STIAAN LOUW '6' AT JOHANNESBURG FASHION WEEK 2011

Stiaan Louw's show, although highly anticipated, came out of nowhere and knocked me over. I have heard about this collection for a long time. I've discussed many of it's details in depth with the designer. But I didn't prepare myself to be so bowled over by a collection such as this. There will be readers who will frown at this statement but they must understand the difference between wearable fashion and art. I watched one particular show that had seemingly no original thought in it's design or execution. In fact it was wrongly arrogant without any backing.

We arrived at the Johannesburg Art Gallery and were soon after ushered to our seats. Word of the event being over capacity made sure we stayed put. Within the hour we saw this as a blessing because even the front row had to make space for extra's. At the following show we found out a certain famous local actress was content to sit at the feet of a magazine stylist. Some poured over stairs and corners and many were turned away altogether asked to watch from monitors outside.




What I deeply appreciated about this show was the lack of two things: Stiaan's name anywhere and the presence of theatrics. His models walked without emotion. They were cold and detached. It was like witnessing these men in some parallel universe walking around their tribes, mud caked on their feet and forearms. I allowed my imagination to wander. I tried to picture where Stiaan was sending these men off to. The Roman influence of some of the garments told me they were off to war. There were dots of Greek influence and of Samurai. In fact so many countries were included but never in an obvious way. You almost have to look the pieces individually to see this.





This collection also includes a surprising addition. Colour! All natural tones but then added with antique jewelry by Ida Elsje  and neon accessories from Missibaba that enhanced the darker tones beautifully. The sandals are an updated version of the kind I wore as a 90's kid. A play on a Grecian or Roman sandal perhaps but completely wearable for any modern man.



In fact this collection sees mostly wearable styles, and dare I say he included commercial pieces like the stitched T-shirts and a drop-crotch ensemble which looks like it belongs to a casual New Yorker. Yes, he darkened a few models skin, yes he lightened others. It didn't even matter when images were projected onto the walls with a white model painted black. His clothing speaks for itself and the model is merely a canvas. There is no hidden meaning. These models are the children of a wold that Stiaan has created, and believes in. A white man in african attire? Gasp. The world has moved on and this collection celebrates that evolution.

Pictures property of Simon Deiner / SDR and Manofthecloth.

STIAAN LOUW '6'

With mere days away until the exciting debut of '6' at Johannesburg fashion week, Stiaan Louw along with the face of this season Eric Bester, take us back to an old-worldly re-imagining of sorts, and spectacularly I may add. Shot in Silvermines by Antonia Steyn, Eric comes out hazy, blurry and a little nostalgic in these beautiful images released late last night.

With the team that has followed '6' since the beginning, Michael Cooper and Laura Kingma lend their talents as art director and hair and make-up respectively.

Watch this space because I will be reporting from Jhb fashion week via Twitter and will have images for you up close and behind the scenes. Stiaan Louw shows on the 18th February at 21:30pm at the Joburg art gallery.  Will you be there?

STIAAN LOUW 2 OF 6 REVEALED

Photographer Antonia Steyn

Model Eric Bester from Boss

Art director Michael Cooper from OneLeague

Hair and makeup Laura Kingma from OneLeague

Schön! FEATURES LOCAL DESIGNERS IN ISSUE 10

Local designers Stiaan Louw, Suzanne Heyns and David West are featured in the latest issue of Schön! magazine. You can access the whole issue at nineteen74.com but make sure to see page 138.

THE AFI FASHION WEEK LINE-UP

Spotted at the AFI Fashion Week launch in Johannesburg last week was Stiaan Louw (with Joe from Jaylowlovesyou). We were able to discuss some of the treats lined up for his new collection but mums the word. Here is a list of designers showing next month.

• Suzaan Heyns, a Joburg label that pushes the boundaries in ready-to-wear fashion, appealing to strong-willed women;
• Errol Arendz, whose luxury fashion brands, DuSud and EA Ready to Wear, have a sleek and glamorous feel with delicate military touches;
• KlûkCGDT, a label that represents the merging of two designers dedicated to each garment with careful attention and dedication to detail;
• LISP, which is about living out rock and roll, with an autumn / winter collection drawing inspiration from the late 1960s and early 1970s;
• Wild Fig, a woman’s clothing label that makes the wearer feel feminine and beautiful;
• Spero Villioti, who for the past 25 years has been viewed as the leading haute couture label in Joburg;
• Abigail Betz, winner of the Best Couture Collection award, whose designs are characterised by femininity and romance;
• Karabo Finger, a specialty fashion brand focusing on women’s career, cocktail and lifestyle wear;
• Distinctive Wear, which creates clothes for sophisticated men;
• Avant for Gaschette, which notes that “inspiration from Joburg comes mainly from what is taken in visually and experiences on a sensory level on a day-to-day basis”;
• Grapevine, a new Joburg label;
• Bongiwe Walaza, who uses African prints strongly in her garments;
• Stiaan Louw, with his menswear;
• Thula Sindi, who designs clothing for elegant and mature women;
• Abigail Keats, whose signature style is best described as a sophisticated contemporary art form that plays with the paradox of masculine tailoring;
• Tart, which focuses on leisurewear;
• Loin Cloth and Ashes, which focuses on dresses for women who dare to be different;
• Heni, who won the Vodacom Durban July fashion challenge in 2007; and
• David Tlale, a home-grown label that stands out for its elegantly designed garments.

from joburg.org.za, image property of man of the cloth

STIAAN LOUW IN COSMOPOLITAN FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE

With just a couple weeks to go before the new collection is unveiled, Stiaan Louw is once again featured in one of our local magazines. This time, for Cosmopolitan's February issue. The models, from 20 Management were styled by Margot Robinson and photographed by Natasja Maria Fourie.



AFI Fashion Week in Joburg starts on the 15th of February and Stiaan will be showing on the 18th. Having attended the opening party on Tuesday night I was able to hear about the very special plans for the designers which include multiple landmark venue changes. I am excited to see what the whole outcome is because it was truly planned with a lot of thought and passion.

For the second image, which includes the face of Stiaan Louw's "6" campaign Eric Bester and three strong new models are styled by the talented Michael Cooper and photographed by Justin Polkey.

Q&A with Stiaan Louw for Ammo Magazine

Stiaan Louw has been all over the net and magazines lately with the anticipation of his upcoming collection(s). Now Ammo Magazine beckoned the local designer for a Q&A all the way from New York and they included the topic of blackfacing and the controversy around it. Quite the interesting read!

Follow the jump to read the Q&A >>

Trunk Magazine feature Stiaan Louw

INRTRODUCING... '6' by STIAAN LOUW

In this first look at Stiaan Louw’s sixth and most defining collection, “6”  with it's Middle Eastern, ancient Greek, Indian and Massai influence help to redefine the idea of an African aesthetic. This collection is about blending these different styles. Within the campaign Stiaan has elected four photographers to interpret the four components of the collection however they see it. The model, Eric Bester is the new face of Stiaan Louw and will appear in each component following the release of '6', featuring garments reminiscent of the Mesopotamian ideal. 

All Access - Stiaan Louw Feature

Last Friday Mnet's "All Access" showcased an interview with menswear great Stiaan Louw. I was invited along to give my own opinions of Stiaan's work. Included in the interview, Morne Visagie (who modeled in Louw's "Design Indaba" show last year) and studio-mate and fellow designer Maya Prass.

The insert is embedded below for your viewing:

Stiaan Louw Documentary Part 2

Stiaan Louw in Part two of his Documentary by Kyle Lewis, discusses his organic approach to tackling an international market. In addition to this, advice for fellow young designers and if you look carefully at the two minute mark you can see me checking out his rack at the Design Indaba where the fashion show took place! Sneaky.

Enjoy!

Stiaan Louw Documentary Part 1

You've been asking about it and now it's here. Catch the first installment of my friend and menswear designer, Stiaan Louw's documentary. If you've ever wondered about what he's like in person, here is your chance. Directed by Kyle Lewis, the short contains interviews with those in the know, including models and fellow designers. A real treat!

Stiaan, who has been designing for around ten years has been going through a shedding process and this is just the beginning of only wonderful things to come. I, along with South Africa look forward to seeing just what that is! Enjoy.

STIAAN LOUW DOCUMENTARY: Brand vs. Persona

I just got this video teaser in and wanted to share it with you straight away! In a new 12 minute documentary Stiaan Louw is followed around during the recent build-up to 2010 Design Indaba. Not only will you be introduced to the process of building a line, but you will also discover the artist behind the name.



The documentary director, Kyle Lewis had this to say of Stiaan :

"I believe that the world of fashion; design and film all co-inside. And as a fashion lover myself I wanted to shed light on how crazy the fashion world is but also how rewarding it can be.

Stiaan Louw is one of the most revolutionary South African designers, taking his brand to the fore front of international fashion.

But even with all his success he has managed to remain a humble down to earth person, who is driven by his passion to create and inspire. I believe it’s important to expose people to Stiaan’s world, because he is the perfect example of a success story.

I wanted to show the man behind the name."

Jon Cottam and Stiaan Louw

For more information on this fascinating and talented photographer head over to www.joncottam.com.

Q&A with Stiaan Louw on his latest Campaign

Stephen Manion steps up to replace LeRiche in Stiaan Louw's latest ad campaign. I sat down with Stiaan to find out more about the new collection.



MOTC: Stiaan, Your latest collection is such a breath of fresh air. It certainly reflects a notable change in your style while still maintaining the Stiaan Louw ethos. What brought on this change?

SL: I spent last year pursuing almost every opportunity that came my way... I found myself somewhat exhausted at the end of it and still stuck on using a predominantly black palette. I wanted to create a 'quiet' collection, focused on the construction of the clothes, however simple...and make the design of the clothes the focal point again...I'm learning how to say 'no'.

MOTC: You unveiled the collection at this years 2010 Design Indaba, which I was able to attend, and it was quite a beautiful and elegant showing. How did you come about the themes and choreography?

SL: I knew I wanted the collection to speak of where I was at that particular moment in time. I wanted it to be 'soft', simple and minimalist. Brett Rubin (the campaign photographer) and I have been working together for several seasons now and there is a wonderful synergy between us. Before he left for Johannesburg on a road trip I gave him a shirt from the collection and described the mood and feel to him. He surprised me with the most beautiful photographs of landscapes which then became a strong component of the show. The choreography was done by Juanita Daniel and Jan Malan... I have worked with them on all my shows and they seem to understand the underlying ethos of my brand. The music was quite different from my normal choices for shows, but I also wanted to tone that down, use something more thought-provoking and 'mature' to accompany the shift.

MOTC: Your latest campaign boy Stephen is quite a contrast to his predecessor LeRiche with a very old-worldly look to him, was there a conscious decision to this choice?

SL: Yes, I saw Stephen at Design Indaba in 2009 and knew I wanted to create a collection around him, but the time was not right... I first had to go through the experience of last year...then at the beginning of this year I knew I wanted my work to capture a more mature, softer approach...he seemed to capture this and I made contact again.

MOTC: Tell me some more about the Look-book:

SL: The look-book happened a day or two before the show, it was unplanned... Brett had presented the images of the landscapes to me just the day before. They spoke to me on so many different levels... of where my work was, which direction I wanted to take it in and also of where I was emotionally. Over coffee, while looking at the images he offered to shoot the look-book the next morning, a day before leaving for Johannesburg. The experience felt similar to that of the first 'Next Generation Campaign' I did with him. It was simple, effortless and 'uncluttered'. Those are also some of the words I now remind myself of while designing...its where I started initially.





MOTC: Tell me a bit about the fabrics used, also comparing them to prior season. They seem like they have more texture. I also notice you didn't have any black in this collection either:

SL: All the fabrics are still cottons and viscose, but I decided on a lighter colour palette...Even though its a winter collection I wanted it to move away from the edgier black I did before. I wanted it to look more tailored in a way and opted for fabrics with more texture. I think it goes hand in hand with the fact that I don't want to necessarily be know as a designer whose work is only aimed at a the edgy youth market as I have been described as before. I didn't want that to be the predominant perception of my work.

MOTC: You like to keep things 'in the family' in a sense using photographer Brett Rubin and stylist Nicole Van Heerden again, I imagine they 'get' your vision?

SL: I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of people on my collections, but I tend to return to the ones I feel I have a good 'rhythm' and trust with. This is very important to me in all my relationships. Brett has an understanding of what I want to achieve and he is open to the process...it makes it unbelievably effortless. Also I think you develop a visual language with the people you collaborate with over time...it is something that needs nurturing. For instance, in this look book Brett did a shot of Stephen from the side which reminded me of the shot of Chris Wagner from the back in the Next Generation Johannesburg campaign.

MOTC: How is your affiliation with Astore going? Any plans to open a stand-alone of your own like David West?

SL: Astore has been a positive experience. When I approached them the first time after Fashion Week 2008 I knew there was amazing potential for my brand in the store. I feel that this potential is being realised and that it can only grow stronger from here. I am considering my own stand alone store, but I feel that it is a huge responsibility. I have many friends with stores and would like to think that I will be well prepare once I do it. I have always believed in taking things slowly, in the hope of not burning out or making too many financial mistakes.

MOTC: I loved the stretchy jean-tracksuit pants in the show, how did you come up with that idea?

SL: I have been playing with smart tracksuit pants since the beginning of the menswear. First I had it in a tux drop-crotch version and then with zips on the inner leg to tighten or loosen the leg. I think I have finally created a shape that is comfortable and easy to wear, but can be worn with a suit jacket or a simple vest.

MOTC: I think the detailing of this collection is so great. Long spread lapels, high double 'bunny collars' and a lot of your signature layering. It seems like you've taken a lot of care into these details.

SL: I think the details are most important with menswear. I often look at guys shopping and more often than not, the discerning shopper doesn't pay much attention to the obviously 'designed' clothes... they understand what a beautifully made collar looks like, or a lapel that folds perfectly. Since I have stared my mentorship with House of Monatic through the Cape Town Fashion Council, this has become a focal point and something I will continue to focus on. Fit is key!

MOTC: Are there any other menswear designers you're watching from the corner of eye?

SL: Locally? Not really, not that i don't think they are not out there...I just prefer to focus on my own work and not to get involved in politics...I think it distracts from the focus.

MOTC: So... what's next for Stiaan Louw?

SL: I may be doing Africa Fashion Week next...but making sure I provide my clients with beautiful product and expanding on that base is my focal point for this year, but I'm doing it slowly and with consideration.

Stiaan Louw at the 2010 Design Indaba

Seated in the front row I was fortunate to witness Stiaan Louw's latest collection at the 2010 Design Indaba. Fellow blogger Robyn Cooke and I were seeing it all for the first time, so as you can imagine we had no idea what to expect.

"I saw a light" by Bat for Lashes played softly and elegantly as the show opened. It played hand in hand to the unveiling of a new Stiaan Louw. A less complicated and organic rebirth, if you will. And not only does it extend to his design which in itself is so fresh and new, but he used cotton, viscose, cotton twills and viscose knits which are all natural fabrics too.



Thankfully his show was choreographed beautifully to allow us, his fashion voyeurs a better chance to catch the details. Such as these cotton spandex tracksuit pants, which double up as jeans!





And this jacket which has the most original collar detailing which I have now dubbed "The Bunny Collar". The stand is slightly higher than with traditional shirt collars and the fall smaller. It's fantastic!





You may also recognize Morne' who modeled these overlay shirts. Die hards will see that this is a trademark of Stiaan Louw's designs of allowing you to change the colour. The one shirt slots over the other!



Success! A show that genuinely excited me on a local front. I truly believe Stiaan is a step ahead of his peers and I can only look forward to seeing more of what he has to offer our country.

Stiaan Louw at Design Indaba 2010

The design Indaba, now in it's thirteenth year will be showcasing an array of South Africa's diverse talent. Each year challenging to outdo themselves, offering graphic design, décor, jewelry, industrial design, furniture and of course Fashion just to name a few.

And with fashion we need look no further than Stiaan Louw who will be showcasing his 2010 Winter collection. The promo image was designed by friend and muse Morné Visagie and comes part of a series of four.

As for the fun to be had at the CTICC in Cape Town from the 26th to the 28th February, there are all day fashion shows, a short film festival and over 250 exhibitions to help empty your wallet after pay-day.

Heads Up!

Richard Keppel Smith is a photographer and lighting director based in Cape Town. Currently showing his exhibition at Wembley Square which includes pieces from local designer Stiaan Louw.

You can catch the rest of his work online here as well as a very interesting online installation called 'Big Bang Love' Just a warning you might want to start off with a lower volume.