There are a few things associated with Valentine’s Day: Cupid shooting arrows, hearts entwined and the colour red.
And fittingly, this week on the social scene while I didn’t spot a winged lad with bow and arrow, I did start my week at a long-awaited red carpet affair where plenty of guests showed up in the colour of love. And I ended it by having a short heart-to-Hart with one of Hollywood’s most bankable comics.
Let’s start at the end.
That faux Tuscan village entertainment complex out in Fourways, Joburg was the GPS pin for the South African premiere of a movie that originally wasn’t called Die Hart starring American actor and comedian Kevin Hart.
The funny man happened to be in the country for his Reality Check comedy tour.
And so, in between gigs, the clever folk at Empire Entertainment (the film distribution wing of Arena, the company that owns this newspaper) and streaming service Prime Video put on a local premiere of what had originally been a 10-part TV series which has now been cut into a full-length flick.
The nice thing is, we get to see the new cut in selected movie theatres before it debuts globally on Amazon later this month.
Heading down the cobbled walkway to the Nu Metro cinema in the precinct, I bump into one of the nicest couples in Mzansi, Joan Ramagoshi and her businessman husband Jeff Madibeng.
Joan, who wore the Miss South Africa crown 20 years ago, looked glam in a glittering gown while Jeff channelled his inner James Bond in his tux.
Meanwhile, posing at the photo wall at the entrance, I spotted local comedian Celeste Ntuli, who looked like she was ready for battle in her camo ensemble.
“I want to be a soldier,” she quipped, executing a high kick for effect.
You’ll want to know about the man of the hour. In walks the five feet two and a half inch star flanked by an entourage including his wife Eniko, in a midriff-revealing bronze two-piece.
I chat to Kevin about him embracing Mpho, the name given to him by someone he met the last time he toured the country back in 2016. I also ask him whether Die Hart, in which he plays a fictionalised version of himself on a quest to be taken seriously as an action movie star, was part of his pitch to rejig his career in that direction.
“It is all fun, done light-hearted … I am fine where I am but, if I wanted to, I could … The concept of wanting to be an action star gives us the grounds for us to build. You need a foundation and a good story, that’s what it is,” says the man who in 2019 was listed by Forbes magazine as the world’s highest paid stand-up, with annual earnings of $59m.
From a hearty chat with a movie star, on to the country’s chicest awards ceremony which this year, taking place two days before Valentine’s Day, went red in the name of love.
The SA Style Awards, which aim to celebrate those who “disrupt the creative process of business”, were held last Sunday evening at the upmarket Hyde Park Corner shopping centre in Joburg.
Sponsored by paint company Plascon, the evening commenced with an awards ceremony at the Graham Contemporary Art Gallery inside the mall, followed by a dinner party at the Southern Sun Hyde Park Hotel’s rooftop.
Have to admit that this was a do which made me slightly apprehensive because, as one of the 2023 winners (I got the nod in the Most Stylish Designer category for my day job as the founder of my sustainable brand Fundudzi), I had to climb on stage to deliver an acceptance speech.
Eeek!
The night, though, proved to be both humbling and oh so chic.
I made my way to the red carpet with a fellow winner, Kim Jayde, who earned her Franz Grabe flower trophy for Most Innovative Style.
On to spotting Norma Mngoma catching up with her buddy, businesswoman Johanna Makgalemele, then greeting branding guru Nathan Reddy and interior designer Trevor Julius. I pick up a mini bottle of Valdo Prosecco before going on to chat to Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni, the former Miss South Africa turned radio presenter, and her husband Dr Musa Mthombeni.
“It’s the month of love so I am happy to be out on a date night with my hubby, even though my feet in these heels are very sore,” Liesl confided.
Meanwhile, someone who Cupid’s arrow missed was Nina Hastie, who looked like she could be a cartoonish villain in Die Hart with her sparkly pinkish catsuit designed by Sihle Masango.
“I had to release my Tinder dates. I’m dressed as: Swipe left, left on read,” Nina explained.
Musically, we were treated to Tamara Dey and DJ Kimmy K. And the grub? High marks to the hotel for a feast that put the boring movie theatre snacks at the Die Hart movie prem to shame.
I loved the red wine risotto with braised beef and three cheese ravioli with porcini crème served at the pasta station and went back for seconds of the Asian glazed deboned wings with toasted sesame. Kicking myself though because I missed out on the macaron tower from which guests could pick to customise their take-home treats.
Those who went for a literal translation of the theme “Uber Glam – Dare To Be Red” included makeup influencer Mihlali Ndamase and my fellow winners Rosette Ncwana (Most Stylish Model), Nambitha Ben-Mazwi (Most Stylish Performing Artist in Film/TV), Sipho Hotstix Mabuse (who had us all on our feet to applaud him being named Style Icon) and Galaletsang Tshungu, who along with Lebo George Molaolwa were named Next Big Thing.
I particularly loved Boity Thulo accepting her win for Most Stylish Performing Artist in Music in a red tux and the unexpectedly edgy touch of Leanne Manas (Most Stylish Media Personality) in her dark and tasselled Erre gown finished off with red diamantes on her face and hair while the blokes behind the Just Teddy patisserie, Jeff and Teddy Zaki, made a decent sartorial effort.
MC duties fell in the capable hands of Alan “Chubby” Ford and Lalla Hirayama, who held a moment of silence after the shock killing of Kiernan Forbes and Tebello Motsoane a few days before.
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