Blinding lights come flashing from every angle in the room
as the achingly emaciated figures, wrapped in couture designs created by some
of the world’s most famous designers, comes marching down the runway, audibly focusing to keep from tumbling down their 9 inch heels.
There is an awe-inspiring silence as the who’s who of the
fashion industry sits in the front row intensely taking notes in their little
black books of every perfectly crafted garment that walks on by, either nodding
in approval or not nodding at all. It’s the South African fashion week and the
atmosphere is so heavily fueled with glitz and glamour if anyone would dare
light a match, I’m sure the place would explode.
But fashion week, I soon learn while scrutinising this much
anticipated occasion, the Oscars of the fashion world and the highlight of
every plausible fashion designer’s career, is not all about the glitz and
glamour and beautiful people parading around in beautiful attire. Au contraire!
Fashion week creates the ideal platform for new business deals to come about
and partnerships to form, an event where new marketing strategies are
discussed, debated, rejected and settled upon and networking and ideas runs on
overflow. From afar this event seems almost superficial to the eye, but
becoming a part of this business – and that is exactly what I’ve learned it is
– requires much more than beauty and talent.
 |
| Fashion designer and Stylist: Kim Craig |
When I meet with fashion design graduate and stylist Kim
Craig in a cosy little cocktail bar on the busy Sea point strip in Cape Town,
she readily confirms my findings. Kim, who’s burning desire it is to take on
the world with her fashion suave tells me that even while studying the arts and
crafts of fashion designing at Lisof – leaders In the Science Of Fashion in
South Africa, and even though it was extremely rewarding and probably the best
three years of her life, it was the commercial stream that ultimately
fascinated her most.
So when in her final year Kim had to make a decision which
direction she wanted to go within the fashion industry, she decided on
business, marketing and media – a decision she’s never come to regret. I also
thought it very interesting and somewhat flattering that myself and this
incredibly level-headed blonde from Johannesburg has something in common –
turns out she too worked in insurance for a number of years before realising
that it was no environment for her colourful personality and impulsively took
the calculated risk and left the bland concrete walls behind, along with the
‘security’ it provided, to pursue a career that would revive her creativity
again.
Right now Kim is pulling out all the stops to turn her dream
into a reality and aspires to not only style the rich and fashion-senseless,
but more importantly be respected by her clients - women and men alike who
loves to power dress or simply look good for that special occasion. She
believes that had it not been for her business mind-set and the choices she
made while in college, she would still be designing clothes that would most
likely never get out the front door, Like so many of our young designers out
there. Not because of how bad they are, but because she’d most likely have no idea
how to start and maintain a successful business. When asked what her recipe for
success is in this highly competitive industry, as if to make sure it’s forever
imprinted in my mind and the minds of our readers, she repeats the words that’s
now become almost synonymous to the fashion industry - “Business, business and
more business…also be unique, work hard and wake up every day motivated and
determined”, she quickly adds.
Like myself, Ms Craig is a huge fan of the SA fashion icon
Gavin Rajah. Did you know - she asks me excitedly - that this founder of Cape
Town Fashion Week and renowned couturier and business-man succeeded, against
all odds, in getting South African designers to show at Paris Fashion Week? Now
of cause I knew this from the extensive research I've done prior to our
interview, but to hear those words coming from Kim, to whom Rajah’s devotion to
the fashion world means plenty to her career and the careers of others in the
industry, brought a sense of conviction to this impressive notion. And when
creativity is not oozing from this amazing artist’s every pore and Mr Rajah
takes a little break from the business typhoon in him, you’ll most probably
find him in the middle of one of his favourite past-times which includes
anything from horseback riding on the enchanting white sands of Cape Town’s
Noordhoek beach, drinking tea in the beautiful lush gardens of the Mount Nelson
hotel in the city centre or lounging in the presidential suite of the Table Bay
beach front hotel. All deserving luxury for one so noble, I’d say.
Alas, although it’s become quite apparent that our designers
certainly do not lack creativity nor originality, many are still lacking the
very necessary resources required to make it big or simply make it at all in
this much coveted industry – a profound understanding of business being right
at the top of the list with lack of available fabric both affordable and high
in quality and little to no support from our local fashion retailers following
on a short thread. As another up and coming fashion designer mentions on her
blog “This is why you see so many South African designers using the same
fabrics. It’s not because they lack imagination, it’s because that’s all they
can find!” Imagine the likes of David Tlale, CGDT Kluk and Gavin Rajah – whose
designs have walked the ramps from Europe to the US time and time again. Good
business sense may not be the sole reason for their multi-million rand success,
but without it I wouldn't be writing about them today. Tough shoes to fill I’m
willing to bet my jimmy choo’s…or is it…considering Mr Rajah started his
business with only R500 to his name - a loan he took out by his parents and was
never asked to repay.
However rare, every once in a while mother luck do come
along and waves her magic wand, which reminds me of a time when I was much
younger and just started my first job. I remember wandering around the exquisite
Jenni Button Boutique whenever I had a break - unable to afford anything in
there and completely unashamed I would enter this little haven and my happy
place with its elegantly styled mannequins, tantalising music soothing to the
senses and beautifully groomed shop assistants ready to jump to your side by the
slightest tilt of your head. Amusingly, this always took me back to the scene
in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts enters an exclusive boutique on the “fashion
famous” Rodeo Drive and judged on her (hooker-like) appearance is then rudely asked to leave
before she even gets to buy a thing. The thought made me chuckle and left me
with a great sense of relief at just how friendly Jenni’s staff always were.
Back then, and in my mind, the fashion industry was all black and white – if
you had the talent and creativity to make beautiful clothes then yes you’ll
most definitely be an international household name. How terribly wrong I was!
For Jenni it was simply a case of “being in the right place at the right time”
she told Entrepreneur magazine back in 2009. As was Ms Roberts’ character in
Pretty Woman. Unfortunately for too many of our country’s rising designers,
this sort of luck does not come that easily.
It certainly did not come that easy for Kim. After finishing
school and a further three years in the insurance industry, Kim finally made
the choice to go to college and pursue her passion. Having never before
practiced her creative skills or any art form for that matter, she took a
chance at Graphic designing. The applicant was required to do an on-the-spot
still-life drawing and Kim was refused entry into the college as her drawing
was not up to standard. With the option to do a bridging course, but no
guarantee that she will be accepted, she made peace with the idea that maybe
Graphic designing was not for her after all. So after picking herself up and
moving forward, sure that she was meant to do something great with her creative
desire, she opted for fashion designing instead and fate lead her straight to
Lisof – “a good private college and well known in the fashion industry” a
friend of hers promised. “Lisof is where my passion was enrooted even deeper. I
learned so much, from conceptualisation to drawing, cutting and sewing of a
garment” Kim reminisces “The first garment I made myself - from start to finish
- was for the Lisof end of year fashion show and was created on inspiration I
drew while watching the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The rest, as they say, is
history.”
When asked what fashion truly means to her, she gently puts
down her Pims and Lemonde which she’s been sipping on ever since we arrived,
leans closer, arms folded on the table as if to make this clear she starts and
looks me right in the eyes,” Fashion to me is everything. Something that’s
built into my system. It’s in everything I do and everywhere I go. I see style
as always being important. If someone meets you for the first time and you’re
looking a mess, like you have been working in the garden the entire day or
simply as though you have no interest in taking care of yourself, what do you
think they think of you are as a person? Image is more than a look it’s a
person’s whole approach. This is what makes the possibilities in this industry
so endless.”
And true to Kim’s words, the opportunities most certainly
and most reassuringly to other aspiring artists out there, are endless. Board
member of the world fashion council, founder of the Sanlam SA fashion week and
Shoprite/Checkers business woman of the year 2010 Lucilla Booyzen has made many
of these opportunities possible and opened rusty old, mould eaten doors for
many locals in the industry. Ms Booyzen, with the tremendous help from her
business intellect and passion to see the industry flourish, introduced a SA
Fashion Week mentorship programme where local designers are educated on
marketing, stock control, selling and planning their ranges, and managing their
budgets. This initiative motivated and changed the face of all participating
designers, improving their output and minimizing their losses. Thus putting a
stamp on the fact that Beauty, without brains and a knack for business will
benefit our young designers very little to none. When Lucilla refers to Lisof,
the fashion institute where Kim got her colours as designer and where Lucilla
collaborated with many of their students, she observes proudly that the fashion
industry in South Africa is indeed in great shape. Marianne Fassler, whom I've heard has been referred to many in the industry as the Vivienne Westwood of
South Africa, concurs to this observation and has even gone so far as to offer
Lisof students positions within her company.
The world famous designer Alexander McQueen once said “there
is no better designer, than nature”. McQueen may not have referred to Africa at
the time, but he sure as hell could have as our country have, most certainly,
been dealt a fair share of nature’s beauty. With our remarkable landscapes,
textures and colours it is no wonder our designers have no shortage of
creativity and imagination. Unfortunately, as our fashion industry is moving
forward with the rest of the world, so are the expectations and creativity
accompanied with sound business knowledge might just get your head out the
clouds and secure your place among the stars.
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