The power of fashion as a tool for social change is being realized in a tiny town in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where suffering is being swapped with style and self-worth.



Deep in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), lies the town of Bukavu, home to a community of women survivors of violence.



Since it first opened its doors, this transformational leadership community called the City of Joy, has graduated 1,380 women leaders. Here, women are healed from their past trauma through therapy and life skills programming and provided with essential ingredients to move forward in life, supported by love and community.



The program welcomes 90 survivors of gender violence aged between 18 and 30 at a time.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.forbeswomanafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/City-of-Joy-Bukavu-DRC-CREDIT-MARC-SILVER-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-41534"/></figure>



Recently, specialist Dutch fabric maker, Vlisco, was asked to create a fashion collection to honor the women of the City of Joy and the surgeon who works with them, 2018’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege.



Five international designers worked with 15 City of Joy graduates to create a collection of empowering and personalized garments using new fabrics.



The fabrics consist of five traditionally printed super-wax patterns incorporating 100 different, vivid colors.



The collection was showcased at a gala event in front of a global audience in Kinshasa in November last year to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and all proceeds from the sale of the collection donated to the City of Joy.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.forbeswomanafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/City-of-Joy-graduate-models-an-outfit-created-by-Tolu-Coker-using-the-City-of-Joy-collection-fabric_3-Photo-credit-–-Vlisco-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-41535"/></figure>



David Suddens, CEO of Vlisco, told FORBES WOMAN AFRICA that the five international designers, all African women, were keen to join the company’s efforts to help the women of the eastern Congo.



“They were immediately engaged even though they were not
initially aware of the City of Joy and the scale of the rape and brutality.
Once they had met the women, they formed a bond of love and respect.”



Suddens continues: “It was a real pleasure to work with the five designers; they not only created and made the garments in a very short period of time, they flew great distances to be with the women (one interrupted her family vacation in the United States to be in the DRC) and they made a huge impact on the women they designed for. The bond was palpable.”



The designers wrote to Suddens and Gabriela Sanchez, a Mexican Dutch designer and head of creative projects at Vlisco: “Thank you so much for changing not only our lives this year with this experience but also thank you for connecting us with these amazing women, with compelling stories and divine souls. You’re both a blessing to us.” The founder of City of Joy, Christine Schuler, told Suddens and Sanchez that many people visit the community, but “nobody has understood us like you have”.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“The beauty of the Congolese landscape is depicted; its river, its forests, its nature. From the dark roots of the forest, slowly flowers start to grow, butterflies appear, birds are in the sky and the sun is glimpsed behind the clouds.</blockquote>



Asked about the impact of the designs and this collaboration
on the community, Suddens says: “The designs are related to the lives and
suffering and hope and courage of the women in the City of Joy. You needed to
see their faces light up when they first saw the designs. They were overjoyed.”



The main stories expressed in the fabric designs are
fundamentally about the journey from pain to power. 



“The designs, at the bottom, are somber, twisted, even
menacing. But, as the eye moves upwards, there is gradually more light and the
images symbolize hope and respect and love,” Suddens explains. 



“The beauty of the Congolese landscape is depicted; its
river, its forests, its nature. From the dark roots of the forest, slowly
flowers start to grow, butterflies appear, birds are in the sky and the sun is
glimpsed behind the clouds.



“In one design sits a lion, dignified and rather sad, symbolizing Dr Mukwege. In another, sisterhood is portrayed, with intertwined threads joining ‘hands’ as they grow lighter but stronger. And two designs depict the beauty of the vagina, full of flowers against the dark background of the universe.”



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.forbeswomanafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Vlisco-designer-Gabriela-Sanchez-y-Sanchez-de-la-Barquera-stands-with-designers-Oritsegbubemi-Ogisi-Abiola-Adeniran-Olusola-Tolu-Coker-Aisha-Ayensu-Rebecca-Zoro-Photo-credit-–-Vlisco-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-41538"/></figure>



FORBES WOMAN AFRICA also spoke to international designer
Aisha Ayensu, the founder and creative director of fashion brand Christie Brown
known as a player in the rise of contemporary African fashion since its
inception 11 years ago. 



“This project gave me first-hand insight into how fashion
can be used as a tool for social change but most importantly, meeting these
remarkable women, sharing in their joy and appreciating where they’ve come from
and their journey from pain to power has completely altered the way I view my
work and my purpose,” says Ayensu.



She recalls her experience in Kinshasa as magical. “It was
important that the gala event highlighted their power and recovery more than
the atrocities the women faced, but all the same, raising awareness of what may
still be going on and how we can help stop violence against women.”



“I had an experience with one of the ladies in Bukavu, when
she did her first fitting&#8230; The sheer joy and excitement on her face when she
saw her outfit and exclaimed in local language ‘for me?’ In disbelief. When she
put it on and saw a picture of herself, she started to cry tears of joy and
also started saying ‘is this me, today look at me, I am also somebody’. That
reaction was priceless. When fashion and design is deliberate and well thought
out, it has the power to elevate a woman in ways you can’t imagine.”



Added Suddens: “Never could they have imagined wearing their
own designs made into garments by African designers. To understand, you need to
see their faces. You need to see them literally dancing with joy.”&nbsp; 



-Jill De Villiers

City of Joy graduates walk the catwalk in Kinshasa to launch the City of Joy Collection (1)

Clothes Encounters In The Congo: How Fashion Can Be Used As A Tool For Social Change

In 1998, Sex And The City, the American soapie on four women living and bonding in the heart of Manhattan, hit our TV screens and grabbed eyeballs across the world. It was critically acclaimed and focused on relationships, sex and femininity. One aspect endured through the series: their sartorial sense.
The women, in their mid-30s, showcased high fashion and set style trends during the show’s epic six-year run. While women across the world sat glued to their TV sets, a young girl in Accra, Ghana, too watched in awe, forming impressions that would one day help her script her own story.
That young girl, Aisha Obuobi, is today the founder and Creative Director of Christie Brown, a luxury fashion brand born of her love for juxtaposing African textiles and wax prints with high fashion.
Her audience – much like the TV soap she loved – is the young professional woman. The brand was named after her grandmother, who had been a seamstress all her life.
Growing up, Obuobi dreamt of becoming a lawyer. Her parents both had a background in journalism, so they raised Obuobi and her brother in a liberal environment where they were encouraged to be creative and pursue their passions.
It was the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria, however, that drove her to pursue a career in fashion.
“I realized there was a pulse in the city and everybody was wearing African prints. I asked myself ‘why do we not have this trend in Ghana’?” says Obuobi.
At the time, wax prints as a fashion statement was foreign to Ghana. Having grown up around it, Obuobi realized people were not wearing it in interesting enough ways.
Her eureka moment happened when watching her favorite show Sex In The City. She imagined the actresses sporting high fashion infused with the rich textural wax prints from Africa.
Since its inception, the brand has evolved to incorporate modern styles and trends yet maintaining the trademark African design. With no prior knowledge of sewing or dressmaking, Obuobi drew on the only skill she was half good at – sketching, and set out to launch her brand.
She initially went to local dressmakers with her sketches and commissioned them to bring her ideas to life. It was challenging as there was a shortage of skills and she struggled to get quality output. After using up all her savings ($1,500), a couple of trials and hundreds of man-hours sewing and editing, she was ready for the brand’s launch.
“When I started out, I didn’t even have a sewing machine and so I had to borrow a machine and sew in the dark sometimes with a torch due to lack of electricity at my grandmum’s house,” recalls Obuobi.
Christie Brown was going to be a high-end luxury brand targeting the young upwardly-mobile woman not younger than 25, who was very mature and confident and aspirational with a sense of elegance and class.
Based on this audience, she organized a fashion show and Christie Brown was born.
The brand was an immediate hit. For the first time in Ghana, a new brand emerged that combined modern fashion with traditional prints.
The next step was streamlining the manufacturing process. Obuobi decided to enrol in fashion school to study the anatomy of a garment. Her big break came while still in fashion school. She was selected to debut her brand at the first-ever Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in South Africa. It was her first showing on an international stage.
She was adjudged ‘emerging designer of the year’, and  has since showcased her brand on numerous platforms including the famous European fashion weeks. International stars like Alicia Keys have endorsed her brand. The brand was selected the official designer for singing sensation Beyoncé on her Mrs Carter tour in the United States and across the world.
Obuobi has been featured on CNN and BBC for her achievements in the fashion industry. With the level of success Christie Brown is already experiencing and her international acclaim, it would be easy to assume Christie Brown would relocate to international markets. However, Obuobi is in no hurry to move her brand abroad.
“I am so determined to build this brand for the continent, I want to be part of the brand that shapes the fashion scene on the continent,” she says emphatically.
The brand is now is now in its sixth year. Obuobi recently launched her ready-to-wear range in a new African-inspired store in the heart of Oxford Street, an exclusive shopping district in Accra. Christie Brown is now looking to expand its e-commerce offering. The online world awaits.

IMG_03181

Dressing The Likes Of Beyoncé

It takes only seconds to change your life. You can push the boundaries of classic style with a modern edge. Your style can become modern, casual and you can become the consummate gentleman.
All in the time it takes to spray on a fragrance of iced mango, Spanish sage, tonka bean and black patchouli.
That’s what the advert promises in the duty free magazine on the 10 hour flight from OR Tambo in Johannesburg to Singapore. After a brain numbing lack of sleep I am prepared to believe it. In fact, I’m even starting to believe in the concept of duty free prices! Surely one of mankind’s biggest myths.
But here is a true story – my life did change in 4.5 seconds. Not with a whiff of fragrance, but with a glorious gaggle of exhaust notes as I was whiplashed to the proverbial ‘ton’ while ensconced in a tiny carbon-fiber tub.
In those few seconds I became an anemic and radically lengthened version of Lewis Hamilton. I instantly shed three decades as the dynamite 1.7 turbo seemed to anticipate the whims and wishes of my right foot.
Now supercar owners are a touchy lot and it only takes three letters to get them into a tailspin. GT-R. The Nissan is faster than the latest California T and just shades the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta&#8230; at about a quarter of the price.
And now they have a new low cost rival&#8230; possibly not in terms of performance figures but certainly in relation to ABS. Otherwise known as Adrenalin Boost per Second.
Welcome to the blurry world of the Alfa Romeo 4C.
At the very core of this brave new world is the much vaunted tub which really embodies the racing ethic of the first model to light the fires of the Alfisti in decades.
It weighs less than Floyd Mayweather, is just as tough and probably took his bank balance to develop.
Everything, including the seats, is bolted to that painstakingly crafted 65 kilograms of carbon fiber. Apparently you could take off the panels and drive the tub!
In fact the whole beautiful bang shoot weighs in at a mere 925 kilograms. And Alfa claim that the 4C has a power-to-weight ratio of 10 pounds per horse power. Even if you excuse the mixed measurement systems, it doesn’t mean a lot to me – except that I no doubt upset the equation with my personal displacement.
Propelling this featherweight frame (I’m referring to the car) is the over zealous all-aluminum, direct-injection four-cylinder 1750cc turbo engine which had also shed 22 kilograms. Apologies if this review is starting to sound like a catalogue of Weight Watchers success stories.
And just to complete the obsession, the heavy boot lid is propped up with a thin aluminum rod. A blast from yesteryear.
From the days when engines were smelly, oil leaking affairs, this terrific turbo is part of the passenger list, nestled just behind you with its own sun roof and even open to the odd shower through the open grille.
I read recently that the average height of an NBA star is around 6’7” or two meters in metric terms. Whichever way you measure it, the first mass-produced Alfa to enter the United States market is not going to score points with their basketball players.
Although I’m a tad shorter than the NBA average, I had to perform a limbo dance to get behind the wheel (that dates me for a start) and I defy anybody, especially Britney Spears, to clamber aboard with any degree of elegance.
This is not a complaint by the way. I don’t expect supercars to be tailored for my lanky limbs any more than they are tailored for my bank balance! And although I have been talking about the 4C as a supercar, it probably lives on the edge of that elitist description, coming in at around $100,000.
Motoring writers can sometimes wax lyrical about car interiors and a Mercedes S Class Coupe can actually test your descriptive talents. But the 4C is as basic as the name. I never managed to find a nook for my cellphone and got excited about what looked like a glove compartment but turned out to be the passenger air bag cover. My big find was a string net underneath the dash for my understocked wallet.
Alfa make no apologies for the stark cabin. Product planner Michael Berube echoes the famous words of controversial South African singer, Steve Hofmeyr. “It is what it is,” he says. “We have kept ornamentation down for the power-to-weight ratio. You just don’t get that in this price range.”
And you don’t need Newton’s second law of motion to know that the applied force of that energetic turbo and minimal mass is going to produce some butt-kicking acceleration.
But, over undulating surfaces (that is most roads in Africa) the lightness of being and the stiff suspension can leave you wondering who is in charge.
The gearbox can be irrational in auto and clunky using paddle shift and this car does not do poodling to the shops for a pint of milk. It is born to be wild and snarl at onlookers with an array of roars, whistles and crackles.
And you can rest assured that they are gasping in awe of the stupendous styling of this pocket rocket.
The man firmly in charge of Alfa, in fact the whole Fiat S.p.A group, is the man with the magical motoring touch, Italian-Canadian Sergio Marchionne.
He’s got some iconic brands in that stable, like Ferrari and Maserati, along with Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep.
Marchionne gained loads of executive cred for turning around the Fiat group in less than two years at the helm and then marched on to form a strategic alliance with Chrysler which pulled the Americans out of a deep financial crisis.
But the Alfa part of the family have been the renegades – failing to produce a profit during his decorous decade and global sales falling to levels not seen since the sixties.
Marchionne has hatched many a plan for Alfa and is certainly not throwing in the green, white and red towel. The idea now is for Alfa to go it alone with a declared balance sheet supported by a host of upscaled new models.
The 4C is a key element of the Alfa revival.
You may argue that it is a cramped, minimalist weekend street racer. But there is no doubt that it has sparked a new strain of Alfa fever around the world.
To the extent that the South African media liaison folks laughed when I asked about a waiting list. It is seemingly all about strict allocations and only the chosen few shall drive 4Cs in the near future.
With it being built at the Maserati factory in Modena, there is a limit of around 3,500 units a year depending on the output from the Adler Plastic company who make those special tubs.
The 4C alone is not going to bring Alfa back into the black. The real question is whether it will herald the resurgence of the Alfa brand, the passion for performance.
With a touch more attention to refinement there is no doubt it could. And the good Sergio can retire with a happy heart knowing that he has been one of the most successful auto executives of this era.

4C The Future

As the lights dimmed and the percussionists performed, Nhlanhla Nciza dramatically appeared on the ramp, in an NN Vintage outfit (her designer line), flanked by two male dancers.
Nciza, a style icon and one half of Afropop band Mafikizolo, belted out Vimba Kanjini from their latest album, Reunited, to the beat of the drums at the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg.
The lights came on and Nciza sashayed the ramp showing off her latest designs,  thus re-launching NN Vintage. She was followed by a bevy of celebrities and models wearing her collection aptly named, The Evolution, an eclectic mix of bold bright fabrics from Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Kenya and South Africa.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30007 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/CTP7808-206x300.jpg" alt="" width="206" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CTP7808-206x300.jpg 206w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CTP7808-300x437.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CTP7808-600x874.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CTP7808-768x1118.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CTP7808-703x1024.jpg 703w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CTP7808.jpg 702w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 206px) 100vw, 206px" />
“I tried to create a look that can compete internationally, also mixing it up with sequences here and there,” says Nciza, who was featured on the cover of the August/September issue of FORBES WOMAN AFRICA.
“It’s an everyday look and I didn’t want to use the vintage look, even though the brand is known for that.”
The designer worked with four seamstresses for the line using materials bought on her travels across the continent as part of Mafikizolo’s music tours. The collection was made up of 34 garments, including a mix of ready-to-wear and high fashion frocks.
Nciza has more news.
“We’re also creating a sub-brand of NN Vintage called Urban Vintage, which will be sold at one of the stores in South Africa. It’s a more affordable range and will appeal to a younger audience.”
NN Vintage had made its debut in 2008 at Audi Fashion Week Johannesburg. The re-launch follows Nciza’s sabbatical creating bespoke outfits for clients whilst focusing on her career as a solo artiste. During this break, she learned more about the African fashion industry, before deciding her next act.

CTP7808

Nhlanhla Nciza 2.0

Director Olivier Dahan’s 2014 film Grace of Monaco, put the late Princess Grace of Monaco – and her jewelry – firmly in the spotlight. The film sparked controversy over its depiction of the late princess but the role played by her Cartier jewels received rave reviews.
One of the most stylish women of her era, actress Grace Kelly was regarded American royalty, and even more so when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco.
Such flawless beauty was created for magnificent jewelry and what better house to grace her than the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers, Cartier?
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_29930" style="width: 242px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29930" class="size-medium wp-image-29930" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/©-Time-Magazine--Getty.jpg" alt="" width="232" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/©-Time-Magazine--Getty.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/©-Time-Magazine--Getty-300x388.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/©-Time-Magazine--Getty-600x776.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/©-Time-Magazine--Getty-232x300.jpg 232w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px" />Princess Grace of Monaco wearing hair in elaborate bun &amp; adorned w. stunning diamond necklace, at party.</div>
Princess Grace had a loyal relationship with Cartier both in Paris and in Monaco and throughout her life received a string of elegant pieces specially commissioned for her, including a diamond and ruby tiara, a necklace made up of three strands of diamonds and many beloved brooches and bracelets.
With the consent of the Sovereign House of Monaco, the ateliers of the Maison opened their archives and worked tirelessly to reproduce five faithful reproductions of the vintage Cartier collection of Monaco, including the 10.47-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring which Princess Grace was given by Prince Rainier in 1956, eight months after they met.
A key scene in the film shows Grace – played by Nicole Kidman – dazzling in her signature Cartier pieces as she announces to the world’s press, against the backdrop of the legendary Cartier boutique at 13 Rue de la Paix in Paris, that she is giving up movies and acting and dedicating herself to being a royal wife and mother.
Most movie-goers will enjoy seeing the reproduction pieces in the movie but enthusiasts could view the real deal at the Cartier: Style and History exhibition at the opulent Grand Palais in Paris.
Among many other beautiful and famous objects, including Wallis Simpson’s jewelry, was a prestigious ensemble of around 20 pieces, some official and others more personal, from the Prince of Monaco’s collection.
While other famous diamond-studded Cartier tiaras sparkled and spun on the revolving carousel which greeted visitors at the entrance to the exhibition, a pearl and diamond tiara featuring hanging pear-shaped pearls set in platinum and white gold, which was given to Princess Charlotte of Monaco as a wedding present, was given pride of place in the Monaco exhibition area.
Grace’s various tiaras have previously been showcased on exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and at Sotheby&#8217;s in New York and her dresses went on a Grace Kelly: Style Icon tour in Australia with the Victoria &amp; Albert Collection.
Her daughters, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie, have often borrowed both their mother&#8217;s and grandmother’s tiaras, with Caroline, in particular, often wearing them to state occasions. Her mother’s famous diamond and ruby tiara separates into three brooches and a necklace which makes them versatile.
The Grand Palais exhibition also showed a cover of French magazine, Paris Match, from 1959 of Princess Grace in her official state costume, including the diamond and ruby tiara, the three-tiered diamond necklace and a diamond and ruby bracelet.
Cartier was famous for their animal depictions and created a signature brooch for Princess Grace, a diamond brooch in the shape of a poodle, as she always loved the dogs and was frequently photographed carrying one.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-29929 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/34662-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/34662-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/34662-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/34662-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/34662.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Another favorite was her hen brooch in repoussé gold, platinum and diamonds with a cabochon emerald for the eye, which Cartier created for her in 1957.
In addition to the famous pieces featured at the exhibition in Paris, Cartier also played a role in the Grace of Monaco movie. In addition to their historical reproductions, Cartier loaned the production team a number of high jewelry pieces. These included a gorgeous emerald necklace worn by Spanish actress Paz Vega, who plays Maria Callas in the film, as well as Cartier watches and accessories which are worn by the male leads, Tim Roth as Prince Rainier III and Robert Lindsay in the role of Aristotle Onassis.
Both the movie and the exhibition placed Cartier in the spotlight and the Oscar could go to the legendary atelier for best jewelry, or at least best reproduction of a vintage piece.

Gold And  Diamonds On The Silver Screen

Every country in Africa seems to want its share of the fashion business, and forge its own style identity. What better way to do so than with glitzy week-long fashion extravaganzas?
South Africa has always enjoyed a lead in this department. Three of the most popular annual fashion fiestas here are the fashion weeks organized by African Fashion International (AFI), recognized for their association with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks of New York, Berlin and Miami. AFI puts together three events in Johannesburg and Cape Town, linking a luxury car brand with top fashion.
In addition, the country also hosts the South African Fashion Week, yet another showing of superlative design and talent. With as many fashion-forward events through the year, it is clear they are viable business platforms, particularly for the local designers who get to showcase their collections and be noticed by media and discerning buyers.
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“Once the show is over, the buyers, the press and couture clients move on to the next show on their list. The designer goes back to his or her showroom to get ready for the onslaught of buyers,” says AFI spokesperson Nicholas Maweni.  One of the designers who has benefitted from these fashion weeks is Abigail Betz. Her three-dimensional opening sequence raised the stakes at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg held in March when South African model Lalla Hirayama appeared dressed like a geisha, complete with milk-white face, bold eyeshadow and pink lips. Her collection had elements of lace, some tartan and dogstooth for the winter jackets. Betz had sold two garments at a special preview for clients even before her collection had graced the catwalk.
“I don’t just send things down the ramp that are crazy and ridiculous that I know I can’t sell. Every single piece of fabric that I buy, every month of work, detailing, beading is very carefully thought through. It’s thought through for a very particular client base,” says Betz, who also has clients in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and overseas. Other designers like Shana Morland of Shana, see the fashion weeks as effective marketing platforms.
“Showing at fashion week allows us to bring our customers and the media into an environment purely created by us to launch our latest range. We are also able to give our customers a great experience of the brand,” says Morland. Though Morland hasn’t shown on international ramps yet, she has overseas clients who visit her stores in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
The fashion industry is indeed a competitive, challenging market. Over the past year, South Africa has seen numerous international brands making their way into the market, raising the competition. Morland says international brands are a threat when it comes to pricing.
“Maintaining a locally-manufactured label adds a lot to the cost, whereas international labels are getting the garments at extremely small costs. Our customers are people who value firstly local design but also the experience they get when walking into our store and having a one-on-one relationship,” says Morland.
Betz says the influx of international brands is actually welcome.
“It’s good for everybody. If we’re not exposed to what other people are doing, we’re just going to become stagnant and get left behind. It’s very important for us to have the stimulation to want to push and move forward. If other big brands are coming in, that’s good,” she says.
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Fashion weeks not only benefit organizers and designers. Every show generates its share of part-time jobs for the models, the interns and production companies working directly and indirectly with the event.
“At any stage during the fashion week, there are over 200 people employed and many SMEs supported through the AFI supply chain management,” says Maweni.
Through the partnership with Mercedes-Benz, AFI sends, through an exchange program, some of the designers to other global Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks.
Fashion designer David Tlale was the first South African to have a solo show at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York, Autumn/Winter, after three seasons of installations. Maweni says the global collaboration is a great benefit to the business of fashion and supports a rich territory for brands wishing to associate with luxury, style and design.

A geisha In Africa

“WHEN ALIVE, HE LIVED,” reads the memorial to FORBES’ late editor-inchief, Malcolm Forbes, on a palmshaded lawn overlooking his beloved, green-as-money Laucala Island, a 3,000-acre shoe-shaped Valhalla in the eastern Fijian islands. Since 2003 Austrian tycoon Dietrich Mateschitz, who owns the wildly profitable energy drink Red Bull, has lorded over this isolated paradise, and now he’s opened it up to people who want a taste of billionaire life.
<div id="attachment_355" style="width: 484px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-355" class="size-large wp-image-355" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/FO011612_036-1024x469.jpg" alt="" width="474" height="217" />Take traditional Fijian architecture (timber beams supporting sea grass roofs), sprinkle with 38 pools and a dozen beaches, and add magnificent South Pacific views.</div>
Mateschitz built 25 sprawling guest villas in traditional Fijian style, with timber beams tied together to support sea grass roofs. Their connected pavilions—bedroom, bathroom and living room—encircle private pools facing the beach. I kept my sliding doors open to let the sea lull me to sleep, though civilization was close at hand with Wi-Fi and satellite TV. A light switch turned on a dozen tiki lamps, converting the place into a one-man luau.
You could easily hole up in your compound and have everything brought to you, and you might not encounter anyone even if you went out for a swim. The island has a dozen beaches and 38 pools that blend into the tropical surroundings while delivering distinctive wow factors. My favorite was a clear glass cube discreetly jutting above the beachfront like an aerial aquatic sculpture.
Serving the privileged few—this must be the world’s highest staff-to-guest ratio—are an astounding 350 uniformed attendants with an arsenal of high-powered toys from Jet Skis to shotguns. There’s a fully stocked golf pro shop on the edge of David McLay Kidd’s immaculate 18-hole Scottish carpet carved through Laucala’s dense jungles.
“This bewilderment of choices on such a small island—it’s like the Swiss Army Knife of vacation spots,” a guest told manager Maja Kilgore, who, with her husband, Thomas, runs the place with a panache that makes Fantasy Island’s Mr. Roarke seem like a slacker. “Then we must make sure to make good use of the corkscrew,” she responded, opening the umpteenth bottle from the island’s bountiful cellar to serve with yet another feast in one of its five restaurants.
<div id="attachment_354" style="width: 484px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-354" class="size-large wp-image-354" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/FO011612_035-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="474" height="267" />The result: luxe, Laucala-style.</div>
At 6 a.m. the day after we’d arrived, a jet-lagged friend and I decided to circumnavigate Laucala on the brand-new mountain bikes parked outside our villas. We pulled up to the gleaming white, formal Plantation House restaurant and knocked gingerly, wondering if anyone would be up at this hour. We were whisked inside like long-lost relatives, white tablecloths were laid, and a gorgeous array of local fruit appeared, along with—gasp!—just-baked croissants whose crispness I’d have trouble matching in Paris. “We have two bakers from Germany who get up early every morning in case someone drops by,” our waitress explained.
<div id="attachment_356" style="width: 484px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-356" class="size-large wp-image-356" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/FO011612_037-1024x474.jpg" alt="" width="474" height="219" />$3,800-$35,000 per day, includes all food, drinks and activities. 011-679-888-0077, laucala.com.</div>
That breakfast encapsulates Laucala’s greatest luxury: spontaneity. Like tropical genies, the staff stays mostly invisible until you give voice to your whims. Then things happen very quickly and very well. On a single day I managed to ride a horse, grab a round of golf with resident PGA-circuit pro Tony Christie, get reinvigorated with a better-than-in-Thailand Thai massage, and water-ski around the island—with just a few minutes’ notice between adventures. By the time I’d toweled down for a late-afternoon scuba dive (thank God for the Red Bull in the minibar), magic hands had already equipped the dive boat with gear in my size and sushi to eat when I bubbled back up from the Technicolor reefs.

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