Press release: FIGMENT
Black by Black Coffee A/W 2015
FIGMENT evokes both playful and dream-like themes.
Inspired by the works of surrealist René Magritte and the master of impossible reality M.C. Escher, FIGMENT challenges perceptions of the familiar. The collection explores the fun side of the sublime and the romance of duality. The layered, whimsical prints coupled with clean feminine silhouettes echo the tranquil moments of daydream often lost in our technological era.
The accessories were crafted in a series of workshops held over the last two months with BlackCoffee and members of the Ekurhuleni community. Techniques include wirework, crochet, hand painting, leather finishes, and beading all under the direction and mentorship of designer Jacques van der Watt. They will be produced on an ongoing basis providing local crafters with a steady income stream.
FIGMENT is the first collection of Black Coffee’s new diffusion line, “Black by Black Coffee”. It was launched under the umbrella of the SA Fashion Week Fusion Project with sponsorship from the City of Ekurhuleni.
FIGMENT was revealed at SA Fashion Week on 15 October 2015 and will be available in stores in February 2015
The Design work I did for the FIGMENT can be viewed here
Press release: FUSION
Black by Black Coffee S/S 2015
FUSION is a study in the confluence of African and Asian design. Parallels drawn from these different cultures fuse to form a universal language.
This marriage of two aesthetics narrates a purposeful tale. Fusion celebrates the point where texture, pattern, and proportion of two continents meet with a nod to seventies runway glamour.
Clean graphic lines, simplicity of form and silhouette, bold geometry and complex linear patterning define this collection. This is the second season of collaboration with crafters from Ekurhuleni. Garment adornment and accessories are produced in workshops at BlackCoffee’s studio in Johannesburg.
Techniques include intricate wirework, woven ribbon work following complex geometries, delicate hand printing, and repetitive button detailing all under the creative direction and mentorship of designer Jacques van der Watt.
FUSION was revealed at SA Fashion Week on 18 March 2015.