These are just some personal photos of my mini SA Fashion Week experience. I stayed at the Crowne Plaza again this year and I just love that hotel. They really made me feel at home and even slid a little envelope under the door offering a complimentary back, neck and shoulder massage - in other words, a love letter. I wish I could have enjoyed it but alas, I was on a plane back home before I knew it.

While I was there I got to meet the lovely Gert Johan-Coetzee, who's very excited about his upcoming collection that'll be showing in September. I was a total fan girl when I started talking about the chain finale dress Bonang wore last year. Embarrassing, hahaha.

I had some great fun with the Cape Town media peeps during shuttle rides talking about travel and Jeffrey Campbells. Thanks to Cooper PR for the trip and thanks my designer friend Demet Karatas for her Audrey dress from her current collection. Eva Longoria recently ordered her Han Vu & Cleo dresses! I'm so excited for her.

These pics are bad, my energy was gone and my bed was looking too comfortable but the tacky Pat Field dress makes me happy and I wanted to share it with you. On day 3, I got interviewed right after the Clive Rundle show. I find video cameras a little intimidating, I've been interviewed before but this time I just had to stand there alone so I had no idea where to look. They put my mic on in front of two looming cameras and told me to focus on someone between the cameras while I was speaking so it looks like I'm talking directly to someone offscreen (Oh I C what U did ther). I answered some questions about where I see SA fashion going, if I was enjoying the shows, if I had advice for models etc.

Some LISOF students and SAFW photographers were taking my picture, it's strange being in photos and then you have no idea where they go, never even see em...then maybe one day you get a random link to a photograph where you look mentally unstable while the rest are lost to circulate in the abyss and you just become another anonymous blonde girl with way too much eyeliner.

On day 2 I felt right in the swing of things, I met Irvin (photographer) the day before and we kept each other spots. We sat down, talked about hip hop and then this guy shoved a microphone in my face while a video camera light blinded me. The guy obnoxiously asked where my seat was while they filmed me. I was allocated seated media but I just decided the best seat in the house was the photographers section at the end of the runway. The loudspeaker announced that people must refrain from stepping in front of photographers (bye bye mic guy) and the shows began. I snapped away after getting some advice from Irvin and overheard the other photographers chatter between models; "Here comes Skeletor again". 

Here's what I wrote on the first night:

I'm crazy tired! On Thursday it took ages to pack so when I was finally finished, I got taken out for a goodbye drink date which turned into cheesy cover band cheering, which turned into more drinks, which turned into free drinks, which turned into a punk kiss-kiss-ki-ki-kissing me to Katy Perry's ET. Magic. Next thing I know it's 5am when I finally get to bed. I wake up and rush to the airport, feeling very fragile and to be honest, possibly still intoxicated? Finally get on the plane, land, luggage, Gautrain, taxi, hotel. By the time I had a shower, picked at some food and got into my robe, it was time to get ready for the first night of Fashion Week. 

Got to Shine Studios, was given my media wristband and everyone was rushing because the first show was about to start. I decided to sit with the photographers and get some experience taking pictures. After every show, the VIP and media are told to hang out across the way, I checked out the media room that had computers set up for social networking and transferring images onto your flash. Outside, a girl and her friend were whispering and looking at me so I felt that uncomfortable feeling you get...but then she walked up to me with a smile, turns out she thought I was Taylor Momsen; sweet, I'll take it. I love the Lindt ladies who walk around with huge silver platters of chocolate, mmm just found one in my coat pocket! I'm so hungry I'm considering ordering room service for the second time today. It's 24/7, my kinda room service! To order or not to order...

SA Fashion week kicked off with interesting geometric textures from Black Coffee. Black & white manipulated fabric framed xanthic tones with the metallic pieces standing out nicely. A conceptually sound and beautifully cohesive avant garde collection. It really grew on me the more I reviewed the photographs.

Most of my Amanda Laird Cherry pictures unfortunately ended up being extremely blurry but I got some pretty finale shots. She gave us minimalist comfort in soft neutrals.

Ephymol presented a nautical cruise wear range and everyone went wild for their underwear clad finale. That's when the fashion week party really started amongst the crowd. I adored their sleepwear which made me want to go snuggle one of the models and I'm not a muscles-loving girl so that silk fabric must have been seriously calling to me, haha.

Vesselina Pentcheva brought flowy Mexican-inspired flavour to the runway giving us gorgeously feminine and festive movement. The child wear was the perfect amount of pretty without being overly saccharine, which must be commended; I think it's a difficult task to do child wear very well. The Spanish music, flower headbands and models swishing their skirts with a smile rendered a delicate and joyful collection.

Reginald Molamu of Reggiestar sang for his own show and which was a fun lesson in colour-blocking party wear teaming corals and purples with dashes of satin and sequins. Reggie has a great voice, the show was enjoyable and I really need that floppy hat, stat.

Mertiques showed monochromatic cocktail wear accented with hints of lime green. The ladieswear had a pretty use of satin and lace but I really loved the menswear because I was just drooling over those suspenders and rosaries.

I loved Diamond Face Couture because the accessories and vibe were so killer. Superb styling (headphones, black lip stripes and dope sneakers that I know my girl Naledi would approve of) really amped up the funky feel of the show which gave us everything from swim wear and evening wear. I would love to rock this look, it's young, fun and full of attitude. How hot are those black high top sneakers with the cross detail?!

The opening and closing shows of Black Coffee and DFC respectively were my two favorites with Vesselina Pentcheva fulfilling my girly tastes. I'm loving fashion week so far and I can't wait to round all 3 days up with a comprehensive details post next week.

For photos of the entire collections of day 1, be sure to check out the Safashiongirl facebook page and "like" us if you want to stay updated ;) One night down, two more to go! x