Friday, September 16, 2011


This is an article written for GQ by Holly Hermon an ex Fedisa pupil. As young designers we do not not follow local fashion and our top designers intensely enough. We need to support and celebrate local fashion and keep track of the top designers as well as up and coming designers - this should be a given. We need an ever growing collective fashion following, the market will become bigger and more exposure opportunities will be created for budding designers. Stiaan Louw is on top of his game.    

Stiaan Louw, Heni Este-Hijzen and Laduma Ngxokolo look forward to their international debuts at London Fashion Week on Monday September 19,2011. The shows are a part of an UBUNTU project run by Errol Hendrickse, aiming to encourage and develop South African talent in international waters over a period of three years.
Hendrickse began the UBUNTU project with Theo Omambala two years ago with the hope of filling the gap in the overseas market where South African designers are concerned. 'The reason we’ve chosen these designers is because they represent the new South African look that is coming through,' says Hendrickse. 'One that is not geographically confined and that can be African but Eurocentric at the same time.'
Louw himself is holding a very practical attitude towards the outcome of his international debut. If anything, he says it is an opportunity for his brand to grow. He understands that the aim of this event is not to obtain sales, but to be the start of a solid platform for South African designers overseas.
The collection, Stiaan Louw, will be showcasing next Monday, and will hold a similar aesthetic to the collection seen at Johannesburg Fashion Week earlier this year. Eight of the looks seen in Johannesburg have been redesigned by Louw himself according to a new colour palette. He will be using Missibaba accessories once again and the owner, Chloe Townsend, has redesigned shoes and bags with brighter colours and added textures. Ida Elsje will also be providing jewelry. This show will be a genuine example of South African talent and we wish them all the best.


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