Mzansi Life & Style showcases the best that South Africa has to offer in terms of entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, culture, cuisine, travel, beauty and celebrity news. Subscribe to my website by adding your email address in the "follow" button below.
Wild 5 Adventures in Oribi Gorge. (Images: Supplied by USCT)
It’s time for #summervibes and #familyadventure, and with budgets stretched this year, visitors are looking for places that offer #adventuretravel that doesn’t break the bank! Fortunately, the #KZNSouthCoast stretching from Umkomaas to the Wild Coast has the perfect selection of exciting, yet affordable, activities to keep the whole family entertained.
“With summer on its way, many families are considering nature-based travel options that provide unique experiences within a reasonable budget,” said CEO of Ugu South Coast Tourism, Phelisa Mangcu. “With our many nature reserves and animal farms, the KZN South Coast has a wonderful variety of family-friendly excursions that are great either for day trips or for those wanting to extend their stay. We’ve compiled a list of the top 21 fantastic options – and this is outside of the 58 beaches, world-class dive sites and numerous tidal pools found here!”
All the allure of live is set to return to local fashion as relaxed lock-down levels allow Mall of Africa to stage South African Fashion Week Autumn/Winter Collections on the runway to a select VIP audience from 28 – 30 October 2021.
The shows featuring 29 top designers, will then again be streamed from 4 November to a wider audience including international media, designer clients and local and global followers of fashion. The 2020 show broadcasts were viewed by over 73545 people worldwide and have therefore become a key new addition to the amplification of SA fashion marketing, says director Lucilla Booyzen.
This will be followed by the SAFW Trade Show in the Crystal Court at the Mall of Africa with 40 designers of men’s and womenswear as well as accessories ranging from footwear and handbags to costume jewellry and millinery from 31 October – 1 November and the SAFW Pop Up Shop where fashion lovers will be able to interact and buy directly from all the participating designers from 3 – 5 December, in the same venue.
“Mall of Africa is immensely proud to support South African design, both by staging this dynamic showcase as well as by making retail opportunities available to talented fashion entrepreneurs,” says Michael Clampett, Asset and Property Management Executive at Attacq Limited, about the three-year hosting partnership.
According to Booyzen, participating designers are increasingly adopting the circular fashion system required to transition towards a more sustainable and cleaner, fashion order. “This is evident throughout all the collections be it the new seasonal ranges by established designers or the entries for our New Talent or Scouting Menswear competitions with feature principles such as waste reduction, low impact materials, longevity and recyclability as well as a greater emphasis on higher quality and timeless design.”
Improved synergy between the designers and the downstream value chain, particularly in the fabric and local yarn production sectors where South Africa has a strong presence such as mohair and wool production, has emerged as another key driver of future sustainability.
This has resulted in Fashion Bridges – I Ponti Della Moda, a South African and Italian designer-led initiative between SAFW, the Italian embassy, Polimoda in Florence and the Milan Fashion Week and supported by textile company Da Gamma as well as Wool SA, Cotton SA and Mohair SA, which allowed Italian designers Julian Cerro, Llaria Bellomo, Domico Orefice and Alessia Dovero and South Africans Fikile Zamagcino Sokhulu, Sipho Mbuto, The Bam Collective and Xavier Sadan to stage an exhibition at the Milan Fashion Week in September and again on 28 October at SAFW.
“Representing approximately 50% of the world’s mohair producers, we welcome the opportunity to introduce this luxurious and sustainable South African fibre to a wider audience through the Fashion Bridges – I Ponti Della Moda project,” says Marco Coetzee – general manager, Mohair South Africa
The six finalists of the Scouting Menswear Competition will open this year’s SAFW on 28 October. They are Marquin Sampson, Refuse Clothing Brand, Saint Vuyo, Umsweko, Vanklan and Boyde who will show how they have responded to the creative challenge to transform 100% textile “waste” desirable, scalable, and commercially viable garments for the South African consumers.
SAFW and OPPO celebrate the technology giant’s first year in South Africa with a new partnership that will include the staging of the OPPO Collections, a show featuring a stellar cast of Thabo Kopele, winner of the 2020 Scouting Menswear Competition, Neo Rangaka of NEO, Mikhayla Farouk of Maklele and World Fashion Award winner, Amanda Laird Cherry, all unveiling their seasonal ranges produced exclusively in sustainable fabrics.
“We are excited to have SAFW as a platform to demonstrate how OPPO’s philosophy of technology as an art form in service of mankind and being kind to the world, can be expressed in the equally modern yet classic and earth-friendly signatures of the designers we will be partnering with,” says Avashnee Moodley, Head of Marketing at OPPO.
The Rise and Shine Collections opens the week’s second day on 29 October with a collaboration between designer signatures Romaria, Ezokhetho and Erre and South Africa’s favourite personal pampering brand, Satiskin. “Satiskin has been a favourite indulgence in many South African bathrooms for a very long time. We are honoured to be the personal care and beauty partner of this platform that recognises our nation’s talent and creativity,” says brand manager Cabangile Dlamini
Day two ends with the new collections from SAFW stalwarts, Mantsho, Franc Elis, Sober and Rubicon. A trio of bright young designer talents – Artho Eksteen, 2021’s New Talent winner, Jacques Bam from The Bam Collective and 2021 New Talent finalist Michael Ludwig will collaborate on a joint show titled no season no sex, followed by the new collections respectively from Judith Atelier.
The final show of the event will feature the new collections from Johannesburg-based The Watermelon Social Club, a graduate of the 21 Steps designer development program, previous Scouting Menswear finalists, Ntando XV and Richard Hoy, ending off with Adam Chancellor-Maddison.
According to Booyzen, the partnerships with Carlton Hair, the official hair sponsor as well as MAC, the event’s official make-up, are an integral component of the SAFW offering.
The visual language of hair and make-up is part and parcel of the total fashion moment. It is critical that these stylists understand and can interpret the designer’s vision completely. Fashion and trendsetting have always been key pillars of both the MAC and Carlton Hair brands. Equally they both share SAFW’s community and clean ecology ethos. It truly is a match made in heaven for SAFW,” she says.
According to Booyzen, the online presence that SAFW has developed over the past year, is set to grow in response to the interest from fashion followers.
“We will therefore unpack both the designers’ backstories as well as those of the various brands that are associated with the event.”
Dates to diarise are:
28 to 30 October – SAFW Collections – Mall of Africa – Entrance 22
31 October and 1st November – SAFW Trade Show – Mall of Africa, Crystal Court
3rd – 5th December SAFW Pop Up Shop – Mall of Africa, Crystal Court
Maybelline New York, the world’s #1 colour cosmetics brand*, is at it again!
In 2019, Maybelline broke the Guinness World Record for the most foundation shades matched in 8 hours, right here in Mzansi, and in 2020 they hosted the biggest exclusive virtual makeup master class in South Africa. **
This year they are at it again with their Maybelline Fit Us As We Are South Africa campaign which launched in August 2021.
“Maybelline continuously pushes the boundaries with its innovative products, packaging, formulas and advertising. We are now extending this innovative spirit to our consumers where they have the opportunity to be part of something big” says Marketa Havlik-Liebenberg, General Manager L’Oréal Consumer Products Division.
“At Maybelline, we value engagement with our consumers and this campaign has gifted us the opportunity to make our consumers part of the Maybelline New York family by seeing their face on nationwide building wraps and billboards”.
To be part of the Fit Us As We Are South Africa campaign and competition, consumers must send their clear selfie holding a Fit Me Matte+Poreless Foundation to the Maybelline WhatsApp Line(+27318348838).
The picture must be of the consumer themselves and of no one else, and they will stand a chance to be 1 of 500 faces featured on 10 digital billboards and a massive building wrap sight in South Africa!
There are also 500 prizes worth R500 each up for grabs to everyone who enters the competition.
A true artist doesn’t just create art: they breathe their passion into their work and give it a life of its own. Now, Halls is creating a place where artists can breathe for their craft.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people turned to the things that they cared about most for comfort in the face of uncertainty – passions like food, music and art. Now, in a world that’s slowly returning to normal, people are looking to brands with the question, “What are you passionate about?” Halls – South Africa’s #1 boiled candy – exists to help people breathe better so that they can focus on the things that really matter. That’s why Halls is founding The Breathing Space: a dedicated hub in the centre of Johannesburg where up-and-coming artists and designers can breathe for their craft and bring their flavour to life in the freshest ways, under the guidance and mentorship of Mzansi’s creative queen, Karabo Poppy.
South African TV presenter and radio personality Luthando Shosha — aka LootLove — is taking over as the new host of Africa Now Radio on Apple Music 1, beginning Sunday, 13 June 2021.
Africa Now Radio, Apple Music radio’s first global African music radio show, recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. Over the past year, the show has featured exclusive interviews with Davido, Nasty C, Tiwa Savage, Rayvanny and many of the biggest and brightest artists spanning the African continent, debuted over 250 new releases, and introduced Apple Music subscribers around the world to over 50 of Africa’s hottest new artists, from Omah Lay to Tems. Based on the Africa Now playlist, Africa Now Radio with LootLove will continue to showcase the latest African sounds, be it amapiano, afrobeats, highlife, alte, house, hip-hop, bongo flava, or kuduro.
“I am beyond elated to host Africa Now Radio,” said LootLove. “This is a big moment for the universal language that is music. A moment that continues to shine a light on our continent, my home country — South Africa — and on all the magical talent we have. I am looking forward to seeing more, experiencing more and learning more through the beauty of Africa’s music. From the Cape to Cairo and to the rest of the world.”
On her debut episode, LootLove will be joined by the legendary Angélique Kidjo, who will talk about her upcoming album “Mother Nature,” out on June 18, 2021. LootLove will also spotlight The Big 5 – the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment – and the next generation of African superstars featured in Apple Music’s artist program and companion playlist Africa Rising. In the new Loot Loves feature, LootLove will select and play one track she loves from her favorite Apple Music African playlists.
Africa Now Radio with LootLove airs weekly on Sundays, beginning 13 June 2021, at 2pm Lagos / London / 3pm Johannesburg / Paris / 6am LA / 9am NYC on Apple Music 1. Listen via apple.co/_AfricaNow
Mzansi Life & Style by Mishkah Roman-Cassiem 