Monday 23 December 2013

The Epic Funsunzi Beach Festival


Durban is most definitely the place to be during festive season. With warm weather and vibey atmosphere, its hartd not to love this city.
Maynards in association with Durban's number 1 radio station East Coast Radio have come up with a way to make this summer even more fun and juicy. They're doing this through one of the coolest beach festivals.The Funsunzi Beach Festival, this is just a way to make a juicy summer even juicer with the kaboom type of burst from the wide selection of Maynards and out of this world entertainment from some of the best radio DJs from East Coast Radio.

The Funsunzi Beach Festival began on the 19th in Margate then moved to Suncoast Beach on the 21st with breakfast show radio DJ Darren Maul. Today they've taken the kaboom juiceness to the last stop which is the Willard Beach in Ballito.
The festival is a perfect place for families to come have fun from splashes in Maynard pools, to all sorts of games burtsing with flavor.

If you're in Ballito its not too late to catch the Funsunzi Beach Festival, since tomorrow, the 24th of December Maynards and East Coast Radio will still be bringing you the juiciest summer fun.
If you thought this was gonna be a bland summer you just got a major kaboom burst of juicy Maynards all over your face. And there's more than just edible candy, there's a lot more eye candy.

Thursday 19 December 2013

Tea with Siya Ntini: Introductions x RALFE ATOX


Over the week I got to sit down and have a cup of wine  tea, with the talented, young man who's planning on taking the fashion industry by storm in South Africa. Here's my chat with Siya Ntini the brain and creative behind the brand RALFE ATOX





Q: At most I'm always doing the talking (which I do enjoy) but I would prefer that you tell us who is Siyabonga Ntini and what is he about?

Siyabonga Ntini is a weird looking boy, all about fashion, all about art and design. Passionate towards anything with a strong story line. I believe everything has a reason. There's a reason you have tucks on a dress. What is it?... I'm that type of person. Always have questions. On a more biographical manner I was born in JHB by my parents who are from DBN and you know how back then (20 years ago or so) everyone moved to JHB for a better life. I mean even now people still do. I chose to come back here because I believe I was born here by spirit and I'm all about DURBAN. I LOVE IT!!

Q: Today we're looking at introductions in all levels. Without any modesty can you introduce us to the fashion house Ralfe (ATOX)?

RALFE is my late father's name and in short the label is for women designed in an avant garde taste and aims at Ready To Wear. ATOX is a design chart I created for my self that acts as a secondary logo for anything I do. A is a triangle which could easily mean controversy. My design attitude is all about people reacting to the clothes emotionally. Either love or hate. It's emotional and personal to me and I want that to show. T is stylized as a crucifix which stands for Religion. I'm very pro-religion and you'll soon learn how I abuse that element of me in my design language. O is void of any references. Timeless, modern and now. X is the art element I always apply.
That mostly tells you about my label in short and many people might not pay attention to the ALF embedded in it but it plays a huge role and it's one of the things people will learn about pretty soon.

Q: I was lucky enough to be one of the people who were in attendance for your debut showcase. We saw that your collection had some of the most eclectic fabric pairing. What was the inspiration behind the whole collection?

Haha I like the part where everything sounds so exclusive. Yeah, uhm the collection is called Sublime Aftermath and I kinda shifted my mindset back to the tender age of six when I first learnt my dad had passed on. The first thing I was told by my mother was "Your father has been fetched by angels to go live in heaven..." that still stings even now but I just wanted to highlight the emotion I had then and what death meant to the six year old Siya and how I had the idea that he'd be dressed in white and bless me with wealth and he sacrificed himself to look after me in at a better place hence I used White, Gold and Red. We all want success. What's better than White and Gold? That's heaven right there. Carved and stitched on a woman. Wearing heaven should feel good. So that's where I saw it go.


Q: Still on introductions. Who is the Ralfe ATOX girl? What's her taste in fashion? What's her attitude like?

She's a mean girl. Chameleon, probably has split personalities and always has red lipstick on. In essence she's a rebelle stuck in a princess's body.


Q: Now we wouldn't really be done talking until we actually spill some tea. What is it that you believe South African fashion designers are doing wrong and is becoming an impede on their way to gaining international recognition?

Personally I think design and research go hand in hand. As much as following trends can make you look like everyone, starting and interpreting them in a personal level will always make you unique.designers tend to go crazy and forget that fashion is a calculated scientific industry. It is not always spontaneous. Think, design, re-create and brand yourself. Signature is also important and lastly perfect your craft. As beaux your stuff may be if it doesn't meet international standards then boooosh. There goes the life of London to New York.

Q: How do you plan to bring that sense of freshness, futuristic and currency with Ralfe ATOX?

With me future comes last in design. I'm all about now, past and emotion. Sometimes relevant clothing that hits someone's nerve either good, bad or uncomfortable makes the impression last longer. Fresh is dependant on trends and personal mind space. That's just me saying I'll depend on me and my art, and research. Everything follows.


Q: 2014 is literally on our doorsteps. What are some of your goals so far?

Let's say I have plans but I ain't sharing but I just wanna see my label grow into something people identify as beautiful and niche appropriate clothing. I don't plan on doing men's wear under RALFE but anything happens. All I say is pay attention to the ALF... 
Sometimes dreams come true but most times we wake up only realizing you were dreaming all this time instead of doing. They say dreams do come true. Only if you wake up. Guess who's not sleeping 2014?... (sips tea)
#RALFE 

Twitter : @OhSnap_Its_Siya
Instagram : @So_Ralfe

Here you have it boys and girls signed, sealed and delivered. Now you know who to look out for in 2014. 

Do drop a comment right here on the comment box tell us what is it that has got you excited for 2014? Also follow on Twitter/Instagram : @KingElihleLee

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Rihanna becomes the New face of Balmain


What happens when a French fashion house meets a Bajan beauty who's every designer's dream to work with? Add a major photography duo to that spin. You get all sorts of flames and fierceness! And that's exactly what happened when mega superstar Rihanna posed for Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in a photo shoot styled by Mel Ottenberg for Balmain's Spring 14 ad campaign.

The What Now singer stars on Balmain's SS14 campaign which is set to appear in magazines in January 2014. The songstress who was honoured with first ever American Music Awards Icon award this year was yet again described as an 'icon' by the brand's creative director, Olivier Rusteing.
 


 "When the woman that inspires you wears your creations, your vision feels complete." Rousteing said.
He was further quoted saying "In front of the camera, she makes you feel like she is the only girl in the world,"

Rihanna appears in two different looks for this campaign. One she's styled in denim with heavy gold chains for accessories. The second look is embraces her femininity in pink, its much softer also with gold accessories and gorgeous white lace high heels with metallic gold heels.
The singer's not new to modelling since she has also posed for a Chanel ad campaign and Armani jeans. It certainly shows with the way she's able to give out beauty even with half her hair across her face.
With her hairstyle and tattoos she's able to balance both the edginess and the chic.  It is an understatement to say she killed it!

Do Drop a cooment right here on the comment box. You can also follow me on Twitter/Instagram: @KingElihleLee.

Thursday 12 December 2013

Riccardo Tisci introduces campaign of color: Erykah Badu x Givenchy


Riccardo Tisci of French fashion house Givenchy continues to bring new spins into the fashion industry with the brand's latest Spring 14 ad campaign. Famous for always being a trailblazer Tisci chose to work with the royalty of Neo-soul Erykah Badu for the SS14 campaign.
Tisci who has worked with R&B superstar Beyoncé on her high grossing world tour, The Mrs Carter World Tour is known for his love for women of color. This campaign is no different as the woman of color is not only Badu but other models featured are women of color which comes as a breath of fresh air in the fashion industry which can at times seem one bit biased.


“What I want to do with my advertising campaign is spread the love. Already now it’s been three seasons that I’ve been using people that express something—they are great artists, or beautiful women, or stylish women, or models that I really believe in. It’s kind of a family portfolio.” Tisci said on a telephonic interview in Paris.

Social media went ablaze when the pictures photographed by the  genius duo Mert and Marcus with singing sensation and Puma creative director Solange Knowles taking to Twitter saying "Badu Kill Em for Givenchy. Just Yes"
We can't help but agree with everyone who's fond of this campaign I mean Badu's style has always evolved from great to greater. Its rather close to impossible not speak about the Bag Lady singer without mentioning the word "icon" from her unique fashion sense with those gravity defying head wraps to her forever poetic lyrics.
The collection which absorbs inspiration from Japanese & African cultures is just paired perfectly with Badu. I must this is just one of the best and unexpected SS14 ad campaigns we've seen so far.

Tell me what you think of this ad campaign, follow me on Instagram/Twitter: @KingElihleLee