Covid-19 or not, the SAFW was not going to let the 2021 Spring/Summer fashion week pass by. After registering for media accreditation about a year ago, I finally received an invitation to the TenTwentyTwenty Collections Fashion Week, their unconventional Fashion Week, which is said to be the first ever digital Fashion Week in the African continent.
The TenTwentyTwenty Collections was set to happen virtually on a streaming program of 27 digital runway shows of the month of October from 22 – 24 and this is according to the South Africa Fashion Week Mail. The “virtual world” is our new norm and we have been adjusting to it quite well. I was able to view the first show and here is what I think of it and the collections. On day one, designers that were showcasing their collections are Gert-Johan Coetzee, MmusoMaxwell, Judith Atelier, Lukhanyo Mdingi, Research Unit, Ekta and Helon Melon. All these seven collections were very distinctive and looked ravishing.
I’ll start with the one that I think I’d like to wear, which is by Research Unit. I love earthy colours, the Indiana Jones type of colors and that is what we got from Research Unit. My favorite pieces from the collection were the beige maxi t-shirt dress, the khaki straight leg pants and the oversized off-white shirt. The Helon Melon collection also struck me because of its one tone. I love a good white maxi dress that I can pair with my dad kicks and a pair from my good quality socks collection and all the maxi dresses from this collection were nothing short of perfection. The hints of bright orange, hot pink, Azure and lime yellow hues added a sizzle of spring and summer into the collection which gave it a bit of a fun factor.
My favorite happens to be the people’s favorite and has been making rounds on social media. MmusoMaxwell did what they do best, which is creating astonishing high-end, ready-to-wear collections. “This season we wanted to challenge the narrative of a women’s place in society, especially in African cultures” the duo said. This collection had interesting colors that many may use of a fall collection. Mustards, navy and teal. Unlike the Research Unit and Helon Melon, this collection had different shapes, structures and silhouettes which made it perfect for the, “career women on the move” as said on The south African.
Moving on to the Ekta collection. There is a lot of different types of fabrics as well as prints used on this collection, from silk to chiffon and satin. This collection was quite clear that it was a spring/summer collection it exuded those two seasons throughout the looks. The prints that stood out most for me were the ogee and paisley looking type of prints on one of the looks. I will close off by saying, day one designers came out with guns blazing. I loved everything.
The third Digital Exhibition is still underway and if you haven’t viewed it yet, click here.
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