipping tea as they waited for the show to start. Dressed in traditional wear, mostly Silk designs, the women were strikingly beautiful. Mayfair fashion designer Shanaaz Patel was responsible for the exquisite abayas (traditional Muslim attire) and this was her fifth Eid fashion showcase. FASHIONISTA: Breathing new life into an age-old dress style has put Patel at the forefront of refreshing traditional haute couture — and this year was no exception. The masters of ceremonies were ITV producer and host of the Let’s Talk show, Gulafsha Sayed, and news presenter Nafeesa Dangor. Sayed said Silk was born when there was a “gap in the market” for an abaya store. She said Muslim women had become tired of wearing massproduced plain black gowns. Patel, who has been a seamstress since 1994, soon put an end to that. Her designs are in line with global fashion trends, while still keeping it traditional. ALL IN THE FAMILY: Patel’s daughters Faaiza and Aneesa Omar, Fatima Zahra Patel and Nabeelah Bhamjee are involved in the family business and help their mom with ideas for new designs. Her granddaughters, Nuha, Ameera and Sameeha Omar, were the queens of the catwalk — showcasing grandma’s kiddies collection. BLACK IS BACK: Aneesa said this year’s collection fused the latest fashion trends of Europe with the traditional abaya without losing its simplicity. There was the lace collection, with cut-outs on the sleeves or bottom of the dress, with a see-through trim. The drapery collection featured shoulder and arm embellishments with net, silk and chiffon. The avant-garde collection was made up of jump-suits, wide pants and leggings and the fabric-front collection featured colour blocking and prints. The couture collection boasted opulent and rich designs, with intricate embroideries and embellishments.
Among the guests were Amina Frense and her husband, former Minister for Intelligence Services Ronnie Kasrils.
Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to ask him what he thought of the showcase. OVERALL: Guests were spoilt for choice with all the gorgeous clothes. But luckily the fashion show was followed by high tea — allowing the women to settle down and consider their options.
I am sure they are all waiting for Eid — this year expected to be celebrated in the first week of August — to show off the fancy new outfits.