As Seen By Lloyd

RUSSIAN BEAR. LADUMA NGXOKOLO. CAPE TOWN. 

NEXT LEVEL...

So a few weeks ago I was sitting at work when Russian Bear South Africa followed me on twitter. 

I followed back.

So they then post this link to their facebook page that they are running with Laduma Ngxokolo to win a prize worth R26,000.00 inclusive of flights, accommodation, a limited edition bottle of Russian Bear Vodka and a custom design outfit. And being the competition freak that I am, I decided to enter this competition and all you had to do was comment on a status...

And so I did.

A week or so later, I get this DM from @RussianBearSA on twitter asking me to send my details through to them. At first I didn't think much of this. Only later when I got the phone call from a Platinum Seed representative informing me that I had won the competition with Laduma. Instantaneously my crappy week at work changed into the best second of my life. I was shocked and excited and just all around dazed out by the idea that I would be getting to spend time with them designer and that I would get a look at the behind the scenes look at how Laduma goes about to get a design completed and perfect. 

Flights booked...
Accommodation booked...
Bags packed...
I was headed out to Cape Town! 

So on the Friday after work, there I go off to the airport. (Already checked in online with the handy British Airways App for iPhone and boarding pass issued - just had to drop my luggage. What a pleasure!) A quick word on the flight... Always book seats at the emergency exits. You have extra leg room! 

At the airport, the chauffeur from the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel was already waiting for me to whisk me off to the hotel. Really, a lap of luxury! Had some dinner at the hotel restaurant - Liberty's. (Definitely try the Coconut Chicken and the Lemon Tart.) 

I had an early start when my body clock decided to wake me up at 6AM. So I took some time to get ready for the exciting day that lay ahead. The representative, Mzo Ntuli, picked me up. On the ride to breakfast he gave me a unique and limited edition bottle of Russian Bear Vodka, of which there are only 200 bottles. That is pretty cool and the bottle is really something pleasing on the eye. So off we went to the The Bromwell Boutique Mall for breakfast at Bread and the first meeting with the designer himself.

It was here that I learnt that I would actually be collaborating with the designer to create a complete custom design outfit just for me. And to add to the awesomeness of the entire prize, this is the first custom design piece that Laduma will have ever done for anyone. And that I will be able to call that outfit mine. Laduma arrived shortly thereafter and we instantly clicked and much to Mzo's "disapproval" started chatting about fashion and the industry and the influences of fashion in our lives, as he was wanting us to discuss all of this whilst the videographer was with us, to catch us in the moment of discussions for the video clip that they would be posting online. I mentioned to Laduma that I had actually seen his current collection MaXhosa at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Johannesburg earlier this year and since then I had been fascinated with his knitwear range. We had a good chat about what the day would entail and how things would run from here on out.

Before we knew it, we were off to the studio to get started on the designs. It was here that we met the videographer for the day that would be capturing every moment on film. And let me just comment on this. It's not that easy to have an interview on camera that you know will be broadcast on social media. I was seriously very nervous, but I loved every moment of this! But the interview and all the formalities sort of went down rather quick and without a hitch! (Yay me!) 

Laduma walked us through each step of the process, from the designing to the actual knitwear materials coming out of the knitting machines. Personally I had never known that this was such an intense process and that there was this much work that goes into knitwear. We watched how the pieces are assembled, quality checked and then finally packaged ready to be sent off to the clients. 

Now it was time for my personal consultation with Laduma. I did not know exactly what to expect up till this point, but the excitement was reaching new levels. We started with the main piece. I had not been able to decide between a cardigan and the baseball jacket style. So Laduma suggested that we then incorporate both ideas and combine the styles to make something new and unique. Changed a few colours and patterns around to something which he considered to be something which would suit me best. Next came the shirt and the trousers.  Now Mzo was wearing  pair of pants that was rather formal, but at the ankles they had ribbing like that of a pair of tracksuit pants. I absolutely love this idea! So we incorporated this style into the trousers to keep them formal, but to add a slight funky and creative edge to them. Up next was the scarf. I decided that I would much prefer the idea of having a snood instead of a normal scarf. Again, we looked at the different patterns and changed a few things as to my liking with the input from Laduma on what he thinks and knows works. The same process followed with a beanie... Like how cool is that though! Having a beanie custom made just for you! With your own colours and patterns. Much to my surprise, this is not where it ended. I even got a pair of authentic MaXhosa socks to match the outfit. This is where Laduma decided that I will be the owner of the first ever knitwear tie which he will have made. Things just keep on getting better and better as the day progressed. So all in all, I have a order which is currently being processed in Cape Town at Vuya Fashions which consists of an entire outfit except for shoes and underwear! Dressed from head to toe! At this point the reality had sunk in and I realised what I was privileged enough to experience. The excitement reached a new high and I am definitely much more excited now, knowing what is on it's way to me, than when the day had started. 

All in all I have to say that the experience was something extraordinary! Wow... I'm now sitting on the plane back home to Johannesburg and just so grateful for this amazing prize! Thanks to Russian Bear and Platinum Seed for getting together to make this possible. And I think that the biggest thanks and appreciation must go to the amazing and talented Laduma Ngxokolo for allowing this and granting me the opportunity to be the first person to ever own a custom design Laduma knitwear outfit! I am super excited to get my hands on the outfit and can't wait for it to arrive in the coming next two weeks! 

Oh yes! Before I forget! 
Russian Bear... Next Level