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Photo Diary: On The Road For Sanlam SA Fashion Week Regional Collection
Sanlam SA Fashion Week Spring 2007
By: Veronica Viljoen-Sims
Photos by Johnny Sims
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LOS ANGELES, Aug 18, 2006/ FW/ --- With the organizers of Sanlam SA Fashion Week deciding to take their show on the road just one week after fashion week itself, it was definitely a different experience compared to attending a regular season.
The energy at the Regional Collection was more laid back than the hectic and frenzied pace that has always been synonymous with fashion weeks.
Held from Aug 2 to Aug 17, spanning three cities in South Africa – Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban, Motorola was one of the sponsors for the Regional Collection.
With a much slower pace, the Regional Collections provided some ‘down time’ wherein it was possible to do a little sightseeing early in the day prior to viewing the Regional Collections being shown during the late afternoon and evening.
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Aug 3, 2006 - The show was not going to start until 6:30 PM, so I spent the afternoon at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with my husband, Johnny Sims who sometimes works with me on assignment as my Photographer.
Our tour guides were Lucille Franse and Mercia Murphy who know Cape Town like the back of their hands.
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Cape Town Harbour
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Table Mountain taken from Cape Town Harbour
For me it was great to see Table Mountain again after having been away from Cape Town for 13 years. Still, when 5:00 PM rolled around, I was ready to go to the Daylight Studios, the venue for today.
It was just as spectacular for me to view the amazing design talent of South Africa's fashion industry during Sanlam SA Fashion Week in person after following it from a distance for several seasons.
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Once I arrived at The Daylight Studios, I was not sure what to expect - I guess with most live events, there's that sense of mystery and the unknown - once I made it thru, got checked-in, I was soon noticing the elegant touches in event planning that I saw in Sandton during the main event.
The best part of it all was seeing some of the staff of Sanlam SA Fashion Week in Cape Town.
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Staff - Sanlam SA Fashion Week at Regional Collections in Cape Town
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Daylight Studios, before the start of the show
The Daylight Studios venue was a real charm - the building was nestled alongside the buzzle of the city sleekers in Cape Town - a little up-heel getting to the studio - but all the while worth it once you saw the city lights from the rooftop - despite the drizzle, a few of us went to catch some fresh air on the rooftop without getting too wet.
One of the perks that I experienced in attending the SSAFW Regional Collection in Cape Town that day was that I was able to see a friend of mine, Julia Fraser, Life Style Editor of Femina Magazine which is similar to Good Housekeeping in the United States.
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Scheduled to show tonight were Lunar, Stoned Cherrie, Paul Munroe and Craig Port. As announced and as expected, it was the same collections that these designers showed in Sanlam a week ago.
With the SSAFW platform making it possible for the international press to view, critique and feature the incredible design talents that South Africa has to offer, the regional shows provided the venue and opportunity for South African designers to reach their target market at home.
With South Africa having the most developed economy in the South African region and an estimated population of 47.4 million in 2006 according to ‘Statistics South Africa,’ a flourishing fashion industry that is recognized internationally is within its grasp.
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From the Stone Cherrie Collection
From the Lunar Collection
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Taking care of the domestic market is just the first step, hence the SSAFW Regional Collection. Next step for these designers – the world!
Paul Munroe and Black Coffee had already shown their collection in San Francisco, California. Who knows, their next stop might be New York, London, Milan or Paris, even Los Angeles.
As the day ended, I thought of the red bus at the Waterfront, symbol of tourism in South Africa.
Cape Town sight seeing bus
If tourism has the red bus as its icon, then Sanlam SA Fashion Week is the country’s symbol of its fashion industry, thanks to the groundbreaking vision of Lucilla Booyzen, Founder and Director of Sanlam SA Fashion Week.
Congratulation on 10 amazing years!
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