There was oodles of swag — and the sighting of what may be Black Coffee’s new squeeze — at the opening of a new luxe store in Sandton’s swishiest precinct this week.
Called Amiri, this is the first South African outpost of the Los Angeles-based elevated streetwear brand founded by Mike Amiri, which has quickly gained a following since launching less than a decade ago.
Monday evening’s opening drew an intimate yet fashionable crowd.
When I arrive outside the store, located on the edge of Sandton City’s Diamond Walk, I am greeted by event organiser Vika Shipalana, and then get a chance to catch up with Michael Wilson, who heads up marketing for the mall, and spunky interior designer Giorgio Tatsakis.
We drink from mini bottles of Moët and snack on canapés — including Moroccan beef slivers with basil pesto served in mini wonton cones, corn and chilli fritters with avo mousse, and bite-sized duck à l’orange filo tarts — from caterer Vicky Crease, who was also there with her sister, the renowned interior designer Maira Koutsoudakis.
In walks two couples, one of them fashion entrepreneur Arie Fabian and his model/model coach wife Elana. And the other one?
Nkosinathi Maphumulo, better known the world over as legendary DJ Black Coffee — in a red silk bowling shirt with “Amiri” emblazoned on the back, finished off with black shorts and sparkling Louis Vuitton monogram trainers — arrives with someone I haven’t seen before.
Who is she?
Though the We Dance Again hitmaker is overheard calling the pretty brunette “baby”, she tells lensman Masi Losi her name is Victoria Gonzalez.
Hmmmm ...
On to chatting with Arie, whose father Jeffrey founded menswear brand Fabiani back in 1978 (in 2011, the business was acquired by retail giant TFG).
I learn the Cape Town-based businessman got to know Nathi as a customer “with impeccable taste”.
Fast-forward to 2018, when entertainment king and fellow DJ Themba Nkosi struck a deal to bring cult street brand Off White to South Africa.
Arie was roped in, and the result is a new fashion entity called Yawa, which includes an emporium of “incumbent luxury brands”, also found in the Diamond Walk, and through which the trio operate Amiri throughout the country.
Nathi’s fondness for the brand is well known — the DJ, along with his son Esona, wore white Amiri suits when he accepted his Grammy Award last year. He also sported a custom-designed shirt from the brand during his recent Madison Square Garden headliner.
The latter is prominently displayed in the store, and Nathi tells the crowd, which includes radio personality Anele Mdoda and fashion designer Lukhanyo Mdingi, that its distinctive embroidered motifs featuring three women comes from a painting he commissioned Durban artist Wonder Buhle to create for him.
“I am a big fan of his art. I needed to create an artwork for my family. Our family has been led by women, so I wanted something that featured three women standing tall, representing two of my grandmothers and my mom — something that would commemorate them,” he explained.
From BC commemorating his sheroes in art and on to recognition of the pioneers and trailblazers of the local fashion industry on Thursday afternoon.
Now in its third year, the Fashion Industry Awards of South Africa applauds not only the designers but also the seamstresses, stylists, factory workers and influencers who all form part of the fashion ecosystem.
Founded by fashion personality Alinah Seloane Missouri, the awards ceremony was held at The Garden Venue in Joburg's North Riding.
It drew a crowd ranging from fashion stalwarts like Bongiwe Walaza (who we can thank for making shweshwe dresses fashionable in the early 2000s) to rising stars in the rag trade such as Mzukisi Mbane from Imprint ZA, Mother of Haute owner Jessica Jane Molebatsi, model Constance More (a deserving nominee in the fashion muse category), and all-round fashionable gal Kim Jayde, who showed up in heels and not sneakers for a change.
“Good afternoon, queens, queers and everyone else,” announces host Penny Lebyane, at the start of the ceremony, to chuckles from the audience, which included veteran fashion stylist Felipe Mazibuko, makeup artist Faith Seuoe, travel boss Johanna Makgalemele, Joburg Tourism’s Lumka Dlomo, the Gauteng Tourism Authority’s Barba Gaoganediwe, and Masana Chikeka from the department of sports, arts & culture.
As awards ceremonies go, this wasn’t the best of the lot — but, thanks to Penny’s banter, even the glitches were bearable.
“Sometimes you’re fast ... sometimes you’re slow. Such a man!” quipped the broadcaster at one point when the AV technician flashed a screen with the name of a winner on it before the presenter of the category could say a word.
There isn’t enough space here to mention everyone who won a trophy, but I can tell you that among them Kim took home the Fashion Influencer award, Thomas van Dyk was named Fashion Stylist of the Year, and the womenswear brand gong went to Pretoria-based ERRE Fashion.
And though Hangwani Nengovhela was considerably more than fashionably late, the talented entrepreneur was in time to hear her brand, Rubicon, announced Fashion Designer of the Year.
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