Off To Town! Follow the Joburg Fashion Week A/W collections

African Fashion International announced Joburg Fashion Week dates and venues for the A/W 2011 Shows to be held February 15 -19

At a star-studded event in Johannesburg last night, AFI Chairperson Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe announced that Joburg Fashion Week will take an entirely new direction for 2011.

Talking to a room full of journalists, designers and industry stake holders, Dr. Moloi-Motsepe said the introduction of a new leadership team at AFI, including Managing Director Paul Leisegang, was the signal of a new direction and a “stronger company vision that will serve as a catalyst for the development and growth of the fashion industry, ensuring both local and global participation.”

AFI have enlisted the help of top industry players including Jan Malan of Umzingeli in order to create a platform that transcends the cliché of a “South African Fashion Week”.

Primary in this is the aim to plug into the unique energy of Johannesburg – by taking the shows out of the Convention Centre and into truly marvellous iconic Johannesburg buildings: Stiaan Louw is due to show his edgy menswear at the Johannesburg National Gallery – a super juxtaposition of aesthetic, but thoroughly modern.

David Tlale will close the week on the Nelson Mandela Bridge, it’s a bit theatrical, but thankfully, away from the drone of beige that journalists, industry players and clients have had to contend with over the past few years. And if David’s not theatrical – what exactly is he?  

Other venues include The Bus Factory – an old Newtown Warehouse that was a dock for – you guessed it – double-decker busses, and The Rand Club – the oldest private club in the country founded by Cecil John Rhodes in 1904. Kluk CGDT will be showing here on the evening of 16 Feb. “We never realised it was still a gentleman's club,” Christiaan and Malcolm said last night. “But this can only add an element to our show. It is a beautiful building and perfectly apt for our collection.”

Other designers include Suzaan Heyns, Errol Arendz, Wild Fig  and Bongiwe Walaza amongst others (for a full break down and inclusive fashion week schedule see
Written by Emma Jordan