Colourful Tlale purrs on the catwalk

If there is one thing we can count on from David Tlale, it’s a wild fashion, musical experience. 

Saturday night was no different as the couturier introduced his 60-piece spring/summer 2022-23 collection in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg. 

The collection was a summer colour spectrum combined with kaleidoscopic prints coming in lightweight fabrics, delicate cuts and finished with that signature craftsmanship the designer is known for. To seal it all off, his celebrity friends, including Azania Mosaka and Big Brother Mzansi alumni Libo Njomba, walked the runway, and there were spectacular performances by Simphiwe Dana and Hush SA.

Each look was sewn to perfection, with no stitch out of place, something that was not always the case at SA Fashion Week (SAFW) on the opposite side of town at the Mall of Africa in Midrand.

“The inspiration was music meets runway, but focusing it on spiritual gospel and motivational songs that give people hope. But also showcasing our collection with a live band, models and making sure we bring back showmanship because our runways recently have become mundane. We have lost the beauty of the extravaganza,” Tlale said.

"Overall I believe the collection was well received. There was nervousness with the rain and I also thought the show might be too long, but the show was beautifully curated."

SAFW launched its three-day run last Thursday with Rubicon and Amanda Laird Cherry debuting their autumn/winter 2023 collections. Rubicon designer Hangwani Nengovhela proved why, for the past 20 years of her label, she has always understood and celebrated the female form in all its shapes and sizes.

The details for the collection included ruffled panels, balloon sleeves, sensual sheers, flowy skirts and leather manipulation. The looks were sleek, clean and elegant coming in shades of black and white, with a vibrant paint splatter print serving as a palette cleanser.

Friday at SAFW there was a less impressive showing from Essie Apparel designed by actor Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa. The runway saw an explosion of pastel hues, ruffles, tulle and heavy embellishments for the modern woman.

Menswear was far more relaxed and casual. At its best, the eveningwear and red carpet-ready creations had a lot of potential, although many looked unfinished or were at least poorly constructed. The womenswear and menswear clothing that went down the ramp was not cohesive and it often felt like two different collections. The menswear pieces looked like an afterthought and lacked modernity.

Helon Melon made a muted statement with modern tailoring, sleek layering and effortless styles in shades of nude and a touch of white. But Melon didn’t turn up the volume with what was sent down the runway and a lot of oomph was missing.

But a collection that had pizzaz and fashion high drama was by The Bam Collective. While the collection was far from perfect, it had attitude, ingenuity and uniqueness. The colour palettes were diverse, from gothic black, to juicy tangerine and vibrant pink. Psychedelic prints, over-the-top saucer bottoms, daring cuts and pleated sleeves went down the ramp. But perhaps it’s the off-kilter antenna headgear that stole the show.

The closing day of SAFW featured a strong menswear collection from Franc Elis, who re-imagined military tones in his tailoring. His play on textiles and edgy contrasts gave his collection a native feel with a modern twist. Another standout was Ephymol with a colourful '70s retro collection. Streetwear closed SAFW on a high note thanks to Loxion Kulca, with an army of models looking hip and cool in tribal prints and funky threads.