Debut show spotlights holiday style
● He set the cat among the pigeons 19 years ago by putting on an ensemble fashion show which locked designer heels with SA Fashion Week. And now, with local fashion weeks as common as Black Friday sales these days, is Gavin Rajah back to his old tricks?
That was on my mind as I made my way to the Norval Foundation in Cape Town’s Steenberg region for the inaugural Pick n Pay Clothing sponsored Cape Town Resort Collections last Saturday.
Conceptualised by the designer raconteur, it took place in the art museum’s lush sculpture garden. The designs of seven Cape Townbased labels were themed around what to wear for holidays and when travelling.
Through the entrance of the museum where saxophonist Judy du Plessis, in a bubble, entertains us, and past Jimmy Nevis crooning in front of a William Kentridge installation, I head upstairs to the VIP section.
That’s where I chat to Gretha Scholtz, Gavin’s muse, whose outfit is studded with those mystical “evil eye” motifs, and Sabi Sabharwal of Mother City foodie landmarks Bukhara and Haiku.
Then I catch up with one of the designers showcasing on the day, Jenni Button, whose designer caftans would fit easily on the QE2.
Gavin kicked things off with a dreamy collection strong on prints and embellished with
Gretha’s “evil eyes”, while mining queen-turned-fashion entrepreneur Vanessa Gounden looked to the clouds.
Craig Port gave us the cute factor, with his daughter Khloe Port-Hellmann, 8, and niece Sophie Shapiro, 4, walking the long and winding path, while we also saw the debut designs of
Mandy Tinkler at Habits, after taking over the helm from founder Jenny le Roux.