Showing posts with label Sandton City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sandton City. Show all posts

Monday, 21 October 2019

SA Fashion Week - #AW20

It's that time of the year again. 

South African Fashion Week kicks off this Wednesday on the rooftop of the iconic Sandton City Mall in Johannesburg. 

With 30 of SA's luxury label designers set to show us what they've got, this season is bound to be one for the books. Get ready to see what some of the biggest names in SA fashion have got coming down the runway. I'm really excited to see what Gert Johan Coetzee, De Mil, Lunar & Ephymol have in store for us. 

And the opening show on Wednesday is the New Talent Search 2019, which I think is always an exciting one. With a briefing along the lines of: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Fashion, entrants had to consider 2020 world trends to submit a 7-look portfolio combining contemporary shapes, style & construction with their creative inspiration. 


Get your tickets here

If you can't be there, get in on the online action & follow the conversations.
#SAFW #AW20 #SAFWAW20
#SAFWWomen #SAFWMen
#SAFWLuxuryCollections #SAFWLuxury
#SAFWTradeShow 
#NewTalentSearch2019

Friday, 2 September 2016

Australian Masterchef Trio aid to Stop Hunger Now

Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston of MasterChef Australia to host The Longest Dinner Table at Sandton City in aid of Stop Hunger Now SA

Masterchef Australia Trio: Gary, George and Matt will be appearing together for the first time in the country in aid of a really good cause. All have visited South Africa at different times but are delighted to be sharing a platform together for this very worthy cause. 

The trio will be hosting The Longest Dinner Table in aid of Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa, which takes place at Sandton City Shopping Centre on Wednesday, September 7, from 18h30 to 19h30. Packing starts at 11h00 on the Wednesday with the celebrity trio joining at the finale. So everyone is invited to be part of the longest table - there is no charge - (Yes, you read that right, it is completely FREE) and assist in packing meals for homeless and hungry children. The target is to pack 50 000 meals on the day.


The trio of MasterChef judges will mingle with all the packers present, sharing their cooking secrets and giving away spot prizes on an evening that offers a dinner table with a difference.

MasterChef Australia (the latest season is scheduled to return to South African television in December) first aired in 2009 and made the three hosts and judges global stars. 
Joining them will be Brent Owens - MasterChef Australia 2014 winner and author of the bestselling cook book Dig In, who is currently in South Africa filming a new food and adventure television series titled Brent Owens Unwrapped … South Africa. 

A bit of info about Stop Hunger Now SA: 
- Established in Johannesburg in 2009 - the same year as MasterChef Australia made its debut.
- Provides nutritious meals and life-saving aid to the country's destitute and hungry children under the guidance of chief patron Graça Machel.
- Meals are fully balanced (soy meal fortified with 23 essential minerals & vitamins, rice & a soup mix) and are specially formulated according to UNICEF standards to combat hunger and malnutrition.
- Each bag supports 10 children & requires only water and 30-40 minutes cooking time using electricity, gas or wood. 
- Meals can be stored for up to one year.

Says Julie Hillary, Sandton City’s general manager: “At Sandton City we care about the community and, the fact that so many people are going to bed hungry, is of great concern to us. We are delighted to team up with Stop Hunger Now SA to help alleviate this problem. We are also honoured to have Gary, George and Matt on board to help pack meals for this very worthy cause.”

Says Saira Khan, CEO of Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa: “We conduct meal packaging events with volunteers because it is as important to engage as many people as possible in the effort to eradicate hunger. Our events also serve as a platform to educate people about hunger, what they can do about it, and to inspire them to take further action.”

Our very own Miss South Africa, Ntandoyenkosi Kunene, will also be there. She has this to say: "I believe in giving back and I am privileged to find myself in a position where I am able to do just that. I am delighted to be helping pack these meals, which are nutritionally balanced, for Stop Hunger Now SA. It is shocking that so many children in this country go to school without a meal. If we want to make a difference we should start with our  children."



So get in on the action and come help out at this amazing event to make a change and help us Stop Hunger Now.

Friday, 19 February 2016

David Beckham - H&M Spring 2016

David Beckham with his latest H&M Spring 2016 Essentials.

Style icon David Beckham has shot his latest H&M campaign for the launch of the spring 2016 Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham collection.

The commercial was shot on the streets of Lisbon, where David realises that everyone wants to dress just like him. The new Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham collection will be available in two drops – February 18 and March 10 – in all H&M stores that carry menswear.

It’s the second time David has worked with director Fredrik Bond, taking on the theme of their last commercial where comedian Kevin Hart dressed exactly like David. In this new film, David leaves his hotel to discover that everyone around him is wearing the same as him, including skateboarding kids, a baby, a grandma, and everyone in the city. The film will be accompanied by a print campaign shot by Mario Sorrenti.

The campaign highlights David’s role as a style leader to millions of men around the world. For David, it’s about mixing the traditions of menswear with fresh ideas that move menswear forward. The pieces he wears in the film, all selected by David from the Modern Essentials collection, are the perfect example of his timeless style.

“I always have the best time shooting H&M campaigns. They really understand my style and my sense of humour. It was great to wear such sharp pieces from the Modern Essentials range while having such a good time,” says David Beckham.
The campaign is the latest for the Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham range. Each season sees David select his favourite pieces from the Modern Essentials menswear collection at H&M, creating a wardrobe of updated staples and new classics that men can rely on throughout the whole season.

To view the campaign film: https://youtu.be/oYjwXjwvAv0

“This spring we were looking at the evolution of men’s style, and how different garments have joined tailoring as a new uniform. The look is clean and sharp, with lots of contrast from texture and crisp colours for the new season,” says Andreas Löwenstam, H&M’s Men’s Head of Design.

A navy Harrington jacket with matching navy tailored pants and a navy T-shirt is the perfect outfit for the office or dressed down and casual for the weekend. The light beige tailored suit in stretch cotton is the perfect transitional piece for the coming spring season, while the clean silhouette of a navy suit in cotton linen fabric is complimented and refreshed when worn with a sailor neck striped t-shirt. The car coat is modernised in nylon, while jogging pants are given a new formality in a wool mix fabric.

Textures, fabrics and colours are key for this season. A technical cotton sweatshirt has a 3D crinkled texture, an innovative take on a sportswear classic. A denim work wear jacket worn with tapered jeans offers a vintage inspired uniform. There’s a sharp aesthetic to casual, sports-inspired pieces, such as a navy polo-shirt with white notches on the lapels, showing how the subtle details are everything in this collection.

DAVID BECKHAM MODERN ESSENTIALS SPRING 2016 Q&A

How do you feel about the Spring 2016 Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham collection?
It’s always great when I get to choose the new season’s pieces from the Modern Essentials collection, because it’s a chance for me to see how I can update my wardrobe in the months to come. I love how menswear is always evolving, and how classic pieces are updated and new traditions are born.

What are you looking for when you select the pieces?
For me it’s all about style, and those pieces that you know will immediately help you look your best. I know there are men like me around the world who love to refresh their look each season. They’re going to be able to find everything they need in this new Modern Essentials collection.

What’s different about this new Spring 2016 collection?
When I was choosing the pieces, I was thinking about how important sportswear and casual wear has become for men today. Tailoring is still the ultimate, and there are some great suits in this collection, but pieces like zip-up jackets and sweatshirts are becoming just as important, and can look just as sharp.

Which are your favourite pieces?
The navy cotton zip-up jacket is a piece that every man should own. It’s so easy to wear, and I love how it has the heritage of a great menswear piece, but is also really new and modern. It’s just what I like in menswear, something that I can wear over and over again so that it becomes part of my own personal style.

Can you tell us about the tailoring in the collection?
This beige suit is so great for spring. Some people think tailoring is formal and serious, but this suit will make you feel good as soon as you put it on. It’s really crisp, and looks dressed up while also being a bit more informal. I’ve also chosen a navy suit for the collection, and it’s great to have the choice of both.

What do you like about the textured sweatshirt?
This is one of my favourite pieces, because it’s such a clever update on a sportswear classic. It’s got this amazing texture to it so it’s like it crinkles and ripples when you wear it. It’s such a subtle detail, and it comes in a really cool stone colour. It’s a piece I can’t wait to wear.

Why is the polo-shirt so important in the collection?
I’m so happy to have it in the collection. Polo-shirts are one of my favourite garments, because they always make me think of the style of my hometown, London. This one is really sharp, with a little detail on the slim collar, to make it fresh and different. It’s such a useful piece that I’ll wear dressed-up under a suit, with the zip-up jacket, or when the weather warms up, on its own.

Can you talk about the pants you've chosen? They’re very different – both tailored and joggers.
I like to have different options in my wardrobe, and to change up my look when I feel like it. These tailored pants are great and are perfect to wear with something more casual, like the polo-shirt, to make the look more sartorial. The smart joggers are so good, because you can look sharp in something that’s so easy to wear.

H&M and David Beckham

Updating sportswear classics for a new spring mood with David Beckham Body wear at H&M


For Spring 2016, David Beckham Body wear at H&M focuses on sportswear classics, elevating key pieces such as sweatshirts and joggers with new shapes and fresh details. Urban neutrals dominate the palette of a collection that continues to push the definition of body wear. The collection will be available globally in all H&M stores that carries menswear and on hm.com, from the beginning of February.


“I’m so proud of my Body wear collection at H&M, and I love how we can offer so many important pieces in a man’s wardrobe. It’s everything a man needs from body wear, from underwear to these new takes on sportswear classics that I can’t wait to wear,” says David Beckham

“Sweatshirts and joggers are key pieces for men today, and can be worn in so many different ways and situations. The pieces in David’s latest body wear collection push the styles forward, whilst retaining the details that make them such classics,” says Andreas Löwenstam, H&M’s Men’s Head of Design.


The crew-neck sweatshirt is updated with details including raw edges and inside-out seams on the collar and raglan sleeves for a worn effect. The sweatshirt also has side zips in the seams for ventilation and ease of movement, and comes in neutrals such as khaki green, grey and black.

Joggers have all the essential technical details, such as zip pockets and a rope drawstring, and come in grey melange or technical cotton. T-shirts and vests continue the themes of the collection, with raw edges in neutral shades.


These seasonal pieces join the core David Beckham Body wear products, which have been available in H&M stores worldwide since its launch in 2012. The collection has been a great success ever since, fulfilling David’s intention of becoming a trusted body wear brand that becomes a natural part of men’s wardrobes around the world.


Wednesday, 26 August 2015

Men's Fragrance Bar in Sandton City

#StuttafordsMensFragranceBar

So every man loves to smell good! I am sure that everyone will agree with me on that.
Stuttafords in Sandton City now boasts what we call a 'Men's Fragrance Bar' where gents are able to explore and experience new 'male only' scents without their sense of smell being tricked by the hundreds of feminine fragrances in the air. (I always hate it when you get a nostril full of some exotic fruity perfume.)



Liz Ferrett, Cosmetics Executive of Stuttafords hits the nail on the head with what she has to say about the brand new addition to the Stuttafords family: 
"We absolutely love making men feel uninhibited & comfortable within their metrosexuality; The Men's fragrance bar is the perfect solution. We've created an environment where men can find what scent defines them with confidence with the assistance of our pleasant staff."

Some of the guests to grace the red carpet included some of our favourite people.

Nicola Cooper - Trend Analyst
Armand Aucamp & Duan Wanty
Fuaad Abdool - Model
Jerri Mokgofe - According To Jerri
Johnny Apple
LexLeo Dr Smile & Miss SA - Liesl Laurie
Lori Mer, Lorida Voges & Liz Ferrett
Louw Breytenbach - Die Reviewer
Morwick Pietersen - The Fashion Lab Africa 
Lloyd Loots - As Seen By Lloyd & Sean Howe
Go and check it our for yourself as soon as you can and experience the Stuttafords Men's Fragrance Bar in Sandton City.



What a surprise & a bit of fun at the launch. A few lucky draw prize winners!

Lloyd Loots, Jen Su & Liz Ferrett
Jen Su, Kevin McLennan & Liz Ferrett
Jen Su, Darrin Thomas & Liz Ferrett

Some of my personal favourite fragrances are stocked in this new initiative and include Hermès, Tom Ford, Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, Dunhill & Versace. But wait! That is not all. This men's fragrance bar is home to Clinique for Men, Clarins Men & Lab Series. So not only are you able to smell good, you can also make sure that your skin looks good at the same time.

Thanks to 4Elementsmedia for the fantastic event, Vicky Crease Catering for feeding us and Glenfiddich, Rose's Cordial & Peroni for keeping us hydrated.

Photo Credit - Paul Shiakallis

Friday, 7 August 2015

#RISandton

River Island arrives in Sandton City

So the rivers have flown and brought a new River Island store to our banks in Sandton City. For many individuals, the opening of a new store is just something that happens. For me, it is rather quite the exciting experience, which means it is new clothes, new fashion and new spaces. When I heard that River Island was, yet again, coming closer to home I couldn't help but smile and wonder what they would have in store for us.



Some quick facts about River Island:
Started in 1948 by Bernard Lewis in London.
Over 350 stores worldwide.
In-House designs.
As stated on their website, "With over 60 years of fashion retailing experiences, River Island is one of the most well-known and loved brands on the High Street"



Greeted on arrival with a flute of bubbly, I instantly knew that it would be a great evening.

My very 1st impression was of the amazing space of the new store. Nothing is cramped and things are spaced out in such a manner that it is easy to move through the store without bumping into every other railing. Big plus for me.

The lighting. There is nothing worse than walking into a store that is badly lit and it feels like your eyes need to adjust to darkness just to see that a shirt you thought is black is actually blue. The lighting in the new store is definitely up to scratch. It is bright and nothing is left in a shadow. I feel that lighting in a store is very important. I am a visual person. If I see something that I like (this tends to happen more so in stores that have good lighting) I tend to get a closer look and inspect a garment. Feel the fabric. Inspect the colour. Feel the weight. Watch the flow. All little things that I do believe many people unknowingly actually do when they go shopping.


The smell. Many people won't even realise this, but different stores have different smells. As you walk in at the River Island store in Sandton, you are greeted with a fresh clean scent. I am sure that many people will agree that you hate walking into a store and it smells like a mix of fast food, body odour and a dirty bathroom.

There is methodology behind the way that River Island will stock up the store. In the men's section, you start off with the more casual looks, then something a bit more preppy and a bit more evening orientated that is not full on formal wear, to the formal wear suits. So next time you walk into a store, appreciate the layout and actually think about how the shop is displayed.


River Island is not the cheapest place to go shopping, but then again, shopping for clothing is something that has become a lot more expensive in general. A while back I was at 'A Fashion Insider' evening hosted by 5FM's DJ Poppy & A Fashion Friend's Robynne Kahn at the River Island in Brooklyn Mall. There is one statement that Robynne made that evening that I will never forget. She said that if you ever walk into a store and you feel like you can't afford anything, go straight to the accessories section as there is bound to be something there that will be able to afford. If you want to buy clothing of a high quality that will last you for more than 2 washes, you need to be willing to pay a bit more for a t-shirt or a jersey. I feel that garments at River Island are made of high quality fabrics and that they sure will last you for some time and that is why I don't mind paying more for my clothing that I buy at River Island.


Getting back to the accessories. River Island stocks some of the best accessories that I have come across in a while. From stylish sunglasses and flashy rings to stylish gym bags and glamorous clutches. There is most definitely something for everyone in store. (Thank goodness I left my wallet in the car, or else this may have ended up being one of those months where there is more month left than money.)

These are some of the items that grabbed my attention in store.














And naturally there is a whole lot more for the ladies.












The #PandaCrew was there bringing some serious fashionable #Pandamonium to the evening. Thanks to Ryan Enslin from My Lime Boots for getting the rest of the #PandaCrew there on the evening. 

Photo Credit - My Lime Boots




These are 2 of the biggest inspirations that I have in the industry. It is always lovely to catch up with #TrendMen Alan Foley and Krishen Samuels.


And we spotted #TeamBowtens aka John Owens and Chantelle Bothma too, along with Creative Revolt representative Kristy Hesom.



Now who doesn't love a photo booth?




Be sure to go check out the new store sometime soon.


Check out the online presence.
Web: www.riverisland.com
Facebook: River Island
Twitter:@RiverIslandSA
Instagram: RiverIslandSA

Just a quick word of thanks to 4ElementsMedia and Phatic Communications for once again proving what a wonderful job they do and for the lovely evening out at the launch of River Island in Sandton City.