CULTURAL INFLUNCE AND DIVERSITY

It was such an amazing experience for me to be watching the new Thandiswa Mazwai live recorded dvd, “Dance of the forgotten free”. I had always been a fan of the great Ms Mazwai. As she walks onto the stage, I am immediately drawn to the whole process of addressing her ancestors and lights up some “impepho” (incense) on stage.

 As she squats to address the ancestors, layers and layers of leather are stylishly layered onto the floor. It is different skins of different animals that are designed in a wrap-around form. One of the most raw and artistic things I had ever seen. She has thrown this masterpiece on top of a black A-line skirt. The black background given by the skirt gives allowance to the beautiful colors of the leathers to play. She gyrates and dances to the strong beat of the drum like a spirit child in a trance. The movement of the leather strips is even more spectacular.

From this day I start obsessing over how garments of our late grandmothers and fathers have influenced our modern way of style and design. I start googling the likes of Stoned Cherrie, Sun Goddess and Palesa Mokubung. I realize now more that ever that the relationship is so intense. So similar, if not exact at all.

I even see a lot of our black diversity in the amazing creations of Marianne Fassler. It is actually very amazing. It hits me that all the “new” trends that we are slapped with and made to purchase at sometimes ridiculous prices, are actually the same frocks that our great Mirriam Makebas, Dolly Rathebes and Busi Mhlongos were rocking all along.

It is all the same things, just twisted here and there to make it fit and more appealing for our modern fashion way of dressing.

 It is the same sort of influence that has taken place in music and politics. Only this time it has become even bigger because fashion, much like music, is a big part of our everyday. Whether you choose to be conscious about or not, fashion affects you. Yes, you. The very same you who says it does not matter what u put on your back because it does not make you who you are. Well, fashion still affects YOU!

The relationship between fashion and music is also so amazing. They are literally husband and wife. I’m just not sure who is the wife. Musical artists who take their crafts seriously will tell u that music is nothing without fashion because without the right image, you’re basically screwed. It is for the same reason that you have a soundtrack at a fashion show. The same reason that you dance when you fit you clothes in a fitting room at that store (I hope you all do because that is what I do).The same reason why that song you listened to in the morning had so much to do with what you are wearing now. Think about it. Really. Think about it.

So whether we like it or not, before Stoned Cherrie first put the “isidwaba” on the ramp, Busi had already worn it in Europe. Before JC Ngandu made the “isibheshu” look so sexy @ Fashion Week, Mahlathini had already worn it on stage with the Mahotella Queens. I am not saying that designers are any less talented, just saying that we give credit to the great ones that came before. So, Mam’ Busi Mhlongo, Mam’ Miriam Makeba, Mam’ Dolly Rathebe and the great Mahotella queens, thank you for setting the vision and laying the foundation. And thank you to Princess Magogo ka Dinizulu for making raw animal look oh so couture.

Thank you to the Thandiswa Mazwais, the Simphiwe Danas, the Camagwinis, and the Lebo Mathosas for keeping the fires burning.

Thank you to the Palesa Mokubungs, the Marianne Fasslers, the Stoned Cherries and the Sun Goddesses for you vision and perseverance to keep our heritage alive. Our heritage, our ancestry and diverse cultures are a great part or our artistry and are a reminder of who and what we are. We are Africa and we are Artists. More than anything, WE ARE FASHION!!!

I was standing on the corner of Fox and Kruis streets on Thursday the 14th of April waiting for a friend of
mine to arrive as we had been invited to the launch and opening of a boutique. In my hand was an old
copy of Elle Magazine with the amazing Alek Wek on the cover. So, as I am standing there, dragging on a
Dunhill Menthol cigarette (I had a terrible flu and I still craved my cigarettes) and taken on a trip by the
amazing story of this equally amazing woman, my attention is drawn to the silhouette of a ridiculously
tall, pitch-black, skinny gorgeous woman. The kind of silhouette that belongs on the runways of Milan.
I had never been exposed to anything this close to perfection. For a couple of minutes, this woman had
the whole of Joburg CBD eating right out of the palms of her hands. What seems so surreal is that she
does this with such ease, no effort at all. She is draped in a black Victorian pencil cut dress, black tights
and caramel 6” killer boots. Her accessories are very minimal. The only two things on her face that stand
out for me are her pitch-black complexion and her red lipstick. Fine woman indeed.


This made me realize that being black is not the curse it used to be. If anything, black has become
nothing but POWER. I am not gonna get deeper into the fundamentals of being black because I do not
want to turn this into a racial slay. I just want to explain what black means to me as far as fashion is
concerned. A couple of weeks ago I watched a fashion show where a talented young European designer
(white) used bald, skinny, black models for his runway. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.
It was a festival of color and high fashion. It was strictly red lipstick, metallic eye-shadows and a whole
lot of color on the cheeks. Opinions flew back and forth as to whether it was not racially prejudice to
use black women (some of them topless on the ramp) in that way. Racial Prejudice? Gimme a break!
That was not racially prejudice. That was FASHION. Can some people just get over their obsession with respect and just appreciate the beauty of an African canvass?
                                                                                           
The argument was that African women should never be displayed in that disrespectful manner. That
nudity was a foreign thing to us. That it was only a European norm. It was humbling to me that the show
received a standing ovation when just only the second model came out. Now how can you beat that?

Okay, so we get to this opening of MSC Boutique, (on 7th Avenue in Melville. You really have to check
this out. These girls are really on point) and after all the hugs, kisses and handshakes and the flowing
of business cards, I am immediately drawn to the framed front covers of Vogue Magazine on the wall.
Ironically, it is all the covers where Vogue had BLACK models on their cover. I have a small discussion
with a friend about the influence of BLACK in fashion. Interesting views came across and I realized that
the world is certainly moving in an interesting direction as far as fashion is concerned. Hence I had said
in last week’s issue that…and I quote; “THE WORLD WAITS WITH BAITED BREATH FOR OUR OFFICIAL ARRIVAL”.
                                                      

The night of April the 14th was like a revelation to me. It was like at every corner I turned to, I was
reminded of the issue of Black. I am also one who had (until recently) insecurities about my shade of
black. Do not get me wrong, I have never had issues with being black, but at times I would feel like I
was too dark. It is only now that I have come to realize that despite my shade of black, I have the most
amazing skin. No pimples, no blemishes and the oiliness is not as hectic as I made it out to be. Let’s just
say that my skin is…healthily oily. Yeah! HEALTHILY OILY!

Ever since that night, I have a new obsession. Blacks in the fashion industry. Both locally and
internationally. I have been going through every single fashion magazine I own and reading or simply
browsing the stories and images of the likes of Alek Wek, Tyra Banks, Iman, Naomi Campbell. I even did
the same with our very own Joelle Kayembe, Miriam Ngomani, Andiswa Manxiwa and Babalwa Mneno
because they also hold the power that Alek, Tyra, Iman and Naomi hold on the international front (well,
at least I hope so). Do they?
                                                                                                      

It has boiled down to a point that the black silhouette will appear at every major fashion show. Usually
getting the reviews because it will stand out like a sore thumb.

If black models and designers can conquer the covers of Elle and Vogue, then we can do just about
anything. We came into this industry as just only seamstresses and contractors and as a minority but
we sure are causing a stir and a revolution. I call it “THE EVOLUTION OF BLACK”. It is not about who is
better, black or white. It is just about all of us having the same amount of opportunities and possibilities
within this industry. I am not sure whether it is safe to say that we have already gotten that far but I still
say that we contribute amazingly to the colors of fashion. Hey, maybe black is the new fashion. I don’t
know.
           

What I do know is that black is fuelled by history, pain, passion and dedication. These are the elements
that ensure that we never go back to where we come from, that we overcome our fears and pains, that
we give our craft our all and remain passionate and dedicated to our craft. We are rooted in Africa and
we possess all the power within. We are the architects of a new era. A new revolution. THE EVOLUTION
OF BLACK….!

DO WE REALLY HAVE TO?

I had been sitting on that couch dragging on that cigarette for while without a care in the world. It did not even bother me that halfway across town, hundreds of fashion lovers were in suits, skirts, fake and original designer labels. These people were all making their way to the previously prestigious SA Fashion Week. Until a year ago, fashion week was a huge priority in my life. If I had missed fashion week, I would just wanna die. However, after the whole catastrophe that unfolded last year, I decided against it. Totally.

Fashion week used to be a space where the greatest artists would meet to share ideas, make contacts and most importantly, it was more about business and the booze would only follow after(as a form of celebration for all the lucrative business deals made).

What totally turned me off about fashion week this year were all those million venues all across town. I’m sorry but it totally irritated me. I have never been one who has ever been too receptive to change. I am the sort of person who says “don’t fix it if it’s not broken”.

Another thing that got to me was, how do you have a new designer showcasing at the same time and on the same day as a well established designer? Let me put it to you this way, if I was a new designer that you had never heard of nor seen and I had the same slot as Malcolm Kluk, what are really my chances of having a packed auditorium? Can we rather not have a different fashion week altogether for the great “couturiers”? that way, all the big fish can swim with others in their league instead of swallowing the young ones before they even grow.

I spoke to a couple of my mates who even bothered dressing up and taking to this event. I will not say I was surprised to have received mixed feelings about their responses. However, it seemed to be quite many who were disappointed. Sad because this is not the normal response one would have got when asked about fashion week 3 years ago. COULD FASHION WEEK BE LOSING ITS PLOT AND SIGNIFICANCE?

 For me fashion week has become a playground for many. Then it comes down to the designers themselves. Some people have the audacity to showcase a range that was previously shown at another fashion week, with only 3 or 4 new pieces. The names are also groundbreaking. It has become so normal for even a street wear designer to add the word “couture” to their brands. KASI BLING COUTURE. WOW!

Then there is the issue of front rows. This has become the perfect place to be for fame hungry individuals who just want to be photographed next to a famous face so they can upload the images onto their Facebook and Twitter (and gloat about sitting on front row when they cannot even spell the name of the poor designer). Front rows was a place for people who would flip open that file and actually make things happen for the designers on show as opposed to “celebrities” who are looking for a “sponsored” dress to wear to…well, anywhere really. The opening of an envelope perhaps?

THE other day I had a conversation (over coffee and cigarettes) with a stylist friend of mine about whether South African designers have to be on par with their European counterparts. I have mixed emotions about this. It is unfortunate that our own industry had not yet become influential to a point where we can set trends for the whole world to follow. So we still need to look up to Europe. However, I applaud the way we are able to take these trends that are thrown at us and fuse then with elements of our own diverse cultures and ancestry and give birth to a new baby with a new life. This, if you ask me, is total artistic brilliance. So, as it turns out, we are not really copycats. We have a voice of our own. Forget the whole David Tlale/Alexander McQueen saga.  We are all over it. I do agree though, that was totally not sexy. Anybody who knows me will tell you that I am practically the captain of David’s cheerleading club. Yes, even after that embarrassing saga, I’m still cheerleading captain(yes, again even after him pitching 3 hours late for a much publicized fashion show ON THE NELSON MANDELA BRIDGE).

Then again that whole David/Alexander catastrophe should make you think. Is this how pressured (or desperate) we have become to prove to the world that our creativity and artistry is just as on point as any other country. So I still ask, do we have to be on par or can we just spin into our own direction?

So if you are looking for the answer, please look elsewhere because I don’t have it. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. I honestly don’t know. I do know one thing though. We are Africa and we know who we are and where we come from and certainly know where we are headed. We have influence because our blood flows through the veins of so many all across the globe.

So maybe, just maybe, we don’t necessarily have to be on par with Europe. Or do we? I don’t know!

introduction

Hello there my fashionistas,

I think I already know what you are all thinking. You are probably all thinking, who the hell is this guy? What more can he say that we don’t already know? Oh God, save us! Another fashion blog?...
Yeah, I know, I know.

Let me take this time to formally introduce myself.
My name is Guru (crazy right? I know that too). I’m no different from all the other talented young men who are waiting for their big break in the fashion industry.
I studied fashion design five years ago @ a fashion school on the outskirts of central Johannesburg. I have worked with the most talented of individuals in this plastic industry. I’m not going to mention their names simply because...well, this is not their party! But I am grateful nonetheless.

  
Three years ago, after slaving away behind well established designer brands, I started working on MY dream.
A dream that would allow me the artistic freedom to finally emancipate the artistry within.
A dream that would allow me to take a bow for my own work at a showcase.
A dream to which my own face would be attached to.
A dream that came to be known as STATE OF GURU. (just saying these words is so orgasmic).

This blog is part of that dream.
I refrained from titling it "fashion guru" because that would simply mean i know EVERYTHING about fashion. I DON'T. I’m still as much a learner as many of my peers and colleagues.
However, if there is one thing I certainly KNOW how to work, its A NEEDLE.
So here it is "NEEDLEGURU".

It is on this blog that I will share my views & my fears about fashion. I am not a dictator, simply someone who is keen on learning and sharing the little bit I know about this beautiful world of fashion.
I am willing to sit back and listen to YOUR views and fears as well.

Now, my fellow fashion slaves, because this whole blogging business is new to me, (and I am obviously overwhelmed by it) please allow me to catch my breath before my first official article (due for release on Tuesday 12th).

I am not setting any standards here but I can promise to deliver the relevant, current and influential articles that affect US as South African fashion lovers.
So, till next Tuesday, suck on those thumbs and wait in anticipation because trust me....it's going to be BIG.
See you on Tuesday then.
Till then...spread the love and dress up like you will never witness the dawning of another day.

XOXO
NEEDLEGURU